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  • Hardware Engineer (founding)

    Needl

    Hardware design engineer job in Fremont, CA

    Founding Hardware Engineer (Stealth Robotics Startup) On-Site • San Francisco, CA About Us We're a tiny, fast-moving team building autonomous systems for heavy industrial machines. We retrofit existing equipment with a plug-and-play autonomy kit that taps directly into machine controls and layers on a full perception + connectivity stack: multi-sensor vision, LiDAR, high-precision GNSS, IMU, and a low-latency tele-operation network. In just a few months, we've gone from first prototype to real machines operating on active job sites, with early recurring revenue and a growing pipeline of paid pilots. We're backed by top-tier early-stage investors along with a group of founder-operators who know what it takes to build in the real world. Our founding team has built and shipped hardware, software, and robotics systems before. We thrive where physical machinery, harsh environments, and rapid iteration collide. Why Join Us You want to work on problems that actually matter - fixing how the world builds things. Construction is the backbone of civilization, and it's currently broken. We're here to change that. You don't want a cushy robotics lab job. You want to build robots in the mud, on real sites, under real constraints. You'd rather spend a week living out of a dusty RV next to a machine you're debugging than polishing a slide deck. You want to see your designs move 20-50 tons of real hardware. You want to feel the stakes. You want teammates who operate at founder-level intensity and ownership. About You You're a hacker at heart - the kind of person who gets a prototype working before most people finish their planning doc. You've built something from scratch: a company, a product, a robot, a system - success not required, agency absolutely required. You work extremely hard, laugh often, and don't mind chaos. You prefer “figure it out now” to “wait for perfect requirements.” What You'll Own As a founding Hardware / Mechatronics Engineer, you'll design and build the core systems that enable remote operation, sensing, and autonomy assistance on industrial machines. You'll work across mechanical, electrical, and embedded disciplines, often all in the same day. System Design & Prototyping Architect and build tele-operation hardware systems, including power, compute, and control modules for machine retrofits. Sensor Integration Integrate and calibrate cameras, LiDAR, radar, GNSS, IMUs, and other sensors using interfaces like GMSL, CAN, and Ethernet. Electrical & Mechanical Integration Design robust wiring harnesses, brackets, mounts, and enclosures that survive real-world abuse. Communication Interfaces Implement and validate CAN, LIN, J1939, Serial, and Ethernet connections with both existing ECUs and custom control hardware. Manufacturing & DFM Work with vendors to bring designs from scrappy prototypes to reliable production, including DFM, testing, and validation. Testing & Validation Lead machine bring-up, HIL testing, and on-site debugging alongside software and autonomy engineers. Documentation & Design Produce schematics, harness drawings, CAD models, assembly docs, and anything else needed to build and scale the hardware. Compensation & Support Base: ~$200-300k Equity: ~1-3% Full health/dental/vision, relocation + visa support, downtown SF workspace with full electronics/mech prototyping tools, 401(k), high-spec laptop, and budget for any gear you need.
    $200k-300k yearly 4d ago
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  • Founding Hardware Design Engineer FT $180-250K Visa OK

    Career Mentors, LLC

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    Founding Hardware Design Engineer (Path to Director of Engineering Design) 🕒 Employment Type: Full-time 🏢 Work Policy: On-site, 5 days/week 👥 Hiring Count: 3 positions available 💰 Salary: $180,000 - $250,000 base 📈 Equity: Competitive, early-stage 🌍 Visa Sponsorship: Available About Our Client Our Client is a prestigious, well-funded startup building high-fidelity reinforcement learning (RL) environments that allow AI systems to master real-world engineering. The company distills expert workflows from IP-locked, constraint-heavy domains, enabling AI models to reason about, design, and validate physical systems. Starting with hardware and chip design, the platform is designed to expand into mechanics, manufacturing, and other engineered systems that shape the real world. The team works closely with frontier AI labs, AI accelerator companies, and advanced research organizations. The Role We are hiring Founding Hardware Design Engineers to define the technical foundation of our hardware-focused RL environments. This is a senior, high-impact role that begins as a hands-on individual contributor and scales into a Director of Engineering Design position for high performers. You will be responsible for translating real-world hardware engineering knowledge into environments that AI systems can learn from-balancing correctness, realism, and scalability-while helping define the technical culture and standards of the company. What You'll Do Design and implement RTL-level simulation environments for reinforcement learning Translate real hardware constraints into reward functions, state spaces, and evaluation metrics Architect, validate, and curate high-quality chip design problems for AI training Build and own a reusable catalog of parameterized ASIC/SoC design tasks Collaborate closely with AI researchers and research-driven customers Identify, document, and mitigate failure modes of LLMs and RL agents in hardware design Drive curriculum and roadmap development for how models learn engineering concepts Set a high technical bar for correctness, rigor, and realism Seniority & Experience 4-10 years of experience as a Hardware Design Engineer with front-end ASIC/SoC RTL focus Proven experience in pre-silicon digital design (RTL) with a demonstrated record of successful tape-outs, including advanced technology nodes Strong startup mentality, gained through early-stage companies or 0→1 system-building experience Experience with ML and RL environments or prior work at NVIDIA, Apple Silicon, Google TPU, or AI accelerator companies is highly valued Demonstrated agency, ownership, and clear communication skills Hard Skills Deep expertise in RTL hardware design Ability to validate, assess, and curate chip design quality Experience architecting complex subsystem IPs and hardware accelerators Strong understanding of design constraints, tradeoffs, and correctness Soft Skills Clear communicator able to distill complex hardware concepts into simple ideas for AI researchers with limited hardware backgrounds High agency and ownership to drive curriculum and technical roadmap development Comfortable operating in ambiguity and working cross-functionally in fast-moving environments What We Value Correctness over demos First-principles thinking Intellectual honesty about AI limitations Ownership, accountability, and execution Clear, thoughtful communication across disciplines Interview Process Behavioral Interview (30 minutes) Deep dive into experience, motivation, and seniority fit Coding Take-Home (2-3 hours) Build a simple RL environment representative of real internal work Take-Home Review (30-45 minutes) Walkthrough of your approach and design decisions with the CTO TopTech Talent is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $180k-250k yearly 1d ago
  • Display Electrical Hardware Architect / Engineer

    Apple Inc. 4.8company rating

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    San Francisco Bay Area, California, United States Hardware We are seeking an engineer to architect next-generation display technologies for Apple products. In this unique role, you will have first-hand access to novel display innovations and will be responsible for designing display subsystems that integrate seamlessly into Apple devices. Description You will contribute to the development of groundbreaking display solutions by inventing original concepts that redefine visual performance, power efficiency, and system-level integration. Your work will ensure harmonious interaction among critical display module subsystems, including the panel, touch IC, power supply, timing controller, and row- and column-driver ICs. You will also be responsible for drafting display module electrical engineering specifications.This role demands strong collaboration with cross-functional teams to translate theoretical insights into manufacturable hardware. Responsibilities Performing detailed engineering analyses of silicon and system requirements Designing display architectures and prototypes, including bring-up and validation Delivering high-quality electrical hardware architecture specifications for display systems Preparing presentations for cross-functional teams and leadership to review designs and development progress Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Engineering (BS) with a minimum of three years of relevant industry experience Experience with electrical engineering fundamentals, including analog, mixed-signal, digital design, and power electronics Experience with complex system design and/or analog and mixed-signal circuit design Preferred Qualifications Master's or Ph.D. in a relevant field Hands‑on laboratory experience, including silicon debugging, IC characterization, and system validation Strong mathematical and analytical skills Prior knowledge of display and/or touch hardware and technologies Prior knowledge of analog and mixed‑signal circuit design, including op amps, ADCs, DACs, and power management ICs Experience with system modeling and system‑level integration Expert knowledge of MATLAB, Python, and/or circuit simulation tools Excellent verbal and written communication skills Strong leadership skills to coordinate efforts across Apple teams and external vendors Exceptional attention to detail to ensure error‑free designs and rapid time‑to‑market Apple employees also have the opportunity to become an Apple shareholder through participation in Apple's discretionary employee stock programs. Apple employees are eligible for discretionary restricted stock unit awards, and can purchase Apple stock at a discount if voluntarily participating in Apple's Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You'll also receive benefits including: Comprehensive medical and dental coverage, retirement benefits, a range of discounted products and free services, and for formal education related to advancing your career at, reimbursement for certain educational expenses - including tuition. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary bonuses or commission payments as well as relocation. Learn more about Apple Benefits. Apple is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We seek to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics. Learn more about your EEO rights as an applicant. Apple accepts applications to this posting on an ongoing basis. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $144k-185k yearly est. 1d ago
  • Space Hardware Engineer - Radar & Satellite Electronics

    Array Labs Inc.

    Hardware design engineer job in Palo Alto, CA

    A leading satellite technology company is seeking a Lead Engineer to oversee the design of advanced satellite electronics. You'll collaborate with cross-functional teams to construct cutting-edge platforms suitable for space. The ideal candidate has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and 4+ years in electronics design. This role offers competitive compensation ranging from $150,000 to $300,000 annually and the opportunity to work on transformative satellite technology. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $150k-300k yearly 3d ago
  • Hardware Engineer I Co-op - Hands-On Hardware Design

    Cisco Systems 4.8company rating

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    Please note this posting is to advertise potential job opportunities. This exact role may not be open today but could open in the near future. When you apply, a Cisco representative may contact you directly if a relevant position opens. Applications are accepted until further notice. Please note this posting is to advertise potential job opportunities. This exact role may not be open today but could open in the near future. When you apply, a Cisco representative may contact you directly if a relevant position opens. *Meet the Team* Engineering: Open-minded, driven, diverse and deeply creative people at Cisco design the hardware that makes the internet work. Bring your knowledge of computers and networking and take it to a new level in any one of the following product categories including: cloud, social, mobile/wireless, video, VoIP, big data, collaboration, web, Internet of Things, routing, switching, IPv6, data center, HPC, Telepresence and many more. Your work will impact billions globally. Supply Chain Operations: Collaborate with peers on projects that have a real-world impact. From our processes to manufacturing, you'll deliver a standout customer experience of Cisco products and services. Take your creative ideas from the drawing board to deliver powerful solutions. You'll collaborate with multi-functional teams to determine our infrastructural needs and product specifications. *Your Impact* Join our Creative Hardware Engineering team and make a tangible impact across the full product development cycle-from foundational circuit design to large system integration-seeing your contributions realized in high-volume manufacturing. Shape the product lifecycle by managing multiple priorities and advancing both immediate and long-term hardware goals. Build and sustain strong relationships with cross-functional teams while collaborating on ASIC Design and Verification for reliable, high-performance products. Drive innovation in System/Board Design, leveraging excellent communication skills to align and deliver robust hardware solutions. Apply your collaborative spirit and technical expertise to optimize Circuit Board Layout for efficiency, manufacturability, and quality. Champion Hardware Automation initiatives, working across business groups to streamline development and testing processes. Lead Validation and Test activities by fostering positive team dynamics and ensuring product excellence. Enhance Signal Integrity, coordinating with extended teams to achieve optimal speed and data fidelity in complex systems. Advance Power Design strategies, contributing to energy-efficient and sustainable hardware solutions as a trusted team player. Minimum Qualifications Currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field. Foundational understanding of hardware engineering principles, including experience with hardware design and tools (e.g., Altium, Cadence, Mentor Graphics) and simulation software. Familiarity with hardware testing and debugging techniques using lab equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters. Strong grasp of engineering fundamentals and technical problem-solving abilities. Able to commit to a 6-month co-op program. Able to legally live and work in the country for which you're applying, without visa support or sponsorship *Preferred Qualifications* Ability to lead multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and work toward both short- and long-term goals. Experience building and maintaining positive working relationships within diverse and extended teams. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Proven ability to work collaboratively across business groups and teams (hardware, software, manufacturing, etc.). Why Cisco? At Cisco, we're revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era - and beyond. We've been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you'll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere. We are Cisco, and our power starts with you. Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada: Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process. U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco's plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time. U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco's policies: 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees 1 paid day off for employee's birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco Non-exempt employees receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees Exempt employees participate in Cisco's flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations) 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco's policies. Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows: .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota; 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%; 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation. For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid. The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below: New York City Metro Area: $44,000.00 - $185,000.00 Non-Metro New York state & Washington state: $44,000.00 - $185,000.00 For quota-based sales roles on Cisco's sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined. ** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements. Cisco is an Aff... (EOE statement continues) #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $44k-185k yearly 2d ago
  • Electronic Hardware Design Engineer

    Atomicsemi

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    About Atomic Semi Atomic Semi is building a small, fast semiconductor fab. It's already possible to build this with today's technology and a few simplifications. We'll build the tools ourselves so we can quickly iterate and improve. We're building a small team of exceptional, hands‑on engineers to make this happen. Mechanical, electrical, hardware, computer, and process. We'll own the stack from atoms to architecture. Our team is optimistic about the future and we want to continue pushing the limits of technology. Smaller is better. Faster is better. Building it ourselves is better. We believe our team and lab can build anything. We've set up 3D printers, a wide array of microscopes, e‑beam writers, general fabrication equipment - and whatever is missing, we'll just invent along the way. Atomic was founded by Sam Zeloof and Jim Keller. Sam is best known for making chips in his garage, and Jim has been a leader in the semiconductor industry for the past 40 years. About the Role As an Electronic Hardware Design Engineer at Atomic Semi, you will work closely with other engineers to develop lithography systems, deposition tools, vacuum chambers, nanometer precision motion control, plasma etching systems, and related tools. You'll be expected to identify problems, prototype solutions, productionize your prototypes, and deliver finished solutions that will revolutionize IC manufacturing. You might work on high‑voltage low‑noise boost converters, motor drivers, attofarad sensors, and millikelvin temperature controllers all on a single project. Responsibilities Clean‑sheet design + ownership of PCBAs and electrical systems for our machines, including schematic, layout, bringup, testing, integration, and documentation Collaborate cross‑functionally with software, mechanical, and process teams to gather requirements, performing independent investigations where requirements are missing Investigate optimal design approaches and perform detailed analysis/simulations to evaluate electrical designs, weighing COTS and custom solutions to problems Required Experience Bachelor's Degree or higher in electrical engineering, or equivalent skill 1‑5 years of experience designing electrical hardware end‑to‑end Experience with analog and digital circuit design and testing Experience with PCB design and simulation tools (Altium, KiCad, LTSpice) Hands‑on with start‑up experience Passion for engineering and making things Nice‑to‑have High speed digital design Low noise analog frontend design Experience working with RF plasmas Digitally controlled switching power supply design Novel power supply architecture implementation experience Control theory (control loop design, stability analysis) Low voltage DC inverter design FPGA development Pulsed laser experience Architect and big picture thinking SMT rework abilities Firmware development #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $112k-159k yearly est. 1d ago
  • Datacenter Hardware Design Engineer - Ethernet & ASICs

    Nexthop Systems Inc.

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    An innovative tech company in San Francisco is seeking a driven Hardware Design Engineer to design cutting-edge hardware solutions for modern data center AI applications. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Electrical or Computer Engineering and extensive experience in hardware system design. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional teams and shape the future of AI infrastructure while being part of a passionate and innovative team. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $112k-159k yearly est. 1d ago
  • Research-Hardware Codesign Engineer

    Openai 4.2company rating

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    Research-Hardware Codesign Engineer | OpenAI Careers Research-Hardware Codesign Engineer Hardware - San Francisco Apply now (opens in a new window) About the Team OpenAI's Hardware organization develops silicon and system-level solutions designed for the unique demands of advanced AI workloads. The team is responsible for building the next generation of AI silicon while working closely with software and research partners to co-design hardware tightly integrated with AI models. In addition to delivering production-grade silicon for OpenAI's supercomputing infrastructure, the team also creates custom design tools and methodologies that accelerate innovation and enable hardware optimized specifically for AI. About the Role We're seeking a Research-Hardware Codesign Engineer to operate at the boundary between model research and silicon/system architecture. You'll help shape the numerics, architecture, and technology bets of future OpenAI silicon in collaboration with both Research and Hardware. Your work will include debugging gaps between rooflines and reality, writing quantization kernels, derisking numerics via model evals, quantifying system architecture tradeoffs, and implementing novel numeric RTL. This is a hands‑on role for people who go looking for hard problems, get to ground truth, and drive it to production. Strong prioritization and clear, honest communication are essential. Location: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid: 3 days/week onsite) Relocation assistance available. In this role: Build on our roofline simulator to track evolving workloads, and deliver analyses that quantify the impact of system architecture decisions and support technology pathfinding. Debug gaps between performance simulation and real measurements; clearly communicate root cause, bottlenecks, and invalid assumptions. Write emulation kernels for low‑precision numerics and lossy compression schemes, and get Research the information they need to trade efficiency with model quality. Prototype numerics modules by pushing RTL through synthesis; hand off novel numerics cleanly, or occasionally own an RTL module end‑to‑end. Proactively pull in new ML workloads, prototype them with rooflines and/or functional simulation, and drive initial evaluation of new opportunities or risks. Understand the whole picture from ML science to hardware optimization, and slice this end‑to‑end objective into near‑term deliverables. Build ad‑hoc collaborations across teams with very different goals and areas of expertise, and keep progress unblocked. Communicate design tradeoffs clearly with explicit assumptions and confidence levels; produce a trail of evidence that enables confident execution. You Will Thrive in this Role if: An exceptional track record of high‑quality technical output, and a bias for shipping a prototype now and iterating later in the absence of clear requirements. Strong Python, and C++ or Rust, with a cautious attitude toward correctness and an intuition for clean extensibility. Experience writing Triton, CUDA, or similar, and an understanding of the resulting mapping of tensor ops to functional units. Working knowledge of PyTorch or JAX; experience in large ML codebases is a plus. Practical understanding of floating point numerics, the ML tradeoffs of reduced precision, and the current state of the art in model quantization. Deep understanding of transformer models, and strong intuition for transformer rooflines and the tradeoffs of sharded training and inference in large‑scale ML systems. Experience writing RTL (especially for floating point logic) and understanding of PPA tradeoffs is a plus. Strong cross‑functional communication (e.g. across ML researchers and hardware engineers); ability to slice ambiguous early‑incubation ideas into concrete arenas in which progress can be made. About OpenAI OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general‑purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic. For additional information, please see OpenAI's Aff… . Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US‑based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non‑public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations. To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non‑compliant, please submit a report through this form . No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link . OpenAI Global Applicant Privacy Policy At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology. Compensation $230K - $460K + Offers Equity Apply now (opens in a new window) #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $121k-162k yearly est. 4d ago
  • Server Hardware Engineer

    Voltai Inc.

    Hardware design engineer job in Palo Alto, CA

    About Voltai Voltai is developing world models, and agents to learn, evaluate, plan, experiment, and interact with the physical world. We are starting out with understanding and building hardware; electronics systems and semiconductors where AI can design and create beyond human cognitive limits. About the Team Backed by Silicon Valley's top investors, Stanford University, and CEOs/Presidents of Google, AMD, Broadcom, Marvell, etc. We are a team of previous Stanford professors, SAIL researchers, Olympiad medalists (IPhO, IOI, etc.), CTOs of Synopsys & GlobalFoundries, Head of Sales & CRO of Cadence, former US Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor, and Senior Foreign-Policy Advisor to four US presidents. About this Role You'll design, bring up, and validate the next generation of compute and storage platforms powering Voltai's AI-driven design engines. You'll work across board design, mechanical integration, and thermal systems to build efficient, scalable hardware optimized for simulation, training, and verification workloads. You might thrive if you have 5+ years of experience in Server or board-level design for high-speed computing Signal and power integrity analysis Thermal management, mechanical design, and system bring-up Post-silicon validation, instrumentation, and failure analysis #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $113k-160k yearly est. 5d ago
  • LIDAR Hardware Engineer - Fast-paced & Impactful, Equity

    Ouster 4.3company rating

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    A leading LIDAR technology company in San Francisco is looking for a skilled Hardware Engineer. This role involves designing and optimizing electrical systems for advanced LIDAR applications. The ideal candidate has a BSEE with experience in hardware development, strong skills in circuit design, and proficiency with design tools. Offering a competitive salary range of $107,000-$200,000 and a collaborative work environment. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $107k-200k yearly 1d ago
  • Hardware Engineer

    Rethink Recruit

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    About Crewline Crewline is building autonomous construction vehicles to transform how the world builds. Our mission is to tackle the inefficiencies in construction by deploying real robotics systems into real job sites. We are a team of builders who thrive in fast-paced, hands‑on environments and believe deeply in shipping hardware that directly impacts the physical world. The Role We are looking for a Hardware Engineer with 2-10 years of experience to help design and deploy the core hardware systems that power Crewline's autonomous construction vehicles. This role is ideal for someone who is deeply passionate about robotics, excited to build from the ground up, and driven by seeing their work operate on heavy machinery in the field. You will work across power, compute, sensing, control, and communication systems, supporting everything from early prototyping to full vehicle integration and deployment. This is a highly hands‑on role with direct ownership of real‑world systems. What You'll Be Doing Design and develop teleoperation hardware systems, including power, compute, and control modules for heavy machinery retrofits Integrate and calibrate sensors including cameras, LiDAR, radar, GNSS, and IMUs Create wiring harnesses and mounting systems for sensors, actuators, and control electronics Implement and validate communication protocols including CAN, LIN, J1939, Ethernet, and Serial Support system bring‑up and hardware‑in‑the-loop (HIL) testing alongside software engineers What We're Looking For 2-10 years of experience in hardware engineering Background in robotics, autonomous vehicles, heavy machinery, industrial automation, or other high‑reliability electromechanical systems Experience building from 0 to 1 in a startup, side project, or similar environment BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Robotics, or a related field Strong experience with electrical and mechanical integration, including wiring harnesses, power systems, sensor and actuator mounting, DFM, prototyping, and reliability testing Experience integrating sensors such as LiDAR, radar, GNSS/RTK, IMU, and stereo/mono cameras Familiarity with interfaces such as GMSL, Ethernet, CAN, LIN, J1939, and Serial Strong sense of ownership, grit, and a willingness to do what it takes to get systems working in the field Additional Requirements Willingness to travel up to 50% of the time to active construction sites Ability to work on-site in San Francisco, CA #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $114k-161k yearly est. 5d ago
  • Hardware Engineer

    Pano Ai, Inc.

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    Help us tackle the growing wildfire crisis with the latest advancements in AI and IoT Who we are The problem: Every minute matters in fire response. As climate change amplifies the intensity of wildfires-longer fire seasons, dryer fuels, and faster winds-new ignitions spread faster and put more communities at risk. Today, most wildfires are detected by bystanders and reported via 911, meaning it can take hours to detect a fire, verify its exact location and size, and dispatch first responders. Fire authorities need a faster way to detect, confirm, and pinpoint fires so that they can quickly respond-preventing small flare-ups from becoming devastating infernos. About Pano: We are a 100+ person growth‑stage hybrid‑remote start‑up, headquartered in San Francisco. We are the leader in early wildfire detection and intelligence, helping fire professionals respond to fires faster and more safely-with the right equipment, timely information, and enhanced coordination-so that they can stop a new ignition before it grows. Pano AI combines advanced hardware, software, and artificial intelligence into an easy‑to‑use, web‑based platform. Leveraging a network of ultra‑high‑definition, 360‑degree cameras atop high‑vantage points, as well as satellite and other data feeds, Pano AI produces a real‑time picture of threats in a geographic region and delivers immediate, actionable intelligence. Pano AI is on TIME's list of the 100 Most Influential Companies of 2025! MIT Technology Review listed Pano as one of the top 15 climate tech companies to watch in 2024, and Fast Company named Pano AI one of the Top 10 most innovative companies in AI of 2023. We've also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNBC News. Pano AI's dozens of government and enterprise customers span 16 states in the U.S., five states in Australia, and BC, Canada, and we are currently monitoring over 30 million acres of land. Pano AI has raised $89M in venture capital funding from Giant Ventures, Liberty Mutual Ventures, Tokio Marine Future Fund, Congruent Ventures, Initialized Capital, Salesforce Ventures, and T-Mobile Ventures. Learn more at ********************* The Role Pano is searching for its first full‑time Hardware Engineer to support the design, development, and testing of our next‑generation Pano products deployed across the United States, Canada and Australia. You will be a versatile problem‑solver, comfortable working across mechanical and electrical disciplines in a fast‑paced, hands‑on environment. Reporting to the Manager of NPI, you will contribute to the full product lifecycle from concept through production, gaining broad exposure to hardware engineering while working on meaningful technology that protects communities from wildfire. This is an opportunity to build foundational engineering skills in a successful, mission‑driven startup environment. Responsibilities Design and develop mechanical components and assemblies for Pano Stations, including CAD modeling, tolerance analysis, and design for manufacturing (DFM). Support electrical testing, validation, and debugging activities including running test procedures, troubleshooting circuits, and collecting performance data. Build and assemble prototypes, conduct hands‑on testing, and iterate on designs based on test results and field feedback. Collaborate with cross‑functional teams including Electrical Engineering, Firmware, Supply Chain, Field Operations, and Manufacturing to integrate mechanical and electrical subsystems. Create and maintain technical documentation including test reports, assembly instructions, design specifications, and design validation plans. Support NPI (New Product Introduction) builds and PRQ (Post Ramp Qual) efforts, including build readiness activities and material validation. Assist with vendor selection, component sourcing, and manufacturing support activities to enable successful production ramps. Participate in design reviews and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives across hardware development processes. Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (0 to 20% at times). Qualifications & Experience Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related engineering discipline required. 0‑2 years of professional experience in hardware development. Proficiency with CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, or similar). Basic understanding of electrical circuits and ability to read schematics. Hands‑on experience with prototyping, testing equipment (multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies), and debugging. Strong problem‑solving skills with attention to detail and ability to work independently. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts clearly. Ability to work as part of a geographically dispersed team, across multiple time zones. Experience using collaboration tools such as Jira, Confluence, or similar. Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office. Nice to have Coursework or project experience in electrical engineering, electronics, or circuit design. Familiarity with embedded systems, sensors, or electromechanical products. Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) or thermal simulation tools. Knowledge of manufacturing processes (injection molding, sheet metal, PCB assembly). Exposure to design validation, reliability testing, and environmental testing methods. Programming or scripting experience (Python, MATLAB, etc.). Experience working in fast‑paced startup or NPI environments. The final salary offer depends on a variety of factors, including an individual's job‑related qualifications, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and location. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for stock options. We also provide comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, a matching 401(k) plan, and unlimited paid time off. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $114k-161k yearly est. 5d ago
  • Senior Neurotechnology Electronics & Embedded Engineer

    Coherence

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    An innovative neurotechnology company in San Francisco seeks a Senior Electronics/Embedded Engineer. This role involves designing and building implantable neurotechnology, focusing on mixed-signal electronics and embedded firmware development. Candidates should have over 5 years of experience, expertise in C/C++ and RTOS, and strong skills in low-noise circuit design. The position offers a dynamic environment with opportunities for professional development and contributions to life-changing technologies. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $120k-165k yearly est. 5d ago
  • Hardware Engineer (founding)

    Needl

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    Founding Hardware Engineer (Stealth Robotics Startup) On-Site • San Francisco, CA About Us We're a tiny, fast-moving team building autonomous systems for heavy industrial machines. We retrofit existing equipment with a plug-and-play autonomy kit that taps directly into machine controls and layers on a full perception + connectivity stack: multi-sensor vision, LiDAR, high-precision GNSS, IMU, and a low-latency tele-operation network. In just a few months, we've gone from first prototype to real machines operating on active job sites, with early recurring revenue and a growing pipeline of paid pilots. We're backed by top-tier early-stage investors along with a group of founder-operators who know what it takes to build in the real world. Our founding team has built and shipped hardware, software, and robotics systems before. We thrive where physical machinery, harsh environments, and rapid iteration collide. Why Join Us You want to work on problems that actually matter - fixing how the world builds things. Construction is the backbone of civilization, and it's currently broken. We're here to change that. You don't want a cushy robotics lab job. You want to build robots in the mud, on real sites, under real constraints. You'd rather spend a week living out of a dusty RV next to a machine you're debugging than polishing a slide deck. You want to see your designs move 20-50 tons of real hardware. You want to feel the stakes. You want teammates who operate at founder-level intensity and ownership. About You You're a hacker at heart - the kind of person who gets a prototype working before most people finish their planning doc. You've built something from scratch: a company, a product, a robot, a system - success not required, agency absolutely required. You work extremely hard, laugh often, and don't mind chaos. You prefer “figure it out now” to “wait for perfect requirements.” What You'll Own As a founding Hardware / Mechatronics Engineer, you'll design and build the core systems that enable remote operation, sensing, and autonomy assistance on industrial machines. You'll work across mechanical, electrical, and embedded disciplines, often all in the same day. System Design & Prototyping Architect and build tele-operation hardware systems, including power, compute, and control modules for machine retrofits. Sensor Integration Integrate and calibrate cameras, LiDAR, radar, GNSS, IMUs, and other sensors using interfaces like GMSL, CAN, and Ethernet. Electrical & Mechanical Integration Design robust wiring harnesses, brackets, mounts, and enclosures that survive real-world abuse. Communication Interfaces Implement and validate CAN, LIN, J1939, Serial, and Ethernet connections with both existing ECUs and custom control hardware. Manufacturing & DFM Work with vendors to bring designs from scrappy prototypes to reliable production, including DFM, testing, and validation. Testing & Validation Lead machine bring-up, HIL testing, and on-site debugging alongside software and autonomy engineers. Documentation & Design Produce schematics, harness drawings, CAD models, assembly docs, and anything else needed to build and scale the hardware. Compensation & Support Base: ~$200-300k Equity: ~1-3% Full health/dental/vision, relocation + visa support, downtown SF workspace with full electronics/mech prototyping tools, 401(k), high-spec laptop, and budget for any gear you need.
    $200k-300k yearly 4d ago
  • EE Hardware Design Engineer

    Array Labs Inc.

    Hardware design engineer job in Palo Alto, CA

    At Array Labs, we are building the world's most advanced satellite radar constellation to create a high-resolution 3D digital twin of the Earth. Our mission is to provide "lidar-like" 3D data and imagery from space, serving critical applications for both commercial and defense customers. This is a deep tech challenge in the truest sense. We're solving complex problems that span hardware, software, and data-from designing satellite systems for the harshness of space to building the massive "data factory" that turns raw sensor data into beautiful 3D products. We are looking for first-principles engineers who want to build, deploy, and scale a one-of-a-kind, vertically-integrated system from the ground up. The hardware engineering team is responsible for the analysis and design of our satellite and ground-station electronics, which spans the range of radar, communications, power management and processing subsystems. As a lead engineer, you will own the design of hardware solutions that will be integrated into satellites and cutting-edge ground infrastructure. You will work cross-functionally with our antenna, RF, communications and radar engineers to rapidly move from clean-sheet designs to full operational deployment in space. In this role, you'll help shape the design of the world's first formation-flying radar imaging constellation, which will deliver a quantum-leap in humanity's ability to rapidly and comprehensively understand our ever-changing world. Responsibilities Develop advanced electronic platforms, from architecture to manufacturing Work closely with software, firmware, RF, antenna, digital, and mechanical design engineers to design and validate state-of-the-art spacecraft electronics Create requirements, perform system trades, select components, capture schematics, design complex electronic assemblies and manage manufacturing Lead prototyping, hardware bring-up, debug, manufacturing, and test campaigns. Rapidly iterate on and improve electronic designs based on laboratory, environmental and on-orbit testing Basic Qualifications B.S. in Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Experience in electronics design, fabrication, and test Excellent teamwork and communication skills Learns new concepts rapidly, completely, and in a self-directed manner High levels of self-motivation and personal accountability Ability to work in a fast-paced environment under significant time constraints Preferred Skills and Experience Bachelor's or Master's degree in electrical engineering, or a related field 4+ years of proven electrical engineering work experience with full-life cycle development (concept to production) of consumer electronics, power electronics, communications, automotive, aerospace, and/or robotics Solid background in high-speed board design, simulation, and validation techniques including PCB stack-up, PCB fabrication, floorplanning, component selection, placement and routing, simulation and measurement Solid background in electromagnetic theory and RF fundamentals such as s-parameters, transmission lines, and broadband impedance matching Hands-on experience designing high-performance platforms including compute (SoCs, FPGAs, MCUs),storage (DDR, SSDs),high-speed interfaces (PCIe, SPI, JESD204B),RF components (PAs, LNAs, switches) Proficiency with schematic capture and layout using CAD tools such as Altium Designer, Allegro, and ORCAD Experience with EMC requirements and EMI mitigation techniques Expertise in signal and power integrity simulation and measurement Expertise in EM and thermal simulation of printed circuit boards Experience with analysis and simulation tools such as LTSPICE, ADS and Microwave Office Experience with data analysis and programming in MATLAB or python Hands-on experience with test equipment such as oscilloscopes and network analyzers ITAR Requirements To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Equal Opportunity Employer Array Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made on the basis of merit, competence, and job qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by gender, color, race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, gender identity, veteran status, disability status, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. $U150,000 - $U300,000 a year Interview Process We will conduct three interviews via Zoom; the typical process takes around 2-4 weeks to complete from start to finish. Hiring and Compensation Strategy Our hiring and compensation strategy is simple: 1) find uncommonly good people 2) pay them uncommonly well You can anticipate competitive pay, with high flexibility between salary and equity-based compensation. Why you should join Array Labs Array Labs is launching a constellation of satellites to create the first high-resolution, real-time, three-dimensional model of Earth. Our next-generation satellite technology will offer image quality 60x greater than traditional techniques, profoundly expanding humanity's ability to understand and respond to events on a global scale. In forging an affordable, accessible, accurate representation of Earth, our work has the potential to transform the face of dozens of fields, including autonomy, telecommunications, disaster relief, gaming, climate science, defense and construction. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $112k-158k yearly est. 3d ago
  • Electronic Hardware Design Engineer - End-to-End PCB

    Atomic Semi

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    Atomic Semi is seeking an Electronic Hardware Design Engineer to join their fast-paced team in San Francisco. In this role, you will design and develop cutting-edge electrical systems, working alongside talented engineers to innovate and push boundaries in semiconductor technology. The position offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, alongside the opportunity to work in a dynamic startup environment. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $112k-159k yearly est. 1d ago
  • Founding Hardware Design Engineer - Path to Director

    Career Mentors, LLC

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    A prestigious technology startup in San Francisco is seeking a Founding Hardware Design Engineer to build high-fidelity reinforcement learning environments. This senior role involves translating real-world hardware engineering knowledge into scalable solutions and offers a path to a Director of Engineering Design position. Candidates should have extensive experience in RTL hardware design and a strong startup mentality. Competitive salary and equity options are available. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $112k-159k yearly est. 1d ago
  • AI Hardware Codesign Engineer - Research & RTL Prototyping

    Openai 4.2company rating

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    A leading AI research company in San Francisco seeks a Research-Hardware Codesign Engineer to bridge the gap between model research and silicon/system architecture. The successful candidate will debug performance gaps, communicate design tradeoffs, and prototype new numerical methods. Candidates must have a strong programming background in Python and C++ or Rust, along with knowledge of ML codebases. This hybrid role requires onsite interaction three days a week. Competitive compensation of $230K - $460K and equity options offered. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $121k-162k yearly est. 4d ago
  • Robotics Hardware Engineer - Autonomous Construction Vehicles

    Rethink Recruit

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    A leading robotics firm is seeking a Hardware Engineer in San Francisco, CA to design and deploy the core hardware systems for autonomous construction vehicles. In this hands-on role, you will develop teleoperation systems, integrate sensors like LiDAR, and ensure mechanical reliability. Ideal candidates will have 2-10 years of hardware engineering experience, a background in robotics or heavy machinery, and a passion for building from the ground up. Willingness to travel up to 50% is necessary. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $114k-161k yearly est. 5d ago
  • Senior Electronics/Embedded Engineer

    Coherence

    Hardware design engineer job in San Francisco, CA

    Job Title: Senior Electronics/Embedded Engineer Coherence Neuro is a fast‑growing, venture‑backed company pioneering implantable technologies that interface with the human body to address critical unmet medical needs. We're looking for driven individuals who are passionate about pushing the boundaries of engineering and science to solve some of the most complex biological challenges. In this early‑stage environment, we seek versatile team members with a hands‑on approach and a willingness to learn quickly and adapt. We value diversity and encourage applicants from all backgrounds to join us in our mission. Learn about our team here ! We are building our Product Development Team and looking for a Senior Electronics/Embedded Engineer to design and build the next generation of implantable neurotechnology, focusing on both the high‑performance electronics and the firmware that make neural interfaces and stimulation systems work. You will tackle complex hardware‑software challenges, innovate at the edge of neuroscience and medical devices, and help bring transformative technologies from lab to clinic. This is a highly hands‑on role where you will prototype, test, and refine hardware and firmware in a fast‑paced R&D environment Key Responsibilities Own critical elements of the design, development, and integration of mixed‑signal electronics and embedded firmware for implantable neurotechnology systems. Architect and implement low‑level firmware (C/C++/RTOS) including drivers, real‑time data acquisition, stimulation control, and communication stacks. Design and validate analog circuits, optical circuits, low‑noise amplifiers, power management modules, and digital interfaces. Own board bring‑up and hardware/firmware integration testing-debug complex interactions using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, JTAG/SWD, and custom test rigs. Develop automated firmware/hardware test frameworks for benchtop, in‑vitro, and preclinical environments. Optimize electronics and firmware for low power, low noise, and high‑bandwidth data transfer with long‑term reliability. Collaborate closely with engineering teams on interface definitions and architectural decisions. Document firmware and electronics architecture, design decisions, interface specifications, and verification results under design control and QMS. Mentor junior engineers and help build a high‑performance embedded and electronics team. Required Qualifications and Skills Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Embedded Systems, or equivalent. 5+ years of experience developing mixed‑signal hardware and embedded firmware for complex devices. Expertise in C/C++, RTOS development (FreeRTOS/Zephyr/QNX), and hardware‑oriented programming. Bonus if familiarity extends to FPGA based embedded systems. Strong experience with low‑noise circuit design, ADCs/DACs, stimulation circuits, power management, and sensor integration. Strong MCU background, including peripheral configuration, DMA, interrupts, and real‑time constraints. Demonstrated ability to bring up new PCBs and debug cross‑disciplinary issues (electrical, firmware, timing, signal integrity). Experience with ECAD tools (Altium, Cadence) and a strong understanding of PCB design constraints. Familiarity with communication interfaces (SPI, I2C, UART, BLE, custom optical/RF). Familiarity with ISO 13485, IEC 60601, or other relevant standards. Strong documentation, safety‑first mindset, and ability to work within a regulated medical development environment. Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a interdisciplinary environment. Adaptability to fast‑paced research with dynamic priorities. Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills. Bonus Skills Experience with programming FPGA embedded systems (Verilog). Knowledge of optical communication, LED/photodiode drivers. Experience with inductive power transfer systems or high‑efficiency wireless power links. Experience working with or designing toward ASIC‑based implementations. Reporting Structure This role is an integral part of the product team and reports directly to the VP of Engineering. Benefits US standard compensation: competitive salary and share options. Daily meals provided. Healthcare and 401k. Professional development support and training opportunities. Flexible working hours and travel opportunities (sites in Australia, UK, and US). A chance to work on impactful, life‑changing technologies in a dynamic, innovative environment. If you are passionate about innovation in healthcare, we would love to hear from you! Please submit your application here. #J-18808-Ljbffr
    $120k-165k yearly est. 5d ago

Learn more about hardware design engineer jobs

How much does a hardware design engineer earn in San Jose, CA?

The average hardware design engineer in San Jose, CA earns between $95,000 and $185,000 annually. This compares to the national average hardware design engineer range of $80,000 to $139,000.

Average hardware design engineer salary in San Jose, CA

$133,000

What are the biggest employers of Hardware Design Engineers in San Jose, CA?

The biggest employers of Hardware Design Engineers in San Jose, CA are:
  1. Supermicro
  2. Pure Storage
  3. Sedaa
  4. Cisco
  5. Capgemini
  6. Qualcomm
  7. Future Mobility
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