Hardware Manufacturing Lead

earthforce; Portland (OR); On-site; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Earth Force in Portland, Oregon, is seeking a Hardware Manufacturing Lead to transition from prototype to in-house manufacturing of hardware systems. This hands-on role involves developing manufacturing processes and integrating electrical systems.

The ideal candidate will have a degree in Electrical Engineering and experience in building real-world systems. Key responsibilities include leading production transition and developing documentation, ensuring reliability and efficiency in production.

Qualifications

• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience building and troubleshooting real-world electrical and mechanical systems.
• Experience moving a product from prototype to low-volume production.

Responsibilities

• Lead the transition from prototype and contract manufacturing to scalable in-house hardware production.
• Develop and document manufacturing processes, assembly instructions, and wiring diagrams.
• Own electrical systems integration and cross-functional coordination across teams.

Skills

Electrical systems integration

Troubleshooting

Hands-on skills in wiring and soldering

Experience with ruggedized electronics

Education

Degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

CAD for mechanical integration

Job description

Wildfires are a $20 trillion crisis. Earth Force is building the technology that dramatically increases the pace and scale of fuels reduction and forest thinning—creating resilient forests and protecting people and communities from the devastating effects of wildfire.

We develop integrated computer vision systems—hardware through UI—deployed on forestry machines operating in remote forest environments. Our platform measures trees in real time, automates production reporting, and enables precision silviculture at a scale the industry has never seen. We work primarily with the U.S. Forest Service and their implementation partners under multi-year program agreements.

We’re commercially deployed and approaching scale. Our next season of growth will deliver on the capabilities our tech has developed, broadening the trust we've built with our partners to serve those working to protect land from catastrophic wildfire.

We are seeking a Hardware Manufacturing Lead to join Earth Force and take ownership of how our hardware systems are built as we transition from prototype deployments to in-house manufacturing and scaled production.

This role sits between engineering, operations, and the field. You will translate prototype systems into repeatable, manufacturable assemblies and help build the internal manufacturing capability required to support our growth.

This is a hands‑on role in a small team. You will be expected to understand our full hardware ecosystem and help us build reliable systems that can be produced, deployed, serviced, and improved over time. In the near term, this role will focus on electrical systems, manufacturing processes, documentation, and test procedures. Over time, this role is expected to grow into a leadership position responsible for manufacturing and production at Earth Force.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the transition from prototype and contract manufacturing to scalable in-house hardware production and assembly.
• Develop and document manufacturing processes, assembly instructions, wiring diagrams, test procedures, and production workflows.
• Own electrical systems integration, troubleshooting, testing, and cross‑functional coordination across hardware, software, operations, and field teams.
• Drive design‑for‑manufacturing (DFM) improvements to increase reliability, manufacturability, serviceability, and cost efficiency.
• Build and maintain production infrastructure, including supply chain coordination, tooling, test equipment, Device Master Records (DMRs), and revision control processes.

Required Qualifications

• In‑person in Portland, Oregon.
• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience building and troubleshooting real‑world electrical and mechanical systems.
• Experience moving a product from prototype to low‑volume production.
• Experience creating documentation such as assembly instructions, wiring diagrams, and test procedures.
• Hands‑on skills including wiring, soldering, harness building, mechanical assembly, and system debugging.
• Experience working with suppliers, contract manufacturers, or production vendors.
• Ability to work in a small team and take ownership of large portions of a system.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with ruggedized electronics or outdoor equipment.
• Experience with vehicle power systems (12V/24V), power conditioning, and ignition systems.
• Experience with sensors, cameras, LiDAR, GPS, or communications systems.
• Experience building test fixtures and production test processes.
• Experience with CAD for basic mechanical integration and packaging.
• Experience in industries such as forestry, agriculture, construction, mining, marine, robotics, or defense hardware.