Hardware Production Lead

Location: Vancouver, BC (in person in Mt Pleasant)

About the Role

Help us build the machine that builds our product.

At Reusables, we're making ‘reuse’ the easiest choice for businesses and communities. Our proprietary Smart Return Bin combines hardware, software, and IoT technology to power the circular economy, helping reduce waste and make reusable packaging practical at scale.

We've successfully designed, built, and deployed our hardware across North America and now we're entering our next chapter.

We're preparing to scale from approximately 50 deployed units to more than 200 over the next year, and we're looking for someone to build the production systems that make that growth possible.

This role is all about production excellence.

You’ll lead the people, suppliers, and production systems that ensure every Smart Return Bin is assembled, tested, and shipped to the highest standard.

If you're energized by manufacturing, supply chains, quality systems, and solving real-world hardware challenges, you'll probably love this role.

What You'll Own

Production & Manufacturing

Every Smart Return Bin contains dozens of components sourced from multiple suppliers. Your role is ensuring every part, process, and person comes together to deliver reliable hardware at scale. 

You'll:

• Oversee production, assembly, testing, and shipping
• Build scalable manufacturing processes 
• Ensure production documentation remains accurate and up to date
• Keep production on schedule while supporting company growth

Quality & Reliability

You'll own our approach to testing, reliability, and continuous improvement. 

You'll:

• Develop and evolve testing protocols
• Identify failure modes 
• Analyze production and field incidents to improve reliability
• Drive corrective actions and preventative improvements
• Establish quality standards 

Supply Chain & Procurement

Every Smart Return Bin contains dozens of components sourced from multiple suppliers. 

You'll:

• Own supplier relationships and procurement strategy
• Build a supply chain that stays ahead of demand
• Manage inventory planning and component availability to support production timelines 
• Evaluate suppliers based on quality, cost, and reliability
• Coordinate with customs brokers and external logistics partners

Continuous Product Improvement

This role is approximately 90% production and 10% product improvement.

We're not looking for someone to design entirely new hardware platforms.

Instead, you'll identify opportunities to improve reliability, reduce manufacturing cost, simplify production, and enhance existing products.

When deeper engineering work is required, you'll coordinate with external electrical, mechanical, and firmware specialists to move improvements forward.

Leadership

You'll lead our Hardware Technicians.

You'll:

• Coach and develop Hardware Technicians
• Create clarity through documented processes
• Balance workload and production priorities
• Build a culture of accountability, quality, and continuous improvement

Cross Functional Collaboration

Great hardware doesn't happen in isolation.

You'll partner closely with Product, Customer Success, Sales, Operations, and external partners to balance production priorities, customer needs, and ongoing product improvements.

About you

Why Reusables?

We're a young, ambitious team building technology that has a real-world environmental impact.

We're serious about what we do, but we don't take ourselves too seriously.

No ego.

No unnecessary bureaucracy.

Just smart people solving meaningful problems together.

We're still a startup, which means things move quickly, priorities evolve, and new challenges appear regularly. If you enjoy creating clarity, building systems, and helping a company scale without losing what makes it special, you'll fit right in.

If you're excited about scaling production, building systems that last, and leading a team that's helping shape the future of reuse, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today - no cover letter required.

Requirements

You've:

• Taken a hardware product through manufacturing, assembly, testing, and shipment
• Managed suppliers, procurement, inventory, and production planning
• Built scalable manufacturing systems 
• Led or developed technicians or production teams
• Worked with complex hardware products containing mechanical, electrical, and electronic assemblies
• Balanced technical understanding with strong operational leadership

Bonus points if you've worked with:

• Products in the 100 to 1,000+ unit production range
• Complex hardware valued between approximately $2,000 and $10,000 per unit
• Customs, tariffs, or international sourcing
• Growth-stage companies scaling manufacturing operations
• Hardware deployed in demanding real-world environments

You'll Thrive Here If...

• You enjoy bringing order to complexity
• You naturally think in systems instead of quick fixes
• You stay calm when priorities shift
• You care deeply about quality because you know customers feel the difference

Nice to Haves

• Exposure to field-deployed hardware operating in variable real-world environments (outdoor, humid, unstable power or connectivity)
• Experience owning or contributing to a hardware product roadmap
• Background in a growth-stage company where systems are still being built
• Experience leading or developing a team, with a focus on building others' capability rather than doing it all yourself
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills - this is a people-facing role with significant external stakeholder contact
• Strong documentation habits and attention to detail

What Good Looks Like

• Knows the hardware inside and out, and stays curious about how to make it better
• Builds systems and processes so quality doesn't depend on any one person, including themselves
• Treats incidents as data - every failure is an input into something that gets fixed or improved
• Develops their team rather than doing it all themselves; success means the team can deliver without the lead being in every detail
• Keeps the supply chain ahead of demand, not chasing it
• Communicates proactively with Sales, CS, and Product when hardware timelines or constraints will affect customers
• Maintains documentation like it matters, because when something breaks at 2am, it does

Benefits

Salary: $90,000 to $115,000 CAD

• Stock options
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits
• Outdoor Prolink membership for discounted outdoor gear
• Unlimited vacation policy
• Full-time, in-office role based in Mount Pleasant, Vancouver