Hardware Engineer

Founding hardware engineer wanted for a pre-seed, a16z Speedrun-backed startup in San Francisco.

Because this role supports US government and defense contracts, applicants must be US citizens or permanent residents . The role is fully in office at our SF hardware lab, and we’re hiring to start immediately.

What we do

We build rugged predictive-maintenance sensors for ships. They collect vibration and thermal data in engine rooms, and ML predicts failures before they happen. Sensors are already deployed on ferries, paid pilots are signed in Seattle, Florida and New York, and we have a government contract. The long-term goal is autonomous surface vessels.

What you’ll own

• The full hardware lifecycle: schematic capture, PCB design, assembly, soldering and bench testing
• Sensor integration (accelerometers, IMUs, thermal cameras)
• Firmware on ESP32 and Raspberry Pi
• Improving sensors based on real operator feedback
• Helping shape the product as we move toward autonomous vessels

What we’re looking for

• Hands-on PCB design and schematic experience
• Embedded and firmware skills
• Projects you’ve built yourself, end to end
• Bonus: IoT, robotics, marine, automotive or other harsh-environment hardware

This role is early career friendly, at 0 to 2 years of experience. Students, freelancers and non-traditional backgrounds are very welcome. We care far more about what you’ve built than where you’ve worked.

What you get

• $130k to $150k base
• 1 to 1.5% equity
• A real path to CPO, with 5 to 10% equity, after 6 to 7 months for the right person
• A fast-paced, all-in environment with intense hours, built for people who want to go deep