Engineering Manager, Data Systems Hardware & Site Engineering

Meta; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 208,000 - 289,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Reality Labs is seeking an Engineering Manager to lead our Data Systems Hardware & Site Engineering team. You will guide a multi-disciplinary group across studio, wearable, and in-the-wild capture systems, deploying and sustaining hardware across North America.

You will translate research roadmaps into system requirements, own site engineering, mentor engineers, drive architecture reviews for hardware and firmware, and balance priorities across Codec Avatars, Input, and Health programs.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in leadership and people management in medium to large scale organizations.
• Direct experience shipping consumer hardware or in technology R&D.
• Experience with multi-site technical operations (labs, data collection, manufacturing).
• Strong knowledge of camera systems, data capture, and high-bandwidth pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Lead hardware, electrical, and firmware teams across capture systems.
• Drive design reviews and establish reusable subsystems.
• Manage site engineering across North America and coordinate with researchers.
• Balance priorities across Codec Avatars, Input, and Health programs.

Skills

Leadership

Hardware shipping

Multi-camera systems

Embodied wearables

Cross-site ops

Mentorship

Job description

Reality Labs is looking for an Engineering Manager to lead our Data Systems Hardware & Site Engineering team. This team designs, builds, and deploys the devices and systems used to capture the datasets behind Reality Labs products. That work supports Codec Avatars, Input, and Health programs across all RL devices, and enables the algorithm development and research behind those programs.You'll manage a multi-disciplinary engineering team (mechanical, electrical, firmware/embedded software, and systems engineering) across three classes of capture hardware. Studio systems: large-scale multi-camera rigs with controlled lighting, hardware synchronization, high-bandwidth ingest, and storage infrastructure. Wearable prototypes: data collection headsets, sensor-integrated form factor mockups, and body-worn devices that hold sensor alignment and repeatable positioning across participants. In-the-wild systems: portable and participant-operated hardware that collects outside a controlled lab, durable enough for sustained handling by non-engineering operators and serviceable in the field. You'll also own the site engineering function that deploys and sustains these systems across North America.You're a builder and a leader. You'll get hands-on with critical hardware challenges, represent and advocate for the hardware engineering craft, and develop the overall data collection strategy with program leaders and stakeholders. That means translating research roadmaps into system requirements, deciding which modality fits which program need, and making sure our capture capabilities keep up.Requirements are often undefined at project start. Research direction and program priorities shift, and specs get established through prototyping and measurement. You'll be the connective tissue between researchers, engineers, and site teams, determining project priority, feasibility, and resource allocation across programs with competing timelines.Engineering Manager, Data Systems Hardware & Site Engineering Responsibilities:Lead and develop the hardware, electrical, and embedded software engineering craft for data capture systems across multiple RL programsOwn the design and evolution of studio capture systems, including multi-camera arrays, structured lighting, hardware synchronization, high-bandwidth data pipelines, and on-site storage infrastructureOwn the design and evolution of wearable capture prototypes, including data collection headsets, sensor-integrated form factor mockups, and body-worn devices, covering sensor integration, alignment repeatability, fit, comfort, thermal, and participant safetyOwn the design and evolution of in-the-wild collection systems that operate outside controlled lab environments, built for transport, field assembly, and use by non-engineering operatorsManage a team of mechanical, electrical, and firmware engineers. Mentor, grow, and develop leaders and individual contributorsRepresent and advocate for the hardware engineering craft. Develop the right processes, practices, and people to accomplish the team's workOwn the team's systems for designing, simulating, prototyping, and testing capture hardwareDrive architecture and design reviews for hardware and firmware across device programsProvide individual technical contributions by implementing electro-mechanical and firmware solutions on critical projectsEstablish design standards, common platforms, and reusable subsystems to reduce cost and schedule on subsequent buildsIdentify essential roles and recruit top engineering talentDevelop the overall data collection strategy with program leaders and stakeholders across Codec Avatars, Input, and HealthTranslate research roadmaps into system requirements and capture capability targetsDecide which collection modality fits which program need, and make the trade-offs across data quality, participant scale, cost, and deployability explicitDefine equipment standards and technical specifications for capture systemsOwn the site engineering function for data collection sites across North America, including deployment planning, bring-up, and sustained technical supportBuild and manage site engineering teams (technicians, coordinators, contingent workers) that install, operate, and maintain capture systemsAccountable for hardware inventory, logistics, maintenance, and equipment standards across distributed sitesEnsure, through partners, scaled deployment and site-level technical processes including calibration, validation, privacy and data compliance, and participant safetyPerform root-cause analysis on failures in deployed hardware, drive design improvements back into the systems, and verify effectivenessDesign for transport, field assembly, and reconfiguration across sites, and support device bring-up and troubleshooting on locationManage site engineering budgets and resource allocation across collections and hardware programsServe as liaison between researchers, engineering, site teams, and software teams across programsCoordinate complex projects with key partners. Manage team allocation, schedules, milestones, and deliveryInfluence leaders and key partners to gain alignment, build virtual teams, and accomplish cross-team goalsDrive improvements through measurement, feedback loops, and continuous iterationBalance priorities across Codec Avatars, Input, and Health programs with competing timelines and resource needsMinimum Qualifications:5+ years in leadership and people management in medium to large scale organizationsDirect experience shipping consumer hardware or working in technology R&D organizationsDemonstrated expertise with complex data capture systems, including multi-camera rigs, lighting, hardware synchronization, and high-bandwidth data pipelinesExperience with hardware that integrates cameras, sensors, and compute into constrained or wearable form factorsExperience owning multi-site technical operations or site engineering (labs, data collection, manufacturing, or similar)Demonstrated domain knowledge in compute and systems development with a proven track record building advanced technologyExperience leading design development from schematic capture, PCB layout through assemblyExperience establishing requirements and specifications in environments where full system requirements are undefined at project startPreferred Qualifications:Deep expertise in camera systems, structured/controlled lighting, time synchronization (PTP/genlock), and high-speed data ingest/storage architecturesExperience with AR/VR headsets, smart glasses, or other head-mounted hardwareExperience designing hardware for repeated handling, transport, and field deployment by non-engineering operatorsExperience managing distributed teams and vendor partnerships across multiple geographiesBackground in health/medical devices, input devices, or biometric sensing systemsExperience working with CM and EMS partners in design, manufacture, testing, and delivery of hardware solutionsExperience developing data collection strategy across multiple programs and collection modalitiesExperience with digital circuit design and communications protocols (I2C, UART, SPI, USB, MIPI, I2S)Experience with high-bandwidth data transport (10G/25G/100G Ethernet, PCIe, NVMe, high-speed serial interfaces)Experience with head-worn, wearable, or body-worn devices, including fit, adjustment mechanisms, and anthropometric sizingExperience with 3D design modeling (NX or SolidWorks) and physical prototypingExperience with embedded computing and wearable devicesExperience with motion capture, photogrammetry, or biometric sensing systemsExperience with instrumented prototypes or research hardware built for data capture rather than production releaseAbout Meta:Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at [e-mail].$208,000/year to $289,000/year + bonus + equity + benefitsIndividual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.