Manager, Mechanical NPI Engineering

Company Description

Arista Networks is an industry leader in data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large data center, campus and routing environments. What sets us apart is our relentless pursuit of innovation. We leverage the latest advancements in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and software-defined networking to provide our clients with a competitive edge in an increasingly interconnected world. Our solutions are designed to not only meet the current demands of the digital landscape but to also anticipate and adapt to future challenges.

At Arista we value the diversity of thought and perspectives that each employee brings to the table. We  believe that fostering an inclusive environment, where individuals from various backgrounds and experiences feel welcome, is essential for driving creativity and innovation.

Our commitment to excellence has earned us several prestigious awards, such as Best Engineering Team, Best Company for Diversity, Compensation, and Work-Life Balance. At Arista, we take pride in our track record of success and strive to maintain the highest standards of quality and performance in everything we do.

Job Description

This is a highly technical engineering leadership role focused on overseeing the process of taking new products from design to full scale manufacturing. This role requires a combination of technical expertise in electro/mechanical design and manufacturing, along with strong management and team leadership skills.

Who You’ll Work With
As the Manager of Mechanical NPI Engineering, you will oversee a team of 8-10 Mechanical NPI Engineers, collaborating closely with Engineering Cross-Functional team members and our CM partners manufacturing our products. In this capacity, you will work with Hardware and Mechanical Engineering technical leaders to advance product development, manufacturing, and supplier strategies for High-Performance Networking equipment. Your role will bridge design and production, ensuring a seamless transition from conceptualization to high-volume manufacturing. The CMs you will engage with specialize in areas such as metals, plastics, die casting, high-speed cables, liquid cooling thermal solutions, optics and fiber connectivity, and numerous other E/M suppliers who manufacture key components of our products, in addition to direct collaboration with our customers.
 

What You’ll Do
You will assume a pivotal role in leading and developing a high-performing team responsible for introducing new products to market, with a strong emphasis on manufacturability, reliability, efficiency, and quality. You will provide technical leadership while fostering cross-functional collaboration among engineering, supply chain, quality, and manufacturing teams. Furthermore, you will engage directly with our customers, addressing matters ranging from defining product requirements to resolving any field quality escalations that may arise.

You will also be responsible for developing and optimizing manufacturing processes, ensuring product quality, and driving continuous improvements. This role necessitates robust expertise in E/M Manufacturing, Design for Cost and Manufacturability (DFM) considerations. The ideal candidate will influence engineering teams, collaborate with cross-functional groups, and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency and scalability. You will also be responsible for leading your team in conducting root cause analysis of quality and process issues at contract manufacturers or vendors, and driving the team in developing effective solutions to address and resolve these challenges.

Other responsibilities include:

• Providing training and mentorship to mechanical contract manufacturing personnel.
• Leading assembly process development to ensure high-quality and efficient manufacturing.
• Implementing and enforcing Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles across various components, including sheet metal, plastics, die-cast and machined parts, cable assemblies, power delivery, liquid cooling solutions and system integration.
• Overseeing process validation, troubleshooting, and failure analysis.
• Managing Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) and maintaining stringent version/revision control.
• Supporting New Product Introduction (NPI) from initial prototyping through to full-scale production.
• Utilizing Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems, such as Agile or Propel, to track product lifecycles.
• Driving data center equipment lifecycle management to ensure manufacturability.
• Leading continuous improvement initiatives to enhance yield, cost efficiency, and quality.
• Developing and implementing best practices.
• Collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize manufacturing efficiency.
• Partnering with supply