Founding Hardware Engineer

Who They Are 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. What They're Building 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. What They Need From You 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 What They'll Be Doing 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 Who Won't Work Here Pure academics or researchers with no field deployment experience People who can't 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