Vice President of Engineering, Hardware & Embedded Software
15 days ago
Somerville
Job Description Location: Somerville, MA (on-site) Reports to: CEO Department: Mechanical Engineering, Embedded Systems, Test Engineering Employment Type: Full-time Role & Responsibilities As VP of Engineering, you will lead the engineering organization and ensure the seamless integration of hardware and embedded software into a unified robotics product. Your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to): Technical Leadership & Vision • Define and own the engineering vision and strategy for hardware and embedded software, aligning with Rise’s product roadmap, market goals, and business strategy., • Shape system architecture for robotics platforms: mechanical, electrical, firmware, embedded software, sensors, controls, communication, and networking., • Drive technical innovation and ensure engineering design excellence, robustness, reliability and manufacturability in hardware and embedded systems., • Maintain awareness of emerging technologies in robotics, sensors, AI, embedded systems, and advise on how to incorporate them into future products. Organization & Team Management • Build, mentor and lead a high-performing engineering organization: hardware engineering (mechanical & electrical), firmware & embedded software engineering, system integration, test & validation., • Define and implement recruiting, onboarding, performance management, professional development, and retention strategies for engineering talent., • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, learning and innovation., • Establish appropriate organizational structure, processes, and communication mechanisms to support rapid development, scaling, and cross-discipline coordination. Product Development & Execution • Oversee end-to-end product development lifecycle from concept through design, prototyping, testing, validation, manufacturing, and launch., • Establish accountability goals to measure engineering productivity, product quality, reliability, time to market, and post-launch field performance., • Ensure rigorous hardware and embedded software verification, validation, and compliance with relevant standards (e.g., safety, EMC, reliability, field durability)., • Manage budgets, timelines, and resource allocation across hardware and embedded software engineering initiatives. Manufacturing Readiness & Scale • Drive design for manufacturability (DFM), design for test (DFT), reliability engineering, thermal/ mechanical/EMI/ESD compliance, and supplier/contract manufacturer engagement., • Collaborate with operations and supply chain to move prototypes into pilot production and high-volume manufacturing while maintaining engineering integrity, field reliability and cost targets., • Establish post-launch support, field feedback loops, & continuous improvement processes. Cross-Functional & Strategic Collaboration • Serve as a senior technical voice in the leadership team, contributing to business strategy, investment planning, go-to-market readiness, and customer growth., • Work with the CEO to ensure engineering decisions support overall company objectives and customer needs., • 10+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience in hardware and embedded software development, preferably in robotics, industrial automation, autonomous systems or related high-complexity domain., • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics or related field. Advanced degree is a plus., • Proven track record of leading cross-disciplinary teams (mechanical, electrical, firmware, embedded software, systems integration) and delivering complete product platforms to market (ideally both hardware + embedded software)., • Deep technical expertise in embedded systems (firmware, RTOS, drivers, middleware), electronics/PCB design, sensor integration, robotics controls, system architecture, and manufacturing readiness., • Demonstrated experience collaborating across functions (product, manufacturing, operations, quality, supply chain) and influencing up to C-level., • Strong business acumen: ability to align engineering roadmap with business goals, manage budgets, resource planning, timeline trade-offs and risk management., • Excellent communication and leadership skills, capable of inspiring and mentoring engineering teams, setting vision and holding teams accountable for results., • Comfortable working on-site in Somerville, MA, and capable of being hands-on when necessary (not purely executive).