Product Manager, Machine Tending
Formic provides full-service, robotics-as-a-service automation for U.S. manufacturers, including deployment, operation, monitoring, and maintenance of industrial robotic systems without upfront capital investment.
About Formic
Formic Technologies, Inc. is a Bolingbrook, Illinois-based industrial automation company founded in 2020. Its Full Service Automation offering deploys and operates robotic systems for manufacturing tasks such as palletizing, case packing, machine tending, pallet wrapping, and material movement. Its current platform combines Formic Core, an on-robot physical-AI execution layer, with Cortex, a fleet-level intelligence and operations layer.
Skills
Candidate Availability
About the Role
You will own the development, commercialization, and growth of the machine tending offering across third-party and internally developed solutions. You will decide which applications to pursue, define standard configurations and pricing, and lead the engineering work that makes them repeatable to deploy. You will evaluate partners, select robot platforms, scope modular cell designs, own the deployment playbook, support Sales as the technical expert, and manage product economics. Travel of up to 30% is expected.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering; MBA is a plus
- 7+ years in industrial automation and robotics spanning engineering and product or project management
- Direct experience deploying or productizing robotic machine tending for CNC equipment
- Hands-on CNC machining or machine shop experience
- Experience leading cross-functional development and owning product pricing, quotations, or cost
- Equipment commissioning, FAT/SAT, and on-site debugging experience
- Familiarity with FANUC, Yaskawa Motoman, Universal Robots, ABB, or KUKA robots and common CNC controls
- Knowledge of robot safety standards (ISO 10218, ANSI/RIA R15.06, ISO/TS 15066)
- Exposure to machine vision
- Commercially driven, comfortable with customers, and a strong communicator
- Ability to travel up to 30%
Responsibilities
- Own the strategy, roadmap, and portfolio for machine tending across third-party and internal solutions
- Prioritize applications across CNC mills, lathes, machining centers, and press equipment and define standard configurations
- Set requirements for robots, CNC interfaces, workholding, EOAT, controls, software, and safety
- Evaluate and select third-party machine tending platforms and integration partners
- Define integration standards for partner systems
- Negotiate and manage relationships with integrators, machine tool builders, and OEMs
- Lead robot arm selection across collaborative and industrial platforms
- Scope a modular design framework for turning, milling, grinding, Swiss-type, and press applications
- Define part presentation options and EOAT libraries
- Validate designs on reference cells and partner with Project Engineering on models, BOMs, and documentation
- Turn requirements into development plans, scope, and milestones
- Own the deployment playbook from site survey through FAT, SAT, commissioning, and handoff
- Serve as technical subject matter expert for Sales, Solutions Engineering, and customers
- Build a qualification framework and support scoping, estimates, and quotations
- Create specifications, application guidelines, and sales materials
- Own cost targets and improve margins through design, standardization, and sourcing
Benefits
- Equity in Formic (stock option program)
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with 99% of employee premiums covered and 75% for dependents
- FSA and DCFSA, life insurance, short-term and long-term disability, 100% employer-paid
- Employee Assistance Program
- Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave
- Company-sponsored 401(k)
- One-time home office stipend for remote and hybrid employees
- Monthly cell phone reimbursement
- Flexible time off