Growing up, it was clear that Josh Zhang had a curious streak. He would open every toy he owned to see what was inside and figure out how it worked. Decades later, that same curiosity drives Qube’s production floor, where Josh leads the team that builds thousands of continuous monitoring devices deployed to sites across the world. Combine that inquisitiveness with a relentless work ethic and a gift for turning strangers into friends, and you get a production lead whose skills have produced major opportunities for Qube.

From Solar Panels in China to a Fresh Start in Canada

Josh studied integrated circuit design at university in China, then made a deliberate move into the solar panel industry. “It's green energy, and I thought it would have a very good future,” he recalls. During his work, the industry grew rapidly. Across his first two roles, including four years in Shanghai, Josh built deep expertise in electronics manufacturing, components, and the global solar market.

Then came the hard part. When Josh immigrated to Canada, he found companies were looking for candidates with a Canadian education and work experience. “I sent out around 100 resumes, but few came back. It made me nervous. Why is it so difficult?”

Josh took a job as a barista at Starbucks in downtown Calgary. Within two years, Josh had worked his way up to store manager, with a work ethic unsurprising to all who know him. When the pandemic forced that store to close, Qube happened to be searching for a production leader and inventory manager. For someone with Josh's electronics background, the timing was perfect. “Compared with integrated circuits, a PCB board is much easier,” he says with a laugh.

Josh enjoying a traditional Canadian winter.

Running Production, Day and Night

Today, Josh leads production and manages the inventory of components sourced from overseas manufacturers. His mornings start with a check of new deployment orders and parts requests; from there, he creates manufacturing orders and works alongside his team to build and prepare devices for the field. But his workday doesn't end when the warehouse closes. Many evenings are spent on calls with manufacturing partners in China. Here he negotiates prices, confirms orders and shipments, and coordinates engineering changes requested by Qube's R&D and product teams.

The Art of the Negotiation

Ask Josh what he's proudest of, and he lights up. Negotiation, he explains, is something he grew up with.

“In China, both sides know the price can be negotiated — even for a bottle of water. My mom trained me since I was a young kid.”

His expertise goes beyond cultural fluency. Years in electronics manufacturing mean Josh knows what components and materials are actually worth, what labor costs, and where there's wiggle room on price. He gets competing quotes from multiple suppliers and speaks with partners in their own language. But his real secret is simple: he's just a great guy. Josh doesn't open a negotiation by jumping straight into the business but by getting to know the person instead.

“Sometimes you have to make friends first. If they like your style and see the potential for big cooperation in the future, they may drop the price as well.”

The results speak for themselves. Drawing on his solar industry background, Josh once sourced panels with nearly double the power output at more than 80% below what the company had been paying. He connected directly with the maker of a key sensor module — bonding with a fellow expat over shared roots in Shanghai, trading stories about work and life before the product ever came up — and secured direct pricing at roughly 45% below the original quote, from a manufacturer that normally only sells through distributors.

The supplier's parting words: “I like your style, and I feel very comfortable talking with you.”

When a piece of equipment used in Qube's systems was discontinued and its replacement came in at a steep market price, Josh negotiated it down by about 60%. He didn't stop at the price, either. Josh convinced the manufacturer to pre-install memory and modify the mounting hardware before shipping so devices arrive nearly ready to deploy. He's even arranged direct shipping, avoiding double duties and saving the team hours of handling.

“I know for both sides the beginning is a little bit hard. But once we start, there will be more and more orders, and costs keep coming down. It's good for both sides.” Josh says.

Word has gotten around, too. Colleagues now come to Josh for help negotiating everything from company swag to personal purchases, and he's always happy to lend a hand.

Stay Curious

Outside of work, Josh enjoys spending his free time learning about new technologies and sharing that excitement with his two kids. He’s set up light experiments with mirrors and glass, and recently bought a microscope so they could see for themselves what's living on unwashed hands.

“I want to help them find something they're interested in,” he says.

Josh with his kids, ready for the next adventure!

Advice for Those Starting Out

Josh's advice comes straight from his own experience of starting over, and it reflects the work ethic that has defined every chapter of his career:

“In any field, you have to work hard — at least to truly learn what it is. A lot of people look like they're working, but they don't really sink down to learn things. Focus on the field you're working in and always be improving your skills.”

Looking Forward

Josh is quick to share credit for his success. “The company gave me the role to lead the team and trusted me. I was taught as a child: always do your best. When you do your best, the feedback you get is always better than doing nothing. The company supported me and changed my life so I give back and contribute to the company.”

Endlessly curious, tireless in his work, and one of the warmest guys you’ll ever meet, Josh Zhang brings the best to Qube's production floor every day. And if you ever need a better price on anything, he's the first person to ask.

Employee Spotlight: Josh Zhang, Production Team Lead at Qube