Junior Failure Analysis Engineer

JobSpace; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Personal growth fund

Job summary

Halter is seeking a highly capable engineer to join the Failure Analysis team. You will debug failed hardware, including collars and tower components, and perform root-cause analysis to improve product reliability on a global scale.

You will work closely with hardware, firmware, production, and supplier quality teams, translating field and lab findings into actionable improvements. This role demands curiosity, methodical thinking, and ownership to drive meaningful outcomes for farmers worldwide.

Qualifications

• Electronics engineering background with hands-on hardware debugging experience.
• Experience diagnosing field failures and correlating in-field events with product failures.
• Excellent communication to convey technical findings clearly.
• Strong ownership mindset and bias for action.

Responsibilities

• Debug and diagnose failed hardware (collars and tower components) to identify root causes.
• Develop and refine processes to improve failure analysis accuracy and reduce zero-fault findings.
• Collaborate with hardware, firmware, production, supplier quality and networking teams to investigate failures and determine root causes.

Skills

Electronics engineering

Hardware debugging

Field failure diagnosis

Root cause analysis

Communication skills

Ownership

Job description

At Halter, we're on a mission to enable farmers and graziers to run the most productive and sustainable operations. Our customers are using Halter to break free from the time-intensive constraints of conventional practices. Imagine watching 500 cattle stand up and walk calmly towards their next break? No quad bikes, no dogs, no fences. Just a group of cattle walking at their own pace. People say it looks like magic. Our customers are revolutionizing grazing with Halter. It's changing lives and transforming an industry. People join Halter to do meaningful work. By joining us you'll be solving challenging problems within a talented team and a culture built for high performance. Our team out-think, out-work and out-care. We're committed to delivering real change in the world - this isn't easy, and in truth, we love that it's hard.

We're backed to deliver on a mission that matters by Tier 1 investors including Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, BOND, DCVC, Blackbird, Promus Ventures, Rocket Lab's Peter Beck and Icehouse ventures.

About the Role

We're changing the way the world farms - and with that comes a responsibility to the producers worldwide who trust us with their animals. We're looking for a highly capable and first-principled individual to join our Failure Analysis team and debug failed hardware to root cause, both from the field and lab testing. Halter collars aren't serviced, aren't repairable and need to last 6-10 years, anywhere across the globe. To achieve this, we need to know about every failure in the field and how to eliminate it.

You’ll be responsible for debugging and diagnosing failed hardware, including collars and tower components, to deeply understand the root cause. Halter products are complex, highly integrated electromechanical devices, and debugging and root-causing the many different failure modes that occur requires an inquisitive mindset and methodical approach. This is both a technical and operational role where you will be central to closing the feedback loop between our lab & field performance and our engineering teams, ensuring that each failure is investigated, understood, and used to improve product reliability.

This is a huge opportunity for the right person - you will have a lasting impact on farmers across the globe.

What You'll Do

• Personally contribute to high-impact failure modes. This is a hands-on role; you'll be very close to the product.
• Actively participate in developing the processes and ways of working, to improve accuracy and reduce no-fault-founds.
• Work closely with hardware, firmware, production, supplier quality and networking teams to investigate failures and find root cause.

What You'll Bring

• Electronics engineering experience, with hands-on experience debugging hardware.
• Experience with diagnosing field failures and understanding the relationships between in-field events and product failures
• Excellent communication skills to share your technical findings with others
• A deep curiosity and first-principles approach to finding root causes with clear evidence.
• Strong sense of ownership and a bias for action - you're not afraid to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into wider challenges when required.
• Low ego, highly collaborative and willing to play for the front of the jersey.

Join Our Team

Halter is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace — a place where we can each be ourselves and do the best work of our lives. Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and under-represented groups of candidates tend to only apply when they meet every requirement. If you think you have what it takes but don't necessarily tick every requirement on this job description, please still get in touch and apply to Halter. We'd love to chat to see if you'll be an epic fit!

Why Our Team Loves Working at Halter

• Work that genuinely matters. Every now and again a company comes along that transforms an entire industry and leaves the world in a better place. Our team gets to be part of something truly meaningful, helping farmers improve their livelihoods, spend more time with their families, and build more sustainable operations.
• Spectacular people solving hard problems. Our culture is designed for talented people to do work that changes lives. The team is filled with diverse, kind, and driven people who push each other to do their best work. You'll be thrown into the deep end, tackling complex challenges and building something tangible that solves real problems.
• You'll grow here. Autonomy, mastery, and learning define how we work. You'll have the freedom to work on interesting problems, master new skills, and continuously develop yourself, both through your role and our $1,000 personal growth fund.
• This isn't easy, and we love that it's hard. Working at Halter will be the most rewarding and the most challenging work of your life. We move fast, take bold bets, and work hard to reshape an entire industry. As one team member put it: "Joining Halter is a bit like strapping yourself to a rocket ship, but it's an epic journey to be a part of!"