Director of Manufacturing Engineering & Quality
Location: Woburn, MA.
Business Unit: Xico Lighting.
Role Overview
Xico Lighting is a rapidly growing architectural lighting manufacturer. The business has reached a stage where manufacturing execution, quality systems, and compliance rigor must scale alongside growth.
We are seeking a Director of Manufacturing Engineering & Quality to own everything required to build Xico products correctly, repeatedly, and compliantly at scale. This is a senior, factory-embedded leadership role responsible for manufacturing engineering, quality systems, and UL / regulatory execution.
This role is not a product design position. Product concept and industrial design sit upstream and are closely tied to marketing. This role is entirely focused on execution, manufacturability, compliance, and factory performance.
If it touches production readiness, quality, compliance, or manufacturing engineering, it sits in this role.
Key Responsibilities
Manufacturing Engineering Leadership:
- Lead all manufacturing engineering activities supporting production assembly.
- Own production readiness for new and existing products, including shop drawings, DFM reviews and release gates.
- Control ECOs, deviations, substitutions, and production change approvals.
- Develop and team to maintain clear, executable:
- Shop drawings.
- Work instructions.
- Travelers and work packets.
- Assembly procedures.
- Test methods and acceptance criteria.
- Drive continuous improvement in yield, throughput, takt time, and rework reduction.
- Serve as escalation point when design intent and manufacturing reality diverge.
Quality Engineering & Systems
- Own the full quality function for Xico manufacturing operations.
- Design and implement scalable quality systems appropriate for a growing, high-mix factory.
- Establish and enforce:
- Incoming, in-process, and final inspection plans.
- NCR / MRB processes.
- Root cause and CAPA rigor.
- Lead resolution of production issues, field returns, and quality escapes.
- Build a culture of accountability and “build it right the first time.”
UL, Compliance & Certifications
- Act as the single technical owner for UL, ETL, and other applicable certifications.
- Maintain UL files and manage factory inspections.
- Lead compliance strategy for new product introductions and production changes.
- Interface directly with UL and other certification bodies.
- Ensure compliance is embedded into manufacturing processes—not handled reactively.
Factory Execution & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Be present on the factory floor and actively engaged in daily execution.
- Partner closely with Operations / Plant Management to meet delivery commitments.
- Work with Product Design and Engineering to ensure clean handoff into manufacturing.
- Develop, mentor, and lead manufacturing engineering and quality team members.
What This Role Is Not
- Not a product design or concept development role.
- Not a passive QA or documentation position.
- Not an ISO or QMS administrator detached from production.
- Not an individual-contributor engineering role.
This is a hands-on factory leadership position with accountability for outcomes.
Qualifications & Experience
- 10–15+ years of experience in manufacturing or industrial engineering and/or quality leadership.
- Proven ability to manage and scale quality and engineering teams in a growing factory.
- Strong understanding of production assembly operations and manufacturing tradeoffs.
- Comfortable making decisions under pressure and balancing quality with delivery.
- Experience in lighting, electrical, electromechanical, or similarly regulated products a strong plus.
- Direct, hands-on ownership of UL certifications and factory inspections.
Personal Attributes
- Execution-oriented, pragmatic, and technically credible.
- Comfortable being measured on factory performance metrics.
- Respected by engineers, operators, and operations leaders.
- Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
- Clear communicator who sets standards and enforces them consistently.
Why Join Xico
- Xico is past the startup phase and entering a period of structured growth.
- This role has real authority, visibility, and impact on how the factory operates.
- Opportunity to shape manufacturing systems that will scale with the business.
- Supported by senior leadership who understand the importance of execution excellence.
About Xico Lighting
Designing Light That Moves People. At Xico Lighting, we don’t just build lighting — we craft experiences that elevate how people see, feel, and perform. We believe that light is one of the most powerful tools in architecture, and our mission is to push the boundaries of what’s possible with precision-engineered, beautifully designed, human-centric lighting systems.
We’re a team of designers, engineers, and makers united by a shared obsession: making light work smarter, look better, and feel more natural. From our breakthrough circadian technologies to our architectural-grade linear systems, everything we build is designed with intention — to bring elegance, simplicity, and performance to modern spaces.
We work fast, think rigorously, and execute with craft. Our culture is built on curiosity, respect, and the belief that great ideas can come from anywhere. We believe in empowering talent — giving people the tools, trust, and autonomy to own their impact.
