Manufacturing Manager [Houston, TX - Hybrid]

Job Title: Manufacturing Manager (Houston, TX - Hybrid)

Location: Houston, Texas 
Travel: 10% 

About Submer  

Submer designs and delivers end-to-end AI datacenter infrastructure built around industry-leading liquid cooling. We help organizations scale AI beyond the limits of traditional datacenters by enabling higher density, greater efficiency and lower environmental impact – accelerating time-to-AI from first deployment to full production.  

What impact you will have

Submer is seeking a highly hands-on Factory Manager to lead the setup, build-out, and operational ramp-up of our assembly and production capabilities. This role is ideal for someone who has experience taking a manufacturing site from concept to operational readiness, including site selection, factory layout, assembly line design, equipment planning, resourcing, supplier coordination, and day-to-day operational management. 

This is not a maintenance-only or steady-state factory role. We need a builder who can create structure, processes, and teams in a fast-growing environment. 

What you will do

Factory Build-Out & Site Readiness 

• Support site selection and evaluation for manufacturing and assembly operations.  

• Lead the planning and build-out of assembly lines, workstations, storage areas, testing zones, and material flow.  

• Coordinate with contractors, facilities teams, engineers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to ensure the site is operationally ready.  

• Define factory layout, workflow, safety requirements, tooling needs, and equipment requirements.  

Assembly Line Setup & Operations 

• Build and scale efficient assembly lines for Submer products and modular infrastructure solutions.  

• Establish production processes, standard operating procedures, quality checkpoints, and daily management routines.  

• Ensure production schedules are met while maintaining quality, safety, and cost discipline.  

• Drive continuous improvement across throughput, productivity, labor utilization, and material flow.  

Resourcing & Team Leadership 

• Build the factory team from the ground up, including supervisors, technicians, assemblers, logistics support, and quality resources.  

• Define staffing plans, shift models, training requirements, and capability needs.  

• Lead, coach, and develop a hands-on, high-performing manufacturing team.  

• Create a culture of accountability, safety, urgency, and ownership.  

Cross-Functional Coordination 

• Work closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance, HR, and Project Management.  

• Partner with Supply Chain to ensure materials, components, tooling, and supplier deliverables are aligned to production timelines.  

• Support budgeting, cost control, headcount planning, and operational reporting.  

What you will bring 

• Strong experience in factory setup, assembly line build-out, or manufacturing operations ramp-up.  

• Experience with site selection, facility build-out, contractor coordination, and operational readiness.  

• Background in industrial manufacturing, modular infrastructure, data center equipment, HVAC, electrical systems, mechanical assembly, or similar environments.  

• Proven ability to build teams, define processes, and operate in a fast-paced growth business.  

• Strong understanding of production planning, material flow, quality control, safety, and lean manufacturing principles.  
• Comfortable being both strategic and highly hands-on.  
• Operationally strong and practical.  

• Able to work with ambiguity and create structure.  

• Strong people leader but willing to be on the factory floor daily.  

• Experience scaling from low-volume assembly to repeatable production.  

• Strong bias for action, problem-solving, and execution. 

Our job titles may span more than one job level. The actual base pay is dependent on a number of factors, such as transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands. 

Our inclusive responsibility 

Submer is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law.