Hardware Lead/ Manager

Hardware Lead /

Manager Location:

Scott's Valley, CA Department:

Engineering Reports To:

Director of System Engineering Role Overview The Hardware Lead is a senior individual contributor responsible for the design, development, and technical leadership of hardware systems. This role combines hands-on engineering expertise with leadership responsibilities , guiding a small team of engineers while driving the architecture, design quality, and successful delivery of complex hardware products. The ideal candidate has 5-10 years of hardware development experience , strong technical depth in electronic design, and the ability to mentor engineers while collaborating cross-functionally with firmware, software, manufacturing, and program management teams. Key Responsibilities Hardware Design & Development Lead the architecture, design, and development of electronic hardware systems including PCBs, subsystems, and product-level integration. Design and review schematics, board layouts, and component selections for performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost. Conduct design verification, bring-up, and debugging of complex hardware systems. Drive DFM, DFT, and reliability considerations throughout the design lifecycle. Support prototype development, testing, and product qualification . Technical Leadership Provide technical direction and mentorship to a small team of hardware engineers. Lead design reviews and technical decision-making across hardware projects. Ensure engineering best practices in design documentation, version control, and review processes . Help guide technical roadmap decisions and architecture choices . Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with firmware, software, mechanical, and systems engineering teams to ensure successful system integration. Partner with manufacturing, operations, and quality teams to transition designs into production. Support NPI builds, debugging, and field issue resolution . Project & Team Support Assist engineering leadership with project planning, technical estimates, and prioritization . Coordinate tasks across hardware engineers to ensure timely delivery of milestones . Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes and tools . Required Qualifications Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering 5-10 years of hardware design experience in electronics. Managing a development team for 3-5 years Strong experience in PCB design, schematic capture, and board bring-up . Hands-on experience with lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and signal generators. Experience leading design reviews and technical decision-making . Ability to mentor and guide junior engineers. Preferred Qualifications Experience with high-speed digital design, mixed-signal, or power electronics . Familiarity with EMI/EMC considerations and regulatory testing . Experience supporting manufacturing ramp and product sustainment . Knowledge of EDA tools (Altium, Orcad, or similar) . Experience working in cross-disciplinary engineering teams . Leadership Expectations Demonstrates strong technical ownership and accountability . Mentors engineers and helps elevate team capability. Communicates effectively across engineering and operations teams. Drives a culture of quality, collaboration, and continuous improvement .