Founding Hardware Engineer

FOUNDING HARDWARE ENGINEER - AUTONOMOUS HEAVY MACHINERYLocation: On-site, United States. Regular travel to operational sites required.Salary: $200,000 - $300,000 with equityNOTE: We are looking for a European candidate who is able to relocate to California, specifically.OverviewAn early-stage autonomy company is hiring a Founding Hardware Engineer to lead the design and delivery of a universal autonomy hardware kit for heavy machinery.The system retrofits existing industrial vehicles and enables remote operation today, with a clear roadmap toward increasing autonomy.This is a founding-level role with full ownership of the hardware platform. You will shape how the product is built, installed, tested and scaled across real-world environments.The work is hands-on and field-driven. Success depends on fast iteration, practical design decisions and hardware that survives harsh conditions.ROLE RESPONSIBILITIESYou will own the end-to-end hardware system used to retrofit heavy equipment for remote and semi-autonomous operation.Key responsibilities include:• Design and development of a multi-sensor hardware platform supporting cameras, LiDAR, GNSS, IMU and communication modules.• Integration of hardware across varied vehicle types with different electrical and mechanical constraints.• Design of mounts, harnesses and enclosures built for vibration, dust, weather and continuous outdoor use.• Integration with vehicle control systems using CAN, LIN, J1939, Ethernet and serial interfaces.• Potential involvement in steering or control hardware interoperability for deeper machine integration.• Rapid prototyping, bring-up and validation on live equipment.• Field testing on operational sites, followed by fast iteration based on real-world feedback.• Transition of prototypes into small-batch production with manufacturing partners.• Creation of clear technical documentation including schematics, harness drawings and assembly guides.• Close collaboration with perception, software, controls and safety engineers to deliver one integrated system.TECHNICAL SKILLSETThe ideal candidate brings:• Strong experience integrating multi-sensor hardware systems in robotics, automotive or industrial environments.• Hands-on knowledge of vehicle interfaces and communication protocols, including CAN-based systems.• Proven ability to design hardware that performs reliably under vibration, dust and weather exposure.• Experience taking hardware from concept through prototype and into limited production.• Comfort working directly with machines in the field rather than only in a lab setting.PROFILE AND MINDSETThis role suits someone who:• Enjoys building complete systems from scratch.• Has a track record of independent projects, side builds or early-stage product work.• Makes fast, pragmatic trade-offs and values reliability over complexity.• Is comfortable with ambiguity and evolving requirements.• Takes full ownership and treats the product as their responsibility.• Is willing to travel and work on-site to solve problems where they occur.WORKING STYLE AND EXPECTATIONS• Founding-level pace during key build and deployment phases.• Regular travel to customer or test sites.• High ownership and direct impact on company direction.• Small team environment with daily interaction with leadership.• Decisions driven by real-world performance rather than theory.COMPENSATION AND UPSIDE• Highly competitive base salary.• Meaningful equity allocation aligned with founding status.• Long financial runway and strong institutional and founder backing.• Direct influence over a product that defines a new category.