Senior Program Officer, Manufacturing Engineer (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene)

The Foundation

We are the largest nonprofit fighting poverty, disease, and inequity around the world. Founded on a simple premise: people everywhere, regardless of identity or circumstances, should have the chance to live healthy, productive lives. We believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve. We provide an exceptional benefits package to employees and their families which include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with no premiums, generous paid time off, paid family leave, foundation-paid retirement contribution, regional holidays, and opportunities to engage in several employee communities. As a workplace, we’re committed to creating an environment for you to thrive both personally and professionally.

The Team

The Global Growth and Opportunity (GGO) division focuses on creating and scaling market-based innovations to stimulate inclusive and sustainable economic growth. We seek to catalyze sustainable transformative change in the face of inequities and market failures, to realize the potential of untapped markets, and to see the economic and social benefits of including everyone. Core areas are Agricultural Development; Digital Public Infrastructure; Global Education; Inclusive Financial Systems; Nutrition; and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. We seek solutions that are sustainable, transformative, and inclusive with an eye toward applying technology innovations as well as data evidence to inspire change in the world’s developing countries.

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene

The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WSH) team’s vision is to enable widespread use of safely managed, sustainable sanitation services, contributing to positive health, economic, and gender equality outcomes for the world’s poorest. Unsafe sanitation is a massive problem that is becoming more urgent as our global population increases and trends like water scarcity and urbanization intensify. About 3.6 billion people—almost half the world’s population—either practice open defecation or use unsafe sanitation facilities and services.

The focus of the team’s strategy is on developing and commercializing transformative sanitation technologies, in particular the Reinvented Toilet (an innovation that doesn’t require a connection to a water pipe or a sewer line and kills all of the pathogens in human waste). We collaborate with technologists, the private sector and government officials to advance these transformative technologies that have high potential to improve sanitation conditions for underserved communities in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. More information can be found here - https://www.gatesfoundation.org/our-work/programs/global-growth-and-opportunity/water-sanitation-and-hygiene/ttc-partnering-information

Your Role

The Senior Program Officer, Manufacturing Engineer (SPO) will play a pivotal role in transitioning innovative sanitation products from prototype development to mass production. Working closely with R&D and production teams, you will ensure that transformative sanitation solutions are designed for manufacturability, meet quality standards, and can be efficiently mass-produced. These solutions may include advanced front-end systems that minimize water usage, incorporate vacuum and maceration technology; backend systems for solids processing featuring sludge dewatering, drying, combustion processes, or pressurized vessels; and advanced backend water recovery modules featuring catalytic oxidation, membrane filtration or convention technologies. A key focus will be on standardization and cost reduction of core components and modules across leading designs of Reinvented Toilets and water-efficient sanitation systems, as outlined by ISO 30500 standards.

This position reports to the Deputy Director, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene focused on Transformative Technology Commercialization

This is a 3-year position with salary and benefits. Relocation assistance to Seattle, WA for the duration of the LTE is provided.  This position is located in Seattle, WA where employees enjoy a flexible / hybrid work schedule.

What You'll Do

Managing the Product Development and Manufacturing Cycle

• Collaboration and Design Review: Work closely with internal and external product development teams to understand design and manufacturing constraints and product profiles for applications in the US and France, including single-family solutions and public toilet markets. Conduct Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (DFMEA) to identify potential issues.

• Product Evaluation and Improvement: Evaluate prototypes and recommend design modifications to enhance manufacturability, reduce costs, and improve quality. Anticipate market trends and propose design adaptations for future products or product line enhancements.

• Manufacturing Process Development: Develop, test, and refine manufacturing processes and equipment for new products to ensure efficient mass production. Implement Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles early in the design process and after product launch.

• Supplier Coordination: Work with suppliers and internal teams to ensure that materials and components meet stringent quality and engineering standards.

• Process Documentation: Prepare detailed process documentation and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for production, ensuring that all manufacturing processes are well-documented and replicable.

• Communication and Presentation: Present product design and manufacturing improvements to a diverse range of audiences, tailoring presentations to meet the specific needs of partners.

• Feasibility Studies and Cost Analysis: Conduct feasibility studies and cost analyses to assess the transition of prototypes to production. Collaborate with commercial partners and cross-functional teams to ensure timelines, budgets, and quality targets are met during the New Product Introduction (NPI) process. Develop and amend the NPI process for manufacturing and product launch readiness.

• Continuous Improvement: Troubleshoot manufacturing issues as they arise and lead continuous improvement initiatives to optimize production processes.

• Compliance: Ensure compliance with industry standards, environmental policies, and safety regulations throughout the manufacturing process.

Grant-Making Responsibilities

• Program Development and Management. Develop a strategy execution plan that focus on optimizing manufacturing processes for innovative sanitation technologies, with an emphasis on reducing production costs, improving efficiency, and enhancing product quality. Manage and oversee the execution and the investments, ensuring that funded projects are on track to meet their manufacturing and production goals.

• Technical Evaluation of Grant Proposals. Assess grant and investment proposals from a technical and manufacturing perspective to ensure that the proposed solutions are feasible for mass production and meet quality and regulatory standards. Provide expert feedback and recommendations on how projects can improve their manufacturability and scalability before receiving funding.

• Partner and Project Selection. Identify and select manufacturing partners (e.g., suppliers, manufacturers, and technology developers) that align with the Foundation’s mission to advance Reinvented Toilets and water efficient sanitation technologies that promote reuse. Evaluate potential grant and investment recipients’ capabilities in process engineering, production scalability, and alignment to Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles.

• Innovation in Manufacturing Processes. Make strategic investment in projects that are pioneering new manufacturing technologies or processes that could significantly improve the production and cost reduction of Reinvented Toilets and water efficient sanitation products. Encourage the development and adoption of manufacturing technologies that can be standardized across different products and markets, particularly those compliant with ISO 30500 standards.

• Capacity Building and Technical Assistance. Provide technical support and resources to grantees to help them overcome manufacturing challenges and improve their production processes. Organize workshops and training sessions for grant recipients focused on best practices in manufacturing, quality control, and process optimization.

• Monitoring and Process Improvement. Implement a system for regularly monitoring the progress of grant-funded manufacturing projects, focusing on key performance indicators such as production efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and product quality. Advise grantees on continuous improvement initiatives to optimize their manufacturing processes and achieve better outcomes.

• Collaboration with Partners. Facilitate collaboration between grantees, manufacturing experts, and industry stakeholders to share knowledge and develop innovative manufacturing solutions. Support networking opportunities that connect grantees with potential manufacturing partners or technology providers.

• Sustainability and Scalability Planning. Ensure that funded manufacturing projects have clear plans for sustainability and scalability, including strategies for scaling up production to meet market demand. Support projects that demonstrate a strong potential for widespread market adoption, especially those that contribute to the commercialization of Reinvented Toilets and water-efficient sanitation systems.

• Impact Assessment and Reporting. Evaluate the impact of grant-funded manufacturing projects, focusing on their contributions to improving production processes, reducing costs, and increasing the availability of sanitation products. Prepare detailed reports on the outcomes of these projects, highlighting key successes and areas for future development.

Your Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field with at least 10 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process engineering, or a similar role.

• Proven track record of successfully launching new product categories or significant innovations into markets.

• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, materials, and quality control principles.

• Proficiency with CAD software and familiarity with DFM and DFA principles.

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.

• Strong project management and communication skills.

• Demonstrated ability to deliver in large, complex organizations.

• Strong command in strategy formulation and execution.

• Expertise in proposing and implementing innovative solutions to streamline regulatory processes.

• Strong systems thinker with exceptional problem-solving and project management abilities.

• Confident and comfortable working with senior leaders and cross-functional partners to drive alignment and execution.

• Excellent collaborator and team player with strong interpersonal and communication skills.

• Ability to inspire and lead diverse teams in culturally varied environments.

• Comfortable navigating role ambiguity and working in fast-paced, global environments.

• Deep commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in professional settings.

• Data-driven, customer/partner-focused, and naturally curious.

• Strong organizational skills with a willingness to engage in both strategy and detailed execution.

• Demonstrates culturally sensitive behavior and effective communication across a wide range of cultural, geographic, and operational situations.

*Applicants for this role will only be considered if they are able to legally work in the country where this position is located without visa sponsorship.

The salary range for this role is $166,300 to $249,500 USD. We recognize high-wage market differences where our offices are located, in Seattle, WA and Washington D.C. The range for this role in these locations is $181,200 to $271,800 USD. As a mission-driven organization, we strive to balance competitive pay with our mission and new hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary range between the minimum and the midpoint salary range. Actual placement in the range will depend on a candidate’s job-related skills, experience, and expertise, as evaluated during the interview process.

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Hiring Requirements

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

Candidate Accommodations

If you require assistance due to a disability in the application or recruitment process, please submit a request here.

Inclusion Statement

We are dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We strive for a global and cultural workplace that supports ever greater diversity, equity, and inclusion — of voices, ideas, and approaches — and we support this diversity through all our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve our mission will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to race, color, age, religion, pregnancy, sex, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and prior protected activity.