VP of Manufacturing - US (Chicago, IL)
About us
At Gideon, we're crafting the future of logistics, manufacturing & other industrial environments with cutting-edge AI and 3D vision-based autonomous robots. Our team is committed to automating complex operations, allowing people to shine in what they do best.
If you're ready to join us and be part of this journey, read on!
Our team consists of 100+ super-talented people, including top-notch experts in the field of hardware and software engineering, and is devoted to developing robots with a mission of making people's work easier.
We are an ambitious group of tech enthusiasts with different backgrounds, skills, and experiences, very excited and passionate about what we do! And above all, we cherish team spirit, constant learning and kindness. There is much more to learn, so we hope this piqued your curiosity!
About the role
We are looking for a VP of Manufacturing to lead Gideon’s end-to-end production system across our U.S. and Croatian manufacturing operations.
This is a senior strategic execution role responsible for scaling our manufacturing from low-volume, project-style production into a controlled, repeatable, audit-ready operation. You will own internal manufacturing, contract manufacturing partnerships, quality, manufacturing engineering, assembly, procurement, warehousing, and supplier relationships.
The ideal candidate brings strong process discipline, experience scaling complex electromechanical or robotic systems, and the ability to build a manufacturing organization capable of delivering against ambitious production targets.
Responsibilities we’ll trust you with:
- Own Gideon’s production plan across internal manufacturing and contract manufacturing partners
- Translate annual volume commitments into monthly production plans and ramp schedules
- Define and manage production ramp phases from pilot to full-scale manufacturing
- Ensure every shipped unit meets the same quality, traceability, and documentation standards
- Drive improvements in unit cost, throughput, quality, and production efficiency
- Own supplier and strategic partner relationships, including contract manufacturing partners
- Lead partner selection, onboarding, ramp-up, commercial negotiations, and performance management
- Establish manufacturing standards, routings, BOM discipline, work instructions, change control, and ERP-driven processes
- Manage manufacturing engineering, quality, assembly, procurement, and warehousing functions
- Set internal capacity plans, headcount needs, tooling investments, facility requirements, and test automation roadmap
- Report manufacturing performance, risks, partner status, quality KPIs, cost trajectory, and ramp readiness to Gideon’s governance level
- Build and lead a strong cross-site manufacturing organization with a culture of accountability, safety, and continuous improvement
Your area of expertise:
- MBA or Master’s degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field
- Significant senior manufacturing leadership experience, such as Director of Manufacturing, Plant Manager, Head of Operations, or similar
- Proven experience scaling production of complex electromechanical, robotic, or comparable technical systems
- Strong experience with manufacturing engineering, quality, assembly, procurement, and multi-site operations
- Hands-on experience managing suppliers and contract manufacturing partners
- Experience with RFQs, proposal evaluation, contract negotiation, pilot production, ramp management, and steady-state production
- Strong commercial understanding of supplier and manufacturing agreements, including payment terms, margins, inventory liability, indemnification, and termination terms
- Deep understanding of ERP-driven manufacturing execution, including BOMs, routings, work orders, work instructions, and traceability
- Practical quality systems experience and ability to support customer-grade audits
- Excellent communication skills in English, including the ability to present clearly at governance or board level
- Authorization to work in the United States
Bonus points:
- Experience scaling production of AMRs, AGVs, electric vehicles, autonomous systems, or other safety-critical products
- Lean or Six Sigma certification with proven production results
- Experience setting up or significantly expanding manufacturing operations, including facilities, hiring, tooling, and capital deployment