Hardware Engineer, Power

Hark; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Hark is seeking a Hardware Engineer to own the end-to-end power architecture of next-generation portable devices. You will ensure safety, efficiency, and longevity, from battery chemistry choices to PMIC register tuning and power-model development.

Responsibilities include defining the PDN, validating Li-ion/Li-poly cells, building power models for various usage scenarios, and designing USB-C PD or wireless charging with thermal stability.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering is required.
• Hands-on experience integrating and configuring high-performance PMICs (e.g., Qualcomm, TI, Nordic, or Maxim).
• Deep understanding of Battery Management Systems (BMS), including fuel gauging algorithms and SoC estimation.
• Expert-level skills using power analyzers, electronic loads, and high-resolution current sensing tools.
• Strong understanding of PCB layout for power and high-current paths, minimizing losses.

Responsibilities

• Define the power distribution network (PDN) and select key components including PMICs, chargers, fuel gauges and protection ICs.
• Lead the selection, characterization and safety validation of Li-ion/Li-poly battery cells.
• Develop detailed power models to predict battery life across idle, peak load and standby scenarios.
• Design and optimize wired (USB-C PD) and/or wireless charging circuits with emphasis on thermal stability and fast charging.
• Conduct bench-level efficiency measurements for DC-DC converters (Buck, Boost, LDO) and optimize firmware for peak performance.
• Develop power model and management strategies to prevent system brownouts.
• Ensure power designs meet global safety standards (UL, IEC, UN38.3) and EMI/EMC requirements.

Skills

PMIC integration

BMS knowledge

Power measurement

PDN design

Thermal awareness

Education

BS or MS in Electrical Engineering

Tools

Power analyzers

Electronic loads

Current sense tools

SPICE

MATLAB

Job description

About Hark

Hark is an artificial intelligence company building advanced, personalized intelligence. One that is proactive, multimodal, and capable of interacting with the world through speech, text, vision, and persistent memory.

We’re pairing that intelligence with next-generation hardware to create a universal interface between humans and machines. While today’s AI largely operates through chat boxes and decade-old devices, Hark is focused on what comes next: agentic systems that interact naturally with people and the real world.

To get there, we’re developing multimodal models and next-generation AI hardware together - designed from the ground up as a single, unified interface for a new era of intelligent systems.

About the Role

We are looking for a Hardware Engineer to own the end-to-end power architecture of our next-generation portable devices. You will be responsible for ensuring our products are safe, efficient, and long-lasting. From selecting the right battery chemistry to fine-tuning PMIC registers and creating complex power models, you will ensure every milliwatt is accounted for.

Responsibilities

• Define the power distribution network (PDN) and select key components, including PMICs, chargers, fuel gauges, and protection ICs.
• Lead the selection, characterization, and safety validation of Li-ion/Li-poly battery cells.
• Develop detailed power models to predict battery life across various user scenarios (idle, peak load, standby).
• Design and optimize wired (USB-C PD) and/or wireless charging circuits, ensuring thermal stability and fast-charging compliance.
• Conduct bench-level efficiency measurements for DC-DC converters (Buck, Boost, LDO) and optimize firmware settings for peak performance.
• Develop power model and management strategy to overcome system brownout.
• Ensure power designs meet global safety standards (UL, IEC, UN38.3) and EMI/EMC requirements.

Requirements

• Education: BS/MS in Electrical Engineering.
• PMIC Expertise: Hands-on experience integrating and configuring high-performance PMICs (e.g., Qualcomm, TI, Nordic, or Maxim).
• Battery Tech: Deep understanding of Battery Management Systems (BMS), including fuel gauging algorithms and state-of-charge (SoC) estimation.
• Precision Measurement: Expert-level skills using power analyzers, electronic loads, and high-resolution current sense tools.
• PDN Integrity: Strong understanding of PCB layout for power, focusing on minimizing losses and managing high-current paths.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience working with software team on driver-level power management or I2C/SMBus communication.
• Experience using tools like Flotherm or Icepak to simulate the thermal impact of power dissipation.
• Proficiency in SPICE or MATLAB for transient analysis and loop stability modeling.

Compensation

The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $120,000 - $300,000 annually.

The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.