Hardware CTO (Contract, Part-Time)

WIN Reality, LLC; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 248,000 - 358,000; Part time

Job summary

WIN Reality, LLC is seeking a part‑time hardware CTO to lead the redesign of the Blast Motion sensor and to architect the next generation of Smart Park camera systems. The role focuses on turning concepts into mass‑produced hardware, optimizing sensors, optics, and edge compute while driving cost reductions and reliability.

You will partner with the COO, engineering, operations, and product teams, manage external design firms and ODMs, and guide the hardware roadmap.

Qualifications

• 15+ years hardware engineering experience with senior leadership roles.
• Experience taking connected devices from concept to mass production.
• Deep experience with sensors (IMUs) and/or cameras.
• Experience managing contract manufacturers and ODMs through EVT, DVT, PVT.
• Strong grounding in embedded systems, firmware, and wireless connectivity (BLE, Wi‑Fi, cellular).

Responsibilities

• Blast Motion Sensor Redesign: own sensor selection, electrical and mechanical design, firmware, and BLE connectivity.
• Drive EVT/DVT/PVT to mass production with contract manufacturers and set cost targets.
• Ensure firmware and mobile app integration are ready at launch.
• Next-generation Smart Park design: architecture for cameras, optics, edge compute, and enclosures.
• Define manufacturability, installability, remote maintenance, and cost reduction.
• Hardware leadership: select external partners, advise on hardware roadmap, budgets.
• Handoff to Director of Operations for production and to Director of Engineering for software integration.
• Work as a fractional leader with COO, engineering, operations, and product.

Skills

Hardware leadership

Sensor technology

Camera systems

Embedded systems

Firmware

Wireless connectivity

Job description

Department: Hardware

Reports To: COO

Location: Remote, with periodic on-site work in Los Angeles

Engagement: Part-time contract

About the Role

The Hardware CTO is a part-time, contracted technical leader for WIN’s hardware portfolio. This role has two mandates: lead the redesign and launch of the Blast Motion sensor, and design the next generation of Smart Park camera systems.

Blast Motion is used by players and coaches at every level to measure swing mechanics. Smart Parks are camera-based systems installed at thousands of baseball and softball fields, capturing video and data from every game. Both are central to WIN’s product roadmap, and both need a seasoned hardware leader to take them to their next version.

This is a role for someone who has taken connected devices from concept to mass production more than once, ideally with deep experience in sensors and cameras. Success is measured by launching a better Blast sensor on schedule and delivering a next-generation Smart Park design that is more capable, more reliable, and cheaper to build and deploy.

Key Responsibilities

Blast Motion Sensor Redesign & Launch

• Own the technical direction of the Blast Motion redesign: sensor selection, electrical and mechanical design, firmware, and Bluetooth connectivity.
• Drive the program from requirements through EVT, DVT, PVT, and mass production with our contract manufacturer.
• Set and hit targets for accuracy, battery life, durability, and unit cost.
• Ensure firmware and mobile app integration are ready at launch.

Next-Generation Smart Park Design

• Define the architecture of the next-generation Smart Park system: cameras, optics, edge compute, connectivity, power, and outdoor-rated enclosures.
• Partner with the computer vision team to set camera and compute requirements.
• Design for manufacturability, ease of installation, remote maintainability, and lower unit cost.

Hardware Leadership

• Select and manage external design firms, ODM and CM partners, and component suppliers.
• Advise the COO and leadership team on the hardware roadmap, build-vs-buy decisions, and program budgets.
• Hand off cleanly to the Director of Operations, Hardware for production and to the Director of Engineering for software integration.

Engagement & Structure

• Part-time contract; time commitment flexes with program phase.
• Works closely with the COO, Director of Engineering, Director of Operations, Hardware, the computer vision team, and Product.
• Leads through external partners; no full-time direct reports expected.

Who You Are

• You’ve taken connected hardware to market — more than once. You know every stage from napkin sketch to mass production, and where programs go wrong.
• You know sensors and cameras. You’ve designed with IMUs, image sensors, and optics, and you understand the trade-offs in accuracy, power, and cost.
• You design for the whole lifecycle. You think about manufacturing, installation, and years in the field from day one.
• You treat cost as a design input. You know the BOM, and you make decisions that bring it down without cutting quality.
• You thrive in a fractional role. Communicate clearly, make decisions quickly, and keep programs moving without being in the building every day.

How Success Is Measured

• Primary KPI: Redesigned Blast Motion sensor launched on schedule, meeting accuracy, battery, durability, and cost targets.
• Smart Park: Next-generation architecture defined, with a target BOM and a path to production.
• Program execution: EVT, DVT, and PVT milestones hit on plan.
• Quality: Field return and failure rates of new hardware.

Qualifications

Required

• 15+ years of hardware engineering experience, including senior technical leadership (CTO, VP of Hardware, or Head of Hardware).
• Multiple connected devices taken from concept to mass production.
• Deep experience with sensor technology (such as IMUs) and/or camera systems.
• Experience managing contract manufacturers and ODMs through EVT, DVT, and PVT.
• Strong grounding in embedded systems, firmware, and wireless connectivity (BLE, Wi-Fi, cellular).

Preferred

• Experience with both sensors and cameras.
• Outdoor-rated hardware or edge compute for computer vision.
• Background in sports, fitness, or wearables.
• Prior fractional, advisory, or contract leadership roles.