Supplier Development Engineering Manager

About Base

Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.

We are looking for a Supplier Development Engineering Manager to join our team. Base is an incredibly data driven organization which extends directly into our supply chain. We want to know the efficiencies and deficiencies of our suppliers just as well, if not better, than our own factories. This role focuses on ensuring that suppliers' manufacturing processes are optimized for the production of high-quality, cost-effective products.

You will work closely with suppliers and internal teams to drive product and process improvements, manage supply chain issues, and ensure successful integration of new products into mass production. As a player-coach, you will also lead and develop a team of Supplier Development Engineers - staying hands‑on in the technical work while growing the capabilities and careers of your team.

What You'll Do

• Lead and develop a team of Supplier Development Engineers, balancing direct technical contribution with coaching, prioritization, and team growth.

• Ramp supplier lines from early prototyping through full-scale production, ensuring readiness across equipment, staffing, and processes.

• Size‑up suppliers to see if they are a cultural fit to work with Base on a long‑term basis.

• Work directly with suppliers to assess, design, and optimize manufacturing processes to meet production requirements. Ensure suppliers are capable of scaling production without compromising quality.

• Support the supplier qualification process, including auditing manufacturing facilities, production processes, and quality standards.

• Support design for manufacturability reviews in the product design phase as a representative of "the supplier".

• Map out the manufacturing process of our suppliers to understand capacity bottlenecks to be ahead of future growth needs.

• Evaluate the "should cost" of supplier manufacturing strategies to inform the investment value of Base in our suppliers.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Physics, or a related field.

• 7+ years of experience in supplier industrialization, supplier quality, or manufacturing engineering, preferably in the consumer electronics, automotive, or industrial sectors.

• 2+ years of experience managing or leading engineering teams, with a track record of developing technical talent.

• Knowledge in multiple manufacturing processes, including injection molding, CNC machining, PCB/PCBA, stamping, and assembly techniques.

• Experience in manufacturing line design and capital costs, to evaluate supplier investment strategies.

• The ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously and meet deadlines - both personally and across your team.

• The ability to effectively work with cross‑functional teams and suppliers to drive improvements and resolve issues.

• Willingness to travel frequently - the most effective supplier relationships are built face‑to‑face.

About this Team

Makers of the machines that power tomorrow. The Supplier Development team owns the scaling portion of our supply chain. Our team focuses on how a product can be built, defining the process technology and equipment solutions along the way. We are the feedback loop with the product design team to ensure designs are manufacturable both at cost and scale. The Supplier Development team owns the roadmap of a supplier’s journey from pilot volumes to full‑scale production..

Our team sits at the intersection of manufacturing operations and supply chain, responsible for ensuring that Base’s products can be built at scale - without compromising on quality or cost. We work hands‑on with a global supply base to qualify suppliers, stand up production lines, and resolve the hard technical problems that arise when moving from prototype to mass production. Our work directly enables…