Navi — Founding Hardware Engineer

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 - Founding Hardware Engineer

Type: Full-time | On-site | San Francisco, CACompensation: $150,000-200,000 + Competitive EquityHiring count: 1Visa sponsorship: None availableReports to: CTO

About Navi

Navi captures everything a pilot sees and hears during a flight and turns it into automated debrief intelligence, giving flight instructors and squadron commanders sortie-level awareness that has never existed before. The platform is already live at Embry-Riddle, Purdue, UND, Sling Pilot Academy, and the United States Air Force. Its hardware device, the Wave, sits in the cockpit and streams audio and telemetry data to the cloud in real time, where Navi's AI analytics generate the debrief.

Founded: 2024 | Team size: ~5 (Seed, 1-10) | Total funding: Not disclosedIndustry: AviationWebsite: flynavi.comOffice: San Francisco, CA

Why Candidates Should Join

• Founding ownership: Owns the physical product end to end as one of the first ten employees, alongside the CTO and lead software engineer.
• Real deployment: Device is already in cockpits at flight schools, airlines, and the U.S. Air Force.
• Domain immersion: Flight training provided to earn a pilot's license and build domain expertise.
• Growth path: Role scales into hardware leadership as the company grows.

Intake Call Summary

• No intake call transcript was included on the role page. An intake video is present but not transcribed — request the transcript or summary from Contrario if intake detail is needed for scoring.

The Role

This is a founding hardware role owning the Wave device end to end — from its current 3D-printed prototype to a fleet-deployed cockpit device. The person joins the technical side alongside the CTO and lead software engineer as one of the first ten employees, and must be deeply hands-on, able to reason through a six-month hardware roadmap with full architectural clarity, and comfortable making consequential decisions with limited precedent.

What You'll Be Doing

• 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

Tech stack: PCB / schematic design, microcontrollers, embedded C/C++ or Python, RTOS or embedded Linux, wireless modules (cellular / Wi-Fi / Bluetooth), edge-to-cloud streaming, OTA update infrastructure, cloud telemetry dashboards.

Requirements

• 7+ years in systems engineering, embedded edge compute, or connected hardware development with track record of bringing complex devices to market
• Deep understanding of electronics design including PCB schematics, microcontrollers, and wireless communication 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 experience
• Familiarity with edge-to-cloud architecture, device fleet management, and scalable live data infrastructure
• Hands-on experience navigating hardware certification processes and environmental testing standards
• Lead end-to-end technical design of edge compute node including architecture, component selection, PCB layout, and mechanical enclosure
• Build hardware ruggedized for cockpit environments optimized for continuous wireless data transmission
• Architect real-time data pipelines for processing and streaming high-fidelity audio and telemetry with minimal latency
• Own hardware validation lifecycle including environmental testing, QA, and regulatory certifications for aircraft operation
• Develop and oversee embedded firmware and edge processing logic with OTA update infrastructure
• Guide cloud-based telemetry dashboard architecture for seamless data ingestion and real-time visibility
• Collaborate with software and ML engineers to ensure hardware captures requirements for automated debriefs

Green Flags

• Experience with edge processing and lossless streaming of high-bandwidth data including real-time audio and signal processing
• Background building hardware for aviation, defense, or safety-critical regulated industries
• Familiarity with avionics data formats, cockpit audio systems, or aircraft electrical environments
• Sensor device or connected hardware background
• Hands-on builder from a lean startup environment
• Can reason fluently through a multi-month hardware roadmap on the spot
• Environmental and regulatory testing experience

Red Flags

• Large-company specialist with no independent hardware ownership
• Impressive pedigree but cannot build a PCB independently
• Not prepared for the scope and pace of a founding role

Role Details

• Salary — $150,000-200,000
• Equity — Competitive
• On-site policy — In-person in San Francisco, 5 days/week; startup hours (9am-9pm, six days a week)
• Visa sponsorship — None available
• Employment type — Full-time
• Location — San Francisco, CA

Screening Questions

1. Current location
2. LinkedIn
3. Why Navi?
4. What's the hardest problem you've ever solved?

Interview Process

Stage 1 - Pending Approval — Candidates awaiting initial approval.Stage 2 - Initial Screen — Initial screen.Stage 3 - First Round — First round.Stage 4 - Second Round — Second round.Stage 5 - Offer — Offer extended.Stage 6 - Hired — Candidate accepts and starts.