Hardware Lead

IMPORTANT: The role is fully on-site in Zürich, Switzerland. The company provides full visa and relocation support for the right candidate. Some flexibility is possible for genuine needs, but the default is in-office.

The company is building the intelligent software layer for physical security robots. They are a small, well-funded ($3M pre-seed) software and AI-native startup with zero in-house hardware expertise. This Director-level Hardware Lead role is critical and foundational; it exists to build the entire hardware function from the ground up, defining strategy, building initial platforms, and eventually scaling the team.

What You'll Own

• Hardware strategy: platform choices (build vs. partner vs. integrate) across ground robots, drones, and stationary sensors
• Mechanical design: chassis, mounting, and ruggedization for outdoor security deployments
• Electrical and electromechanical systems: power, compute, actuation, sensing integration
• Sensor integration (cameras, LiDAR, IMU, GPS, audio): selection, calibration, and physical integration
• Manufacturing and supply chain: prototype-to-production pipeline, vendor management, BOM ownership
• Field reliability: environmental qualification, MTBF, failure analysis, and durability programs

• Hiring: build the hardware team behind you as the product scales

   

Who We're Looking For

We're looking for an experienced hardware engineer who has shipped real robotic systems into the field, not just prototypes that demoed well. You've seen what breaks at scale, what survives, and what doesn't. You move fast without compromising on reliability, because security customers can't tolerate flaky hardware.

Your Background

• 8+ years in robotics, autonomous systems, or adjacent hardware, with at least one product taken from prototype into the field
• Deep expertise across mechanical, electrical, and systems integration - world-class in at least one, strong in the others
• Hands-on experience taking robots through prototype, DVT, PVT, and into production
• Track record of ruggedizing hardware for outdoor, all-weather, or harsh environments
• Experience managing manufacturing partners and supply chains
• Strong systems thinker - you reason cleanly across mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software boundaries

What We Offer

• Mission: Build the foundation models that decide how robots see, reason, and act in the real world. Research with deployment, not papers without impact.
• Autonomy: Real independence on what to train, how to evaluate, and how to ship.
• Compute: Access to the compute and field data you need to do serious work.
• Team: Work alongside PhD-level co-founders in AI, Robotics, and Physics, plus a strong founding engineering team.
• Location: In-person in Zürich, Switzerland. Visa and relocation support available.
• Culture: Small, international founding team that's serious about building, but doesn't take itself too seriously. Curiosity and quirks welcome