About
Most recently I was an early hire at XBoat, a hardware startup, where I owned quality, production, ERP, and internal tooling as the company grew from 4 to 10 people. That meant building inspection checkpoints that kept field defects under 1%, running a recall when a grease was found degrading plastic parts, and writing the Python tools every employee used daily.
I studied Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering Technology at RIT, with co-ops in R&D test engineering at Entegris and plant systems at O-AT-KA Milk Products. On the side I've designed and fabricated custom metal work, and I like problems that cross the line between physical products and the systems around them.
- CAD & analysis
- SolidWorks · Onshape · AutoCAD · FEA · Thermal analysis · LabVIEW
- Fabrication
- CNC mill & lathe · Jig/fixture design · PCB soldering & rework · Metal fabrication · 3D printing
- Quality & ops
- QA inspection · Root cause analysis · SOP development · Recall management · Refurbishment programs
- Systems & software
- MRPEasy (ERP/MRP) · Inventory & procurement forecasting · Python · Web front-end · Rockwell Automation
Rochester Institute of Technology · B.S. Manufacturing & Mechanical Engineering Technology, 2025
Experience
2025 – 2026
Operations Engineer · XBoat
Owned quality, production, ERP, and internal tooling as the team grew from 4 to 10. Kept field defects under 1%, returned 50+ equipment kits to service, rebuilt the ERP around 400 SKUs, and built the in-house tools that later replaced it. Managed 4 interns and co-ops.
- Quality
- Production
- ERP
- Python
- CNC
2023 – 2025
Custom Metal Fabrication Specialist · Lasting Art (John Grieco)
Part-time. Designed and fabricated custom artistic and functional metal pieces, from customer requirements and budgeting through to the finished piece.
- Metal fabrication
- Design
2023
Systems Engineering Co-op · O-AT-KA Milk Products
Analyzed actual vs. required chilled-water capacity in a food-grade plant, improved system efficiency, and built the data case for a plant expansion. Specified and procured components and updated plant schematics.
- Plant systems
- AutoCAD
- Rockwell Automation
2022
R&D Engineering Co-op · Entegris
On an R&D team developing packaging for cryogenically stored bio-organic materials. Built and validated a LabVIEW data-acquisition system for freeze/thaw and impact testing, and fabricated custom test equipment.
- LabVIEW
- Test engineering
- R&D
Projects
2025–26
Production & operations software
A suite of Python web-app tools for production, shipping, procurement, and team communication, used daily by every employee at XBoat, which eventually replaced our ERP's functionality in-house.
- Python
- Web
- ERP
- Forecasting
2025
Thermoplastic injection molder
RIT senior project: led a team designing and building an injection molder to upcycle 3D-printing waste into new parts.
- Machine design
- FEA
- Thermal
- Team lead
2025–26
Equipment refurbishment program
Created a program that returned 50+ field kits, worth about $10K each, to service, down to PCB-level solder repair.
- Quality
- PCB rework
- Process design
2025–26
Shelf-life failure & recall
Traced a shelf-life failure to grease chemically degrading plastic parts, drove a full recall, and validated a replacement before the next model shipped.
- Root cause analysis
- Materials
- Recall
Contact
The best way to reach me is email: mrjakehorowitz@gmail.com