Manufacturing Team Leader; FILLED

Would you like to be part of building a brand new industry?

We are looking for a talented Manufacturing Team Leader (TL) to help drive the Manufacturing scale-up of our rapidly growing technology business.

Dogtooth is a Cambridge-based technology start-up specialising in autonomous robotics for fruit harvesting. Founded ten years ago, we have successfully developed, manufactured, and deployed five generations of strawberry picking robots on farms in Europe and Australia. Our team combines considerable expertise in manufacturing, mechanical, electronics and software engineering, and machine learning computer vision.

Working within a small team, you will lead the other technicians to deliver a plan of new equipment build and test, and the repair, refurbishment and upgrade of existing fleet equipment. As a rapidly growing business, you will need to develop a plan for the expansion of production capacity and developing robust capabilities.

In order to do this, you will need to ensure that

• Safety and 5s standards are adhered to and improved where necessary
• Build instructions are followed and cross-trained
• Production plans are made and delivered upon
• Continuous improvement opportunities are acted upon appropriately
• Work is standardised

• Take a hands-on role in our manufacturing activities to understand the robot and its build and testing.
• Manage and augment our team of technicians.
• Support the creation of methods and documentation for the manufacture of new and existing products.

• Post-18 study in an engineering/ops management/science subject.
• Supervisory experience.
• Hands-on technical experience in a related field.
• Demonstrable success with root cause problem solving.
• Full clean driving licence.
• Must be able to work in the UK.
• Disciplined, with a strong sense of urgency.
• Attention to detail, and able to identify which further requisite detail to pursue next.
• Understands and is comfortable with the tradeoffs between organisational capabilities and team building.
• Sets and works towards sensible, challenging milestones.
• Able to draw the correct balance between following process and knowing when to intervene and/or elevate problems.
• Data driven in problem solving.
• Personable, emotionally intelligent.
• Likes simple solutions.
• Happy to work wherever Genba is.

• Reports to the Manufacturing Director.
• Works with Manufacturing Engineers to transfer products to manufacture.
• Works with our customer facing team (ops engineers, site managers) to ensure manufacturing remains close to our customers.
• Works with Buyer Planner to ensure robust production plans are made and delivered upon.
• Works with technicians to ensure their development i.e. skills matrix coverage to match business needs.

Dogtooth operates daily management. As a member of the manufacturing leadership team, you will be responsible for delivering against targets:

• Safety – Incidents and near misses
• Delivery – On time delivery to plan, jointly with the planner/buyer
• Productivity – Direct labour productivity measured against standardised work

Additionally, you will support your colleagues

• Quality – using and improving methods and documentation
• Inventory – operating and contributing to the improvement of shop floor inventory systems

• In depth training in lean manufacturing.
• Development opportunities for a senior manufacturing management leadership role.
• See the entire life cycle of robots from conception to product support in their installed base.
• Be part of a rapidly growing hardware manufacturing business.
• Bring your dog to work.