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**About The Company**
Our client is an early-stage robotics and AI company building the intelligent software layer for physical security. Their mission is to enable robots and autonomous systems to perform dangerous, repetitive, and security-critical tasks safely and reliably in the real world.


Backed by experienced investors and led by a highly technical founding team, they're building next-generation autonomous security systems that combine robotics, AI, and modern infrastructure from the ground up.



- Location: Zürich, Switzerland (On-site)
- Employment Type: Full-time
- Level: Director
- Work Authorization: Visa sponsorship and relocation support across Europe

**About The Role**
We're looking for a
**Hardware Lead**
to build and own the company's hardware function from the ground up.


This is a rare opportunity to become the founding hardware leader at a robotics startup with an exceptional AI team already in place. You'll define hardware strategy, own the development of robotic platforms, make key build-versus-buy decisions, and establish the engineering foundations that will support the company's next stage of growth.


During your first year you'll remain deeply hands-on—designing, building, testing, and deploying real robotic systems—while laying the groundwork for the hardware organization you'll eventually lead.


**What You'll Do**
***Hardware Strategy;***

- Define the long-term hardware roadmap across ground robots, aerial platforms, and stationary sensing systems
- Make build-versus-buy decisions for robotic platforms and hardware architecture
- Work directly with founders on product and technology strategy

***Hardware Engineering;***

- Design and integrate mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical systems
- Develop rugged hardware capable of operating reliably in demanding outdoor environments
- Integrate cameras, LiDAR, IMUs, GPS, audio sensors, and embedded compute platforms

***Manufacturing & Supply Chain;***

- Own the hardware lifecycle from prototype through DVT, PVT, and production
- Manage manufacturing partners, suppliers, BOMs, and production planning
- Improve product reliability through testing, validation, and failure analysis

***Systems Integration;***

- Work across hardware, firmware, robotics software, and AI teams
- Ensure hardware platforms support reliable deployment of autonomous AI systems
- Drive field testing and continuous product improvements

***Team Building;***

- Build and grow the company's hardware engineering function
- Hire and mentor future hardware engineers as the business scales

**What We're Looking For**
***Must Have;***

- 8+ years of experience in robotics, autonomous systems, or advanced hardware engineering
- Proven experience taking robotic products from prototype through production and real-world deployment
- Strong expertise across mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering
- Hands-on experience with DVT, PVT, manufacturing, and production scaling
- Experience ruggedizing hardware for outdoor or harsh operating environments
- Experience working with manufacturing partners and global supply chains
- Strong systems-thinking mindset across hardware, firmware, and software
- Comfortable working in a highly hands-on startup environment

***Nice to Have;***

- Experience with ground robots, drones, or multiple robotic platforms
- Background in robotics, defence, security, industrial automation, or autonomous systems
- Experience with ROS 2 and robot bring-up workflows
- Experience building a hardware team from the ground up
- Knowledge of embedded systems and sensor calibration

**What We Offer**

- Competitive salary
- Meaningful equity package
- Visa sponsorship and relocation support across Europe
- Direct collaboration with highly technical founders
- High ownership and real technical influence
- Opportunity to define the hardware strategy of an ambitious robotics company
- Access to cutting-edge AI, robotics, and field deployment technology
- International, collaborative, and low-ego engineering culture
- The opportunity to build hardware that powers the future of autonomous physical security

***If you're excited about building world-class robotic hardware from the ground up while helping shape the future of AI-powered physical security, we'd love to hear from you...***