NPI Lead

Aria Networks builds switches paired with a telemetry-centric software intelligence layer purpose-built for AI/ML clusters. As our NPI Lead, you will own our switching products from first design release to end of life, turning engineering designs into products our contract manufacturers can build at quality, cost, and scale. This is a hands-on leadership role: you create the part numbers and BOMs, release them to suppliers, run builds on the factory floor in the US and Asia, and make the tradeoffs that keep schedule, cost, and quality in balance. You are the person engineering, supply chain, and our manufacturing partners rely on to get product out the door.

Responsibilities

• Take each product from design release through EVT, DVT, PVT, mass production, sustaining, and end of life
• Own the NPI schedule, milestones, exit criteria, and readiness reviews
• Act as NPI engineer of record: create part numbers and BOMs, maintain them in PLM, and release them to contract manufacturers and suppliers for builds
• Write and approve ECOs and deviations, assess their impact on cost, inventory, and schedule, and ensure every change is implemented cleanly at the factory
• Plan prototype and production builds with CMs in the US and Asia, confirm material readiness, be on the line when it matters, and close out build issues with root cause and corrective action
• Plan and drive regulatory, safety, and EMC certifications (for example UL/IEC 62368-1, FCC, CE, VCCI, and other regional marks), working with test labs and agencies to meet launch dates
• Set yield targets, track first-pass yield and failure Paretos, and work with engineering and CMs on test coverage, process fixes, and design changes that raise yield and lower cost
• Partner with hardware, mechanical, software, supply chain, and quality to weigh schedule, cost, and quality, escalate risks early, and keep leadership informed

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering and a degree in Business Administration (for example, an MBA)
• 10+ years in enterprise hardware product development, with hands-on NPI ownership from design through production
• Deep experience with outsourced manufacturing: CMs, ODMs, and component suppliers
• Track record of working directly with factories in both the US and Asia, including time on site
• Proven ability to manage builds, partner closely with engineering, and make sound tradeoffs between schedule, cost, and quality
• Working knowledge of BOM structures, PLM systems, ECO/deviation processes, and product certifications
• Clear, direct communication with engineers, suppliers, and executives alike
• Experience in the networking industry, ideally with data center switches, routers, or optics, is a plus
• Experience with cost management (BOM cost reviews, should-cost analysis, design-for-cost, and cost-reduction programs) is a plus
• People management experience, or a clear desire to build and lead an NPI team as Aria grows, is a plus