Head of Hardware Engineering — Equity & Startup-Scale Hardware

Roadrunner Venture Studio; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Roadrunner Venture Studios is seeking a Head of Hardware Engineering for a portfolio company building rainfall enhancement technology. Lead architecture across mechanical/thermal/controls, from prototyping to production, with hands-on hands in a startup setting.

You will manage external partners, drive qualification, and push field-ready hardware to production while ensuring manufacturing readiness and cost control.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, systems engineering, or a related field.
• Experience leading hardware from concept through prototype builds to production planning.
• High proficiency with CAD tools (SolidWorks/NX) and PLM systems.
• Experience with manufacturing release processes and supplier documentation.
• Experience with design for manufacturing for industrial/aerospace/automotive hardware.
• Experience with combustion hardware, thermal, fluid, and gas-handling systems.
• Experience leading hardware teams in startup environments.

Responsibilities

• Own requirements and architecture across mechanical, thermal, combustion, structural, fluid, gas-handling, controls, and instrumentation systems.
• Lead the system from early design through prototypes, integrated builds, field-ready hardware, and production planning.
• Lead the design and qualification of combustion hardware, fuel and gas handling, flow and pressure systems, and thermal management.
• Define verification methods and lead shop tests, integrated system tests, field qualification, troubleshooting, and failure reviews.
• Turn engineering concepts into CAD models, drawings, BOMs, supplier packages, build instructions, and acceptance criteria.
• Manage design for manufacturing and assembly so prototypes mature into reliable production hardware.
• Lead engineering firms, fabricators, suppliers, contract manufacturers, and other external partners.
• Drive design improvements and production readiness using test data and field feedback.

Skills

System Architecture

Hardware Development

Combustion & Thermal Systems

Verification & Field Ops

Manufacturing & CAD

Team Leadership

CFD for combustion

Field deployment support

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

PLM systems

Job description

Roadrunner Venture Studios is seeking a Head of Hardware Engineering for a portfolio company building rainfall enhancement technology. Lead architecture across mechanical/thermal/controls, from prototyping to production, with hands-on hands in a startup setting.

You will manage external partners, drive qualification, and push field-ready hardware to production while ensuring manufacturing readiness and cost control.