Hardware Engineering Operations / Manufacturing, AVP - San Jose, California, United States
$280,000 - $310,000 USD yearly
Originally posted 4 June 2026 by the employer.
About the role
Astera Labs is hiring an AVP of Hardware Engineering Operations / Manufacturing to lead the hardware engineering operations and manufacturing organization across its hardware portfolio. You will own manufacturing strategy and execution spanning Smart Cable Modules (SCM), Active Electrical Cables (AEC), evaluation boards (SVB/EVB), AI Chassis-class systems, and ODM-built products.
What you'll do
- Lead hardware engineering operations and manufacturing across SCM, AEC, evaluation boards, AI Chassis-class systems, and ODM programs. - Own operational partnerships with contract manufacturers across China and the rest of Asia, directing qualification, ramp, cadence, and accountability through full production maturity. - Direct ODM engagements for switch trays, CEM cards, and chassis-based systems. - Execute Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews on early hardware designs and lead production scaling, cost estimation, cycle times, and staffing requirements. - Optimize assembly line operations by designing factory layouts, analyzing workflows, mitigating operational bottlenecks, and applying lean manufacturing techniques. - Coordinate the architecture, procurement, build, and debug of automated test equipment (ATE) to ensure compliance with process, functional, and safety specifications.
What you'll need
- Proven executive engineering leadership experience managing contract manufacturers (CM) and original design manufacturers (ODM) across Asia. - Demonstrated background driving Design for Manufacturability (DFM), NPI execution, and mass production ramps for complex hardware systems. - Direct technical background overseeing automated test equipment development, test parameters, and quality systems. - Operational expertise in process engineering, factory layout design, workflow optimization, and lean manufacturing. - Experience managing hardware manufacturing programs across modules, cables, switch trays, CEM cards, or chassis-level assemblies.
Skills: hardware manufacturing, NPI, DFM, mass production ramp, yield, test, quality systems
This role has been open 141 days — well above the 53-day median for Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering roles.
Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering · Manufacturing Equipment
|
Open roles in category
2491
|
Median days open
53 d
|
Median salary
$99k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Astera Labs | All employers we track in this specialty (2491 roles · 78 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 1 | 2491 |
| Open roles in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family | 7 | 10080 · 106 employers |
| Median days open | 141 d | 53 d (+88 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $99k |
Skills observed across this category: hardware manufacturing, NPI, DFM, mass production ramp, yield, test
Who's hiring in this category
- Micron Technology · 365 open roles · median 79 d
- Applied Materials · 260 open roles · median 38 d
- Entegris · 212 open roles · median 43 d
- Lam Research · 112 open roles · median 65 d
- Infineon Technologies · 99 open roles · median 46 d
- ASML · 68 open roles · median 52 d
How we counted: 2491 open Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering (Manufacturing Equipment) roles from 78 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 24 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family row. Figures refresh nightly.