Production and Automation Lead

About Bota Systems
Bota Systems AG is a Zürich-based ETH spin-off building high-precision 6-axis force-torque, torque and tactile sensors — a sensing platform for physical AI. Robot OEMs, integrators and humanoid companies are moving from pilots to volume, and our production must scale with them.
We are hiring a Production & Automation Lead to turn today's manual cell-based assembly into a scalable, cost-efficient production system across multiple sites.
The role
Your number-one goal is to drive labor cost per unit down as volumes grow — through automation, standardized work instructions and strong production management. You own production cost, capacity and process quality end to end, are as comfortable on the shop floor as in a supplier negotiation, and thrive when priorities shift as the company grows.

Key responsibilities

Drive labor cost per unit down (top priority)
Own labor hours per unit as the core production KPI; measure it, set targets and report on it monthly.
Automate assembly, calibration and test steps where it reduces labor per unit (fixtures, test rigs, semi-automated and automated stations).
Write and maintain standardized work instructions so any trained technician hits the same cycle time and quality.
Run time studies, balance the line and remove waste using lean methods.
Manage and coach the technician team for output, cross-training and continuous improvement.
Drive material and purchasing cost down
Own the bill-of-materials and unit-cost roadmap; set and hit annual cost-reduction targets.
Consolidate volumes and secure volume discounts as order quantities grow.
Feed design-for-manufacturing and design-for-cost recommendations back to R&D.
Suppliers and procurement
Negotiate prices, lead times, MOQs and quality terms with component and machining suppliers.
Qualify second sources for critical parts to reduce supply risk.
Track supplier performance (cost, delivery, quality) and run regular reviews.
Resources and capacity
Plan production capacity (cells, equipment, people) against the sales forecast.
Hire, onboard and lead production technicians; build training and work instructions.
Prepare the rollout of additional production cells and sites.
Hands-on process and automation
Work on the line to understand every assembly, calibration and test step first-hand.
Identify bottlenecks and automate where it pays off (fixtures, test rigs, semi-automated stations).
Keep production data and work orders accurate in our ERP (Odoo).
Quality
Align production processes with our quality standards and customer quality agreements.
Define in-process and final inspection, track yield and scrap, and drive root-cause fixes.
Support certifications and customer audits as we enter larger accounts.
What success looks like after 12 months
Labor hours per unit clearly reduced on our core sensor lines, with the gain coming from automation and standard work, not overtime.
Standardized work instructions in place for every production step, and new technicians productive within weeks.
First automated stations live, with stable or improved yield.
Measurable material-cost reduction backed by renegotiated supplier terms and dual sourcing for critical parts.
A documented, repeatable production cell ready to be copied to new sites, staffed ahead of demand.
Who you are
Must have
Degree in mechanical, mechatronics, production or industrial engineering, or equivalent experience.
5+ years in production, manufacturing engineering or operations for precision electromechanical products.
Proven record of reducing labor cost per unit through automation, standard work and lean, plus supplier negotiation.
Hands-on mindset: you build fixtures, troubleshoot assemblies and work alongside technicians.
Experience leading or coordinating a technical team.
Fluent English; German is a strong plus.
Nice to have
Background in sensors, robotics, metrology or medical devices.
Experience scaling from low-volume to series production, or setting up a new production site.
Knowledge of ISO 9001 / quality management systems, lean and DFM.
Experience with ERP (ideally Odoo) and CAD (SolidWorks).
What we offer and how to apply
A key role reporting to the CEO, with real ownership and direct impact on company growth.
The chance to build a production system from the ground up in a fast-growing deep-tech company.
A small, ambitious team at the forefront of physical AI and robotics.
Competitive salary and employee participation.