Founding Hardware Engineer

A small well-funded ($3M pre-seed) robotics startup in Zürich building the software intelligence layer for physical security robots. The team is 4 people strong software-first and currently has zero in-house hardware expertise. That changes with this hire.

This is a founding role. They are building the hardware function from scratch: strategy platforms vendors team and the person coming in owns all of it.

Autonomous ground aerial and stationary security robots designed to operate in the real world. Outdoors all-weather no lab conditions. The hardware has to survive in the field not just look good in demos.

They are looking for someone who has shipped at least one complex robotic system from prototype into field production. No exceptions.

Must-haves:

• 8 years in robotics or closely adjacent hardware engineering

• Taken a product through the full lifecycle: prototype to DVT to PVT to field production

• Hands-on across mechanical electrical and systems integration: world-class in one solid in the others

• Proven track record ruggedizing hardware for outdoor or harsh environments

• Experience managing contract manufacturers supply chains and BOMs

• Able to reason across mechanical electrical firmware and software boundaries no siloed thinking

Nice to have:

• Experience with multiple robot form factors (wheeled legged aerial)

• Background in defense security or industrial inspection

• Familiarity with ROS 2

• Define the hardware strategy across all platforms (build vs. partner vs. integrate)

• Lead mechanical design electrical systems and sensor integration (LiDAR cameras IMU GPS audio)

• Own the prototype-to-production pipeline and all vendor relationships

• Drive field reliability environmental qualification and failure analysis programs

• Build the hardware team as the company grows

• Pure academics or researchers with no field deployment experience

• People who cant handle being hands-on (building testing fixing) for at least the first year

• Anyone who needs a large team to manage from day one

• Anyone unwilling to relocate to Zürich