Production Supervisor — Sonny V2 Line (Robotics) at Tutor Intelligence in Watertown, MA

Job description

• We believe general-purpose, generally-intelligent robots will be built in our lifetimes. Robots will work in our factories, move our goods, walk on our streets and eventually be in our homes. To build that future, research and deployment must work in lockstep: real-world operation must make the technology better, and better technology must make deployment easier. We're looking for the thinkers, builders, and leaders who want to be part of that loop.
• Founded by MIT alumni and backed by over $40M from leading AI and robotics investors, we deploy real robotic systems directly into the facilities that power the physical economy. We don't just build robots — we build them, ship them, and keep them running.
• We're looking for a Production Supervisor to lead the day-to-day operation of the Sonny V2 production line. You'll directly supervise a team of assembly and test technicians to deliver high-quality robots to our customers, on plan, and you'll build the spare-parts (FRU) kits that keep the deployed fleet running.
• This role reports to the Head of Manufacturing and Supply Chain.
• Sonny ramps in Q2 2027. You'll join early, embedded with the Hardware and Production Engineering teams through the prototype and pre-production builds, and come out of them as the manufacturing organization's Sonny product expert — the person who knows every subassembly, every failure mode, and how to build the robot right. From there you'll turn prototype builds into repeatable procedures and grow the team from a handful of contract techs into a production cell that hits rate. This is a floor-first role — you'll spend your day on the line, building alongside your team when needed, not behind a desk.

Responsibilities

• Become the Sonny product expert
• Work directly with Hardware Engineering and Production Engineering through the prototype and pre-production runs, building units hands-on and learning the robot end to end
• Learn every subassembly, harness, test step, and known failure mode well enough to train and troubleshoot without Engineering support
• Capture what you learn as build notes, defect logs, and manufacturability feedback that shape the production-ready design and process
• Become the first point of contact on the floor for any Sonny build or test question
• Lead the team on the floor
• Supervise, train, and develop a team of assembly and test technicians dedicated to Sonny; get a new tech productive in a week
• Run the daily rhythm of the line: standups, build targets, escalations, and end-of-shift handoffs
• Hold the standard on safety, quality, and workmanship — and coach every tech to it
• Handle scheduling, timekeeping, performance feedback, and cross-training so the line never depends on one person
• Participate in hiring and onboarding as the team grows
• Execute the build plan
• Turn the monthly build plan into daily and weekly work assignments, and keep the line on schedule
• Track clear-to-build status and escalate material, tooling, or capacity gaps early enough to fix them
• Manage WIP and line balance so units move through assembly, bring-up, and test without piling up
• Report daily output, First Pass Yield, and on-time status, and drive the corrective actions on your line
• Build the FRU kits
• Build Field Replaceable Units and spare-parts kits alongside production units, so every robot ships with the spares it needs and the field team never waits on Manufacturing
• Maintain FRU build cadences, inventory targets, and packaging/labeling standards with Supply Chain and Maintenance
• Bring the line up, then make it repeatable
• Work with Production Engineering to develop, validate, and lock work instructions, test procedures, fixtures, and error-proofing for the Sonny V2 process
• Absorb design and BOM changes on a monthly cutover cadence without stalling the line
• Drive continuous improvement: flag recurring defects, eliminate waste, and reduce build hours per unit
• Ensure every unit is traceable in ION (our MES) from kitting through final acceptance
• Work across the company
• Supply Chain: kitting, shortages, and NCMR dispositions
• Production Engineering: process bring-up, tooling, test coverage, and change control
• Deployment: ship dates, configuration, packaging, and what the customer needs on day one
• Hardware Engineering: manufacturability feedback that makes the next revision easier to build

Requirements

• 5+ years leading technicians in a production or manufacturing environment as a lead or supervisor, including scheduling, training, and performance feedback
• Hands-on experience with production planning: translating a build schedule into daily work, tracking materials readiness, and hitting a delivery commitment
• Experience bringing up a new product or line, not just running a mature one
• Working knowledge of lean manufacturing, 5S, and root-cause problem solving, applied on a real floor
• Experience with an MES/ERP for work orders, traceability, and inventory
• Strong electromechanical assembly and test skills — you can read a drawing, a BOM, and a test log, and you know what good workmanship looks like
• Clear, direct communicator who can report status upward and set expectations with the team
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or Supply Chain Management (a big plus)
• Robotics, automation, medical device, aerospace, or other low-volume, high-complexity electromechanical assembly
• Experience working with Engineering on prototype or pilot builds ahead of production release
• Experience building spare-parts or service kits for a deployed fleet
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
• Experience running a line through frequent engineering changes / NPI

Skills

Required

• Leadership and team supervision
• Production planning and scheduling
• MES/ERP experience
• Reading drawings, BOMs, and test logs
• Clear and direct communication

Preferred

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt

Benefits

• We offer unlimited PTO and holidays. We host social events and maintain a collaborative, low-ego work culture where people are trusted to take ownership and solve real problems. Tutor is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds.
• $90,000 - $120,000 a year