Company Overview At Skild AI, we are building the world's first general purpose robotic intelligence that is robust and adapts to unseen scenarios without failing. We believe massive scale through data-driven machine learning is the key to unlocking these capabilities for the widespread deployment of robots within society. Our team consists of individuals with varying levels of experience and backgrounds, from new graduates to domain experts. Relevant industry experience is important, but ultimately less so than your demonstrated abilities and attitude. We are looking for passionate individuals who are eager to explore uncharted waters and contribute to our innovative projects. Position Overview We are looking for an agile, execution-focused Global Supply Manager to drive hardware procurement, prototype pipeline management, and supply chain execution. You will own key categories of our robot Bill of Materials (BOM)—including actuators, custom electromechanical components, sensors, cameras, and PCBAs. Beyond negotiating long-term contracts, you will be deeply embedded in early hardware development, managing day-to-day order execution and inbound material logistics to keep engineering teams building, testing, and iterating without delay. This role requires 25-40% international travel.
Responsibilities Engineering Development Support: Partner closely with R&D, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering teams during early-stage prototyping (Proto/EVT/DVT). Participate in design reviews to drive early supplier involvement, run Design-for-Manufacturability (DFM) feedback loops, and secure long-lead development components. Hands-On Order Execution: Own the tactical end-to-end purchasing process for prototype builds and production runs—building RFQs, issuing POs, tracking shipments, and expediting critical parts to keep pace with fast-moving engineering sprints. Material Handling & Logistics: Oversee initial material receipt, inventory allocation, and local logistics for incoming engineering parts. Coordinate with internal teams and contract manufacturers to ensure raw materials, components, and custom tooling are tracked, kitted, and routed to the correct lab or assembly line. Sourcing & Category Strategy: Own global sourcing strategies for critical robotic hardware categories, including motors, structural components, sensors, custom silicon, and camera modules. NPI to Production Scaling: Transition hardware designs from R&D prototypes to scaled manufacturing with domestic and international partners. Commercial Negotiations: Lead MSAs, SOWs, and unit pricing agreements to optimize total cost of ownership (TCO). Supplier Relationship Management: Build and maintain strategic relationships with key hardware vendors, conducting regular performance reviews to ensure quality, delivery, and cost targets are met. Preferred
Qualifications 3-5 years of experience in strategic sourcing, global supply management, or technical procurement within hardware, robotics, consumer electronics, automotive, or aerospace environments. Proven experience supporting engineering teams through early development cycles (EVT/DVT/PVT), including fast-paced prototype sourcing and hands-on order placement (ERP/MRP systems, PO generation, shipment tracking). Direct experience taking electromechanical hardware components or systems from early concept through NPI and into scaled production. Experience managing and negotiating with suppliers across PCBAs, precision machining, sensors, or optical systems. Experience sourcing for autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), warehouse automation, or complex humanoid robotic hardware. Ability to read and interpret 2D technical drawings, mechanical GD&T, and electrical schematics. Familiarity with inventory tracking, kitting, and material management practices in an R&D or pilot production setting. Comfort with ambiguity and a builder's mindset to establish supply chain and procurement processes from scratch. BS/BA in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Business, or a related quantitative field. Base Salary Range $100,000 — $300,000 USD
Skild AI is building the world's first general-purpose robotic intelligence — an omnibodied AI brain that can be deployed into any hardware platform, from humanoid robots to warehouse automation systems to quadrupeds. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in San Mateo, California, Skild AI takes a fundamentally different approach to the robotics race: rather than building a single robot, they've created a platform-agnostic foundation model that makes any robot a dramatically better version of itself.
The company operates at the intersection of massive-scale machine learning and physical robotics, believing that data-driven AI is the key to unlocking robust robotic intelligence that adapts to unseen scenarios without failing. Their customers include major technology companies like Amazon and NVIDIA, who integrate Skild's brain into their own hardware platforms.
With over $1.8 billion in funding from world-class investors including SoftBank, Sequoia Capital, NVIDIA, Bezos Expeditions, and Samsung, Skild AI has grown from a 12-person team to nearly 200 employees in under two years. The company also pursues strategic acquisitions — such as Fetch Robotics — to expand their hardware footprint and demonstrate the transformative power of their AI when deployed into existing platforms.
Skild AI fosters a fast-paced, high-ownership startup culture where team members work directly with founders and have outsized impact. The founding team emerged from CMU's robotics ecosystem, and the company values demonstrated ability and attitude over pedigree, welcoming individuals from new graduates to domain experts who are passionate about exploring uncharted territory in embodied AI.
Salary
$100,000 - $300,000
Location
San Mateo
Experience
3+ years
Total raised
$1.8B
Last stage
Series C
Investors
No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.
A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.
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