Supplier Development Engineer, Brittles

We are looking for a Supplier Development Engineer, Brittles based in the San Francisco Bay Area who will provide concepting and end-to-end manufacturing and process solutions for the key design features in Oura's new hardware products.. This includes close collaboration with industrial designers on achieving design intent, scoping manufacturing process development and capability, new supplier bring-up, automation development, and process technology R&D across our mechanical components.

• →Define best-in-class processes for ceramic, sapphire crystal, glass, and other brittle components that meet all Oura design and operational requirements
• →Partner with Quality Engineers, Material Engineers, and Product/Industrial Designers to optimize brittle-material component design and manufacturing for cost, cosmetics, reliability, and fracture resistance
• →Use data (Cpk, GD&T, strength/fracture testing) to drive process decisions and influence product and industrial design, including part tolerances and specifications for brittle substrates
• →Drive suppliers globally to establish and optimize manufacturing processes for Oura's ceramic, sapphire crystal, and glass components — including CIM, sintering, precision CNC grinding, lapping/polishing, edge chamfering, laser cutting/drilling, and coating adhesion on brittle substrates — ensuring best-in-class quality and resolving production issues
• →Lead Design for Manufacturing (DFM) reviews and set acceptance criteria specific to brittle materials (chip/crack defects, edge integrity, cosmetic standards) for tooling and processes entering development builds and production ramp
• →Develop and document processes, parameters, consumables, and secondary-operation requirements (grinding, polishing, coating, laser marking) to meet defined specifications
• →Provide leadership and support at manufacturing sites during development and production ramp, driving brittle-material-specific issues (cracking, chipping, warpage, thermal shock failures) to resolution with cross-functional teams

• 4+ years of direct experience in a mechanical manufacturing environment as a Supplier Development Engineer, Supply Base Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer, Manufacturing Design Engineer, Supplier Industrialization Engineer, or equivalent role  with 2 or more years focused on brittle materials 
• Experience driving global suppliers to establish and qualify brittle-material manufacturing processes from NPI to mass production, including DFM reviews that surface brittle-specific risks (cracking, chipping, thermal shock) before build start
• Hands-on knowledge of ceramic, sapphire crystal, and glass manufacturing processes (e.g., ceramic injection molding (CIM), sintering, CNC grinding, lapping/polishing, edge chamfering, laser cutting/drilling, PVD/coating adhesion on brittle substrates) plus failure analysis (fractography), design of experiments (DOE), and dimensional capability (Cpk, GD&T)
• Working understanding of brittle fracture mechanics and relevant strength/reliability testing (e.g., 4-point bend, ring-on-ring, thermal shock/cycling) and cosmetic defect standards for ceramics, sapphire crystal, or glass
• Ability to travel internationally, up to ~15% of the time
• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to communicate challenges clearly to leadership and cross-functional partners
• A positive, high-urgency mindset with a willingness to learn and challenge the status quo; direct experience with ceramics, sapphire crystal, or glass on highly cosmetic parts or health wearable devices strongly preferred