Grid Operations Manager

Figure AI · San Jose, CA

Level: Manager
Team: Production
Base pay: $130k–$180k
Experience asked: 5+ years
Industry: Industrial
Posted: 18 days ago

The role in 30 seconds

A management production role at Figure AI (industrial) in San Jose, CA. , you will lead the end-to-end lifecycle of workcell builds - from initial space design to installation and ongoing maintenance - while maintaining an efficient, safe, and collaborative building environment for various teams at Figure including engineers.

They ask for: 5+ years
Tools it names: Robotics, Plant layout
Base pay: $130k–$180k

Read from the posting. The full description is below.

From the plant jobs report · week of October 19, 2026

Production Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $122k–$177k. This one lists $130k–$180k.

Median of the low and high ends of 37 live postings that list pay, out of 111 production engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 110 other live production postings in California.

Base pay: About 6% above similar roles
Experience asked: Typical (5+ years)

Skills these teams ask for most

New product launch 37%
Lean 30%
Root cause 27%
Automation 24%
Python 22%
Team leadership 22%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

Stands out: this posting asks for Robotics, Plant layout, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.

It asks for 5+ years. If you're close, apply anyway: requirements are a wish list. Talk to someone doing this work there first.

At a glance

Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

1
Pick 2–3 people on the Production team at Figure AI
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.

This plant: Figure AI in San Jose

5 other open roles at this site.

Manufacturing Quality Engineer BotQ · Quality
Senior Engineering Technician · Manufacturing · Senior
Supplier Quality Engineer · Quality
Manufacturing Equipment Technician · Manufacturing · Technician
Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing

Full description from Figure AIAs posted on their careers site.Show

Responsibilities

Facility & Space Operations: Oversee daily operations of the R&D facility, keeping the space organized, functional, and optimized for multiple cross-functional teams working simultaneously.

Workcell Project Management: Lead R&D workcell builds from design phase to full assembly, commissioning, and preventive maintenance.

Space Planning: Strategically map out building floor plans to accommodate incoming equipment, temporary builds, and ongoing operational workflows.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in space planning, industrial facility management, or hardware project management.

Experience using CAD software for 2D/3D facility layout, workcell placement, and spatial planning.

Demonstrated track record of managing technical buildouts or workcell projects from concept to completion.

Strong written and verbal communication skills with an ability to keep diverse teams aligned.

Low-ego, team-first collaborative style with a pragmatic, "can-do" approach to daily problem-solving.

Bonus

Qualifications

Electrical Systems Knowledge: Practical understanding of building electrical infrastructure, power load requirements, and drop planning for industrial machinery/workcells.

Hands-On Fabrication Skills: Practical experience with custom fabrication, mechanical assembly, prototyping, or working with shop tools to build physical test rigs or workcells.

The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.

Show full description ↓

Figure is an AI robotics company developing autonomous general-purpose humanoid robots. The goal of the company is to ship humanoid robots with human level intelligence. Its robots are engineered to perform a variety of tasks in the home and commercial markets. Figure is headquartered in San Jose, CA.

We are seeking a proactive, highly organized Manager to oversee our R&D facility for robot use case testing. In this role, you will lead the end-to-end lifecycle of workcell builds - from initial space design to installation and ongoing maintenance - while maintaining an efficient, safe, and collaborative building environment for various teams at Figure including engineers and operations.