About the Role
Captura is a Pasadena-based technology startup and Caltech spinoff commercializing an electrodialysis platform for applications including critical minerals, water treatment, carbon removal, and energy storage. As we move from R&D through new product launch into commercial production, we are building the operations infrastructure needed to deliver reliably to customers and support our 2027 sales targets and growth beyond.
We are seeking a hands-on Operations Manager with direct experience in both manufacturing and supply chain. You will own day-to-day production execution while building the processes, systems, supplier relationships, and team needed to scale. The scope includes membrane manufacturing and mechanical stack assembly, production planning, procurement, inventory, and order fulfillment.
A central part of this role is working closely with R&D, engineering, and product teams to turn evolving products and processes into safe, documented, repeatable production. You should be comfortable working alongside technical teams, resolving practical production issues, and establishing structure as the business grows. Success requires both personally driving execution and building capabilities that others can sustain.
Responsibilities
Move new products from R&D into repeat production
- Partner with R&D and engineering from development through pilot builds, product launch, and ongoing production. Translate technical requirements into practical manufacturing workflows, material needs, equipment requirements, and staffing plans.
- Establish production readiness and handoff processes, including bills of materials, work instructions, operator training, quality checkpoints, and build records. Coordinate design and process changes so production uses current, approved information.
- Use early builds to identify manufacturability issues, yield losses, bottlenecks, and supplier constraints. Work with technical teams to resolve root causes and establish repeatable processes before increasing volume.
Lead manufacturing and production planning
- Lead daily manufacturing and assembly activities, with accountability for safety, quality, output, and delivery. Develop and train production personnel, initially coordinating shared development resources as needed.
- Translate sales forecasts and customer commitments into integrated production schedules, material plans, and capacity requirements. Make lead times, constraints, and tradeoffs visible to leadership and commercial teams.
- Track and improve yield, cycle time, labor utilization, scrap, and on-time delivery. Plan equipment, maintenance, tooling, and capacity investments to support growth while maintaining applicable safety and environmental requirements.
Build supply chain and fulfillment capabilities
- Own sourcing, purchasing, supplier management, inventory, and logistics for raw materials, chemicals, components, and outside manufacturing services.
- Qualify suppliers with technical and quality teams; manage pricing, lead times, quality, and delivery performance. Develop alternatives for critical materials and address supply risks before they disrupt production.
- Establish receiving, material traceability, inventory accuracy, replenishment, and shipping processes. Balance availability and customer commitments with working capital and inventory risk.
Build the operating infrastructure for commercialization
- Implement practical systems for production planning, purchasing, inventory, and order tracking, including ERP or MRP capabilities appropriate to the company’s stage. Establish clear ownership, reliable data, and consistent routines.
- Partner with finance and accounting to establish material and labor cost tracking, inventory valuation, work-in-process visibility, and the information needed to understand product costs and margins.
- Create operating metrics and a regular planning cadence connecting sales demand, production, supply chain, and cash requirements. Build hiring, capacity, and supplier plans to support 2027 sales targets and subsequent growth.
- Recruit, develop, and lead the operations team as demand grows. Set clear responsibilities and build a culture of safety, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Qualifications
Required
- 7+ years of relevant experience, including hands-on responsibility for both manufacturing or production operations and supply chain. Experience should include managing production execution as well as suppliers, purchasing, and inventory.
- Demonstrated experience taking a physical product or process from development or pilot builds into repeat production, working closely with R&D, engineering, or other technical teams.
- Experience building or substantially improving operating processes and systems in a startup, growing business, new production line, or similar environment where infrastructure was still being established.
- A background in advanced materials, chemical or process manufacturing, membranes, industrial equipment, or a related technical manufacturing environment.
- Ability to translate technical requirements and changing commercial priorities into actionable production, supply, and capacity plans. Comfortable working through incomplete information and balancing near-term delivery with longer-term improvements.
- Experience leading and training production personnel, coordinating cross-functional work, and solving problems directly on the production floor.
- Working knowledge of production planning, bills of materials, inventory controls, quality documentation, and ERP or MRP systems; strong project management and communication skills.
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, chemistry, materials science, or a related technical field.
Preferred
Featured Benefits
Compensation
The approximate salary range for this role is $145,000–$175,000. Actual compensation depends on factors unique to each candidate, including geographic location, education, experience, qualifications, and job-related skills. It is not typical for someone to be hired above the midpoint of the range. This range reflects base salary only — total compensation includes the benefits and rewards outlined below, and will be considered as a whole when we present an offer.
Benefits & Total Rewards
- Health coverage: Medical, dental and vision fully covered for employees, with partial coverage for dependents
- Equity: Stock option grant, with amount determined based on role and experience
- Retirement: 401(k) with match
- Time off: 3 weeks PTO plus company holidays and a paid winter break between Christmas and New Year's
- Growth: Ground-floor opportunity to build and scale operations function as Captura grows
