Staff Hardware Engineer, Robotics Systems & Deployments

We are looking for a Staff Hardware Engineer with 8+ years of experience to own the technical architecture and deployment of robotic hardware systems for a defense-focused autonomous manufacturing startup. You’ll join a tiny, ground-floor team in NYC that has already closed seven figures of revenue with a tier-one defense prime - and you’ll be the person who makes sure the hardware actually works in the real world. This is a hands-on leadership role where you’ll prototype and iterate quickly, integrate commercial off-the-shelf robotic arms and sensors into complete workcells, and drive systems from the lab to customer deployment. If you’re on the brink of stepping into a Head of Hardware role and want to own something end-to-end, this is it., Experience in robotics engineering (not a pure mechanical engineering background)

Track record of leading technically complex hardware programs end- to- end (from architecture through production and field deployment)

Experience as a hands- on technical lead or hardware manager

Hard skills

Proficiency with a modern 3D CAD platform (SolidWorks, Onshape, Creo, NX)

Technical experience evaluating robotic hardware systems and end effectors

Command of mechanical engineering fundamentals (tolerance analysis, GD& T, structural design, materials, fasteners, bearings, actuators, cable management, manufacturing processes)

Soft skills

Experience leading design reviews, resolving cross- functional technical disagreements, and influencing engineering direction without formal authority

Nice-to-have Experience developing or working with robotic manipulation hardware (grippers, custom fingers, tool changers, compliant mechanisms, tactile or force- sensing systems, 6/7 DOF arms)

• Leading the rapid prototyping and iteration of robotic hardware systems as the team works toward its first major customer deployment
• Evaluating and integrating COTS robotic arms (6-DOF/7-DOF manipulators), end effectors, camera systems, and sensors into complete workcells - identifying what will and won’t work for the task at hand
• Owning hardware programs end-to-end: from requirements and system architecture through validation, production, and field deployment at customer sites
• Establishing engineering standards, leading design reviews, and mentoring the existing mechanical engineering team to raise the technical bar
• Building and eventually hiring and managing a hardware team as the company scales its deployments across the defense industrial base