Job Description

Locations: Garland, Texas

Categories: Operations

Req ID: 2633

Overview

Sprout is a global IT hardware retirement provider for hyperscaler and enterprise clients. We leverage a nationwide footprint (and international partner network) combined with proprietary software to enable efficient end-to-end IT asset disposition with a focus on data-bearing devices from the client to the cloud. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, NC with additional operations near Sacramento, Dallas, and Boston. Sprout provides software and services to clients in the form of our IT Asset Disposition, Certified Destruction, and Responsible Recycling solutions.

Since our founding as an electronic waste startup from a Duke University dorm room in 2014, we have been expanding at an average rate of >66% each year. By adhering to our 3 values (One Sprout, Deliver Excellence, and Integrity Matters), we are proud of our culture to move at #SproutSpeed to become the emerging leader in our industry. For more information, please visit: www.sproutup.com.

The AI Configuration Supervisor runs the configuration and build cell at TX2. This role owns the back half of the Velerity process flow: parts staging and kitting, configuration and assembly, burn-in and certification testing, and release to shipment with a complete Anvil record.

The Supervisor reports to site leadership for staffing, schedule, safety, and daily execution, and takes technical standards from Engineering. Engineering defines what a correct build looks like. This role delivers it.

The Supervisor is accountable for building what was sold, on time, to the correct BOM, with the serialization and lineage record intact. Every unit that leaves this cell carries a customer expectation of certified, working AI hardware, and the cost of a bad build is measured in freight, RMA, and account damage rather than in scrap value. This role also enforces R2v3, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 requirements, safety and ESD discipline, and drives continuous improvement using Lean as a foundation.

Responsibilities

Build Execution and Configuration Control

• Supervise daily configuration and assembly operations, ensuring every build matches the released BOM and customer configuration
• Own the kitting and staging process so builds start with complete parts, including harvested components pulled from inventory
• Enforce build-order sequencing and WIP limits so work in the cell stays visible and finishable
• Escalate configuration questions to Engineering before a build starts, not after it fails burn-in
• Verify torque specs, thermal interface application, heatsink and cold plate seating, cable routing, and airflow management on GPU and accelerator assemblies

Test, Burn-In, and Certification

• Own burn-in and certification testing on completed systems, including NVIDIA certification requirements where applicable
• Review diagnostic output and fault codes, including XID classification, and route failures to troubleshooting rather than passing them downstream
• Enforce first-pass yield discipline. Track failures back to root cause: part, process, or documentation
• Release units as sellable only when the test record supports it

Serialization, Lineage, and Records

• Ensure every system, GPU, baseboard, and serialized component is recorded accurately in Anvil and the ERP, including harvested-part-to-build lineage
• Maintain chain-of-custody integrity from receipt through shipment, in line with R2v3 requirements
• Ensure the physical unit and the system record match before release. No shadow tracking, no side spreadsheets
• Maintain records sufficient to support customer audits and certification audits without reconstruction

Team Leadership and Development

• Supervise, schedule, and coordinate assigned configuration technicians
• Train staff on AI system handling, ESD protocol, build documentation, and test procedure
• Build technical depth on the team so builds are not dependent on one person
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and employee engagement
• Address performance issues through coaching, retraining, or corrective action

Safety, ESD, and Security

• Enforce ESD control across the cell. GPU and baseboard damage from static is silent, expensive, and preventable
• Enforce safe handling of heavy chassis and rack-mount equipment, including lift assist and team-lift protocol
• Ensure PPE compliance and adherence to OSHA standards and Sprout safety policy
• Enforce security protocol around data-bearing devices and controlled inventory
• Report and manage safety incidents and security events, implementing corrective actions

Quality, Compliance, and Continuous Improvement

• Ensure the configuration process complies with R2v3 and ISO 9001, supporting audits and closing non-conformities
• Apply Lean and 5S to the build cell. Workstations, tooling, and parts staging should be organized to the standard
• Conduct GEMBA walks, identify bottlenecks, and run or support Kaizen activity on build cycle time and rework
• Maintain and update work instructions for configuration and test as processes change

Performance Tracking and Reporting

• Report on build cycle time, first-pass yield, BOM accuracy, rework rate, and on-time ship performance
• Provide daily build status to site leadership, Engineering, and Sales, including realistic completion dates
• Flag parts shortages and long-lead constraints early enough to be acted on

Qualifications

• Minimum of 2 years in a supervisory or lead role, preferably in server integration, system build, hardware manufacturing, or ITAD
• Hands-on server assembly and configuration experience across rack-mount enterprise platforms
• Direct exposure to GPU or accelerated systems strongly preferred, including SXM and PCIe form factors

Knowledge

• Server hardware fundamentals: CPU, memory population rules, NVMe and drive backplanes, PSU and power budgeting, NIC and fabric adapters, airflow and thermal management
• Familiarity with NVIDIA DGX systems, which are the platform most frequently seen in this cell, along with the major OEM platforms and their management interfaces: Dell PowerEdge and iDRAC, HPE ProLiant and iLO, Supermicro and IPMI, Lenovo ThinkSystem and XClarity, Cisco UCS
• BIOS and firmware update procedure and the discipline to follow a documented revision level
• Diagnostic and burn-in tooling, and the ability to read a test log and act on it
• ESD control practice at a level appropriate to accelerator hardware
• Understanding of BOM structure, serialization, and lineage tracking in an ERP or asset system
• Demonstrated understanding of Lean, 5S, and Kaizen methodologies
• Demonstrated understanding of data security and chain-of-custody protocols
• Familiarity with R2v3 certification and ISO standards
• Proficient in Excel and comfortable working in an ERP transaction environment
• Experience with hand tools and torque tools

Physical and Work Environment

• Ability to lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds, and to team-lift heavier chassis with assist
• Ability to stand for an entire 8-hour shift
• Ability to work in a non-climate-controlled warehouse environment
• Willingness to work overtime, including weekends, when build schedules require it
• Adaptability to changing tasks and expectations

Education or Certification

• High School Diploma or GED required. Associate or bachelor's degree in electronics, industrial engineering, IT management, or a related field preferred
• IT or hardware certification as applicable (CompTIA A+ or Server+, ACMT, CCT, OEM server certifications from Dell, HPE, or Cisco)
• NVIDIA certifications a plus
• Certification in Lean Six Sigma (Green Belt or higher) highly desirable
• Knowledge of data security protocols and standards (NIST, ISO 27001) is a plus

EEO – Equal Employment Opportunity

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, sex, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, gender, ethnicity, religion, national origin, ancestry, nationality, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, genetic information, or on any other basis prohibited by law (except where an attribute is a bona fide occupational qualification