Founding Hardware Engineer – Cockpit Edge Compute

davidjoseph-co; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Navi, a San Francisco startup, is seeking a founding hardware engineer to own the Wave device end-to-end. You’ll join a small team, working closely with the CTO and lead software engineer to drive the hardware roadmap from prototype to fleet deployment.

You will be deeply hands-on, shaping architecture and decisions with minimal precedent, while coordinating with software to ensure the AI analytics requirements are met by the hardware data streams.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in systems engineering or embedded hardware with a track record of bringing complex devices to market.
• Deep understanding of electronics design including PCB schematics, microcontrollers, and wireless modules.
• Experience collaborating with industrial or mechanical designers to build ruggedized enclosures for thermal, vibrational, and environmental conditions.
• Strong proficiency in embedded C/C++ or Python for edge applications with RTOS or embedded Linux.

Responsibilities

• Own the full PCB design lifecycle: architecture, component selection, layout, and iterative builds from the current prototype toward a fleet-ready cockpit device.
• Make build-vs-outsource decisions on hardware manufacturing, balancing cost, compute requirements, and thermal constraints for an in-cockpit environment.
• Lead component sourcing and procurement, identifying which parts to spec and where to get them across the supply chain.
• Plan and execute environmental testing to validate the Wave against heat, vibration, and RF noise conditions in live aircraft.
• Develop and own embedded firmware and edge processing logic as the hardware matures.
• Report directly to the CTO and collaborate with the software engineering team so hardware captures the data the AI analytics layer requires.

Skills

Embedded C/C++

Python

RTOS

Edge compute

PCB design

Tools

Altium Designer

Embedded development tools

Job description

Navi, a San Francisco startup, is seeking a founding hardware engineer to own the Wave device end-to-end. You’ll join a small team, working closely with the CTO and lead software engineer to drive the hardware roadmap from prototype to fleet deployment.

You will be deeply hands-on, shaping architecture and decisions with minimal precedent, while coordinating with software to ensure the AI analytics requirements are met by the hardware data streams.