Director, Hardware R&D Job at Stealth Startup in San Jose

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With dual headquarters in Silicon Valley and Shenzhen, we own the full product lifecycle—from ideation and industrial design to engineering, manufacturing, quality, and global go-to-market. We are a Series-B company with award-winning products and a clear path toward a US IPO.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Director of Hardware R&D to lead end-to-end hardware development for next-generation smart pet devices. This role owns hardware strategy, execution, and team leadership across mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering—partnering tightly with Industrial Design, Firmware, AI, Operations, and China-based manufacturing teams.

You will set technical direction, raise engineering standards, and ensure scalable, reliable, and cost-effective products move from concept to mass production.

Key Responsibilities

Hardware Strategy & Architecture

• Define long‑term hardware R&D roadmap aligned with product vision and business strategy
• Own system architecture for complex consumer IoT devices (sensors, motors, power, connectivity)
• Make build‑vs‑buy decisions; evaluate vendors, platforms, and emerging technologies

Product Development & Execution

• Drive cross‑functional execution with ID, Firmware, AI, QA, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing
• Ensure designs meet performance, reliability, safety, regulatory, and cost targets
• Build, mentor, and scale high‑performing US‑based hardware teams
• Establish clear ownership, design review rigor, and decision‑making frameworks
• Partner with China R&D and factory teams to ensure seamless global execution

Quality, Reliability & Compliance

• Set standards for reliability testing, DFMEA, tolerance analysis, and validation plans
• Own compliance strategy (FCC, UL, CE, RoHS, etc.) with Quality and Ops teams
• Drive root‑cause analysis and corrective actions for field and production issues

Operational Excellence

• Own hardware schedules, risk management, and resource planning
• Balance innovation speed with manufacturability and scalability
• Influence cost, yield, and margin through design optimization

Qualifications

Required

• 12+ years of hardware engineering experience in consumer electronics or IoT
• 5+ years leading managers and senior engineers
• Proven track record shipping high‑volume consumer hardware products
• Deep expertise in mechanical + electrical systems integration
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes, tooling, and supply chains
• Experience working with China‑based factories and R&D teams

Preferred

• Experience with smart devices, robotics, sensors, motors, or AI‑enabled hardware
• Background in design‑driven product companies
• Experience scaling hardware orgs in fast‑growing startups
• Familiarity with pet tech, healthcare devices, or home automation