Chief Hardware Engineering & Systems Lead

Roadrunner Venture Studio; Santa Fe (NM); Remote; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Significant equity

Job summary

Roadrunner Venture Studios is seeking a Head of Hardware Engineering for a portfolio company developing rainfall enhancement technology. This remote role leads architecture, prototyping, qualification, and production planning across mechanical, thermal, combustion, and instrumentation systems.

You will supervise internal teams and external partners, drive design for manufacturing, and own the hardware program schedule and budget. Equity is included; travel may be required as operations scale.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, systems engineering, or a related field.
• Experience leading hardware from concept through prototype builds, operational qualification, and production planning.
• Proficiency with CAD software such as SolidWorks or NX and experience with PLM systems.
• Experience with design for manufacturing and assembly for industrial, aerospace, automotive, robotics, energy, or other complex hardware.
• Experience with combustion hardware, thermal systems, fluid systems, gas handling, pressure systems, large field equipment, or power systems.
• Experience with test instrumentation, data acquisition, controls interfaces, inspection methods, qualification plans, and operational readiness reviews.
• Experience managing engineering firms, fabrication shops, suppliers, contract manufacturers, or EPC partners.
• Experience supporting field tests or deployments and making engineering decisions under changing operating conditions.

Responsibilities

• Own requirements and architecture across mechanical, thermal, combustion, structural, fluid, gas-handling, controls, and instrumentation systems.
• Lead the system from early design through prototypes, integrated builds, field-ready hardware, and production planning.
• Lead the design and qualification of combustion hardware, fuel and gas handling, flow and pressure systems, and thermal management.
• Define verification methods and lead shop tests, integrated system tests, field qualification, troubleshooting, and failure reviews.
• Turn engineering concepts into CAD models, drawings, BOMs, supplier packages, build instructions, and acceptance criteria.
• Lead design for manufacturing and assembly so prototypes can mature into reliable production hardware.
• Manage engineering, procurement, and construction firms, fabricators, suppliers, contract manufacturers, and other external partners.
• Use test data, field observations, supplier feedback, and failure analysis to drive design improvements and production readiness.
• Own the hardware schedule, budget, qualification timeline, technical quality, partner deliverables, and production plan.
• Recruit, mentor, and manage a small team of hardware engineers.
• Work across science, field operations, business, and external partners to resolve technical risks and keep the hardware program moving.

Skills

Hardware leadership

System architecture

Manufacturing readiness

Field testing

Supplier management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, systems engineering, or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

PLM systems

Job description

Roadrunner Venture Studios is seeking a Head of Hardware Engineering for a portfolio company developing rainfall enhancement technology. This remote role leads architecture, prototyping, qualification, and production planning across mechanical, thermal, combustion, and instrumentation systems.

You will supervise internal teams and external partners, drive design for manufacturing, and own the hardware program schedule and budget. Equity is included; travel may be required as operations scale.