Head Of Hardware

Bullock Tech Talent Partners; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 600 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global sports technology firm is seeking a Head of Hardware in Cape Town. This pivotal role involves leading the hardware development of innovative ball and player tracking systems for elite sports. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in embedded electronics design, strong leadership skills, and proficiency in tools like Altium. This position operates in a hybrid work environment, combining both office and remote work flexibility.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in electronic hardware design for embedded systems.
• Proven track record of bringing products from concept to production.
• Strong proficiency with digital communications protocols such as SPI, I2C, UART.

Responsibilities

• Lead the NPD, QA, and Compliance teams in developing tracking electronics.
• Translate requirements into detailed architecture and design specifications.
• Collaborate with mechanical engineering to integrate electronics into products.

Skills

Electronics design

Embedded systems

Debugging skills

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Degree in Electronics / Electrical Engineering

Tools

Altium

Job description

Company

Cutting-edge Global Sports Technology and Data

Role

Head of Hardware (Embedded Systems)

Location

Cape Town (Hybrid)

Introduction

Our client is redefining what's possible in live sports performance analytics.

The Role

We are assisting our client source for their Head of Hardware to lead the NPD, QA and Compliance teams and take a leading role in the design and validation of their next generation ball and player tracking electronics. This role is critical as they scale into elite Soccer and American Football leagues.

Overview

The Head of Hardware owns the full hardware development function. You will lead the NPD, QA, and Compliance teams, set technical direction for hardware strategy, and take a hands‑on role in designing, prototyping, and validating embedded electronic systems for our client's cutting‑edge tracking platforms. This role combines leadership, architecture‑level decision making, and practical engineering. You will guide designs from concept through mass production, collaborate across mechanical, firmware, and RF engineering, and ensure the products meet stringent reliability, safety, and performance requirements in demanding real‑world sports environments.

Key Responsibilities

Electronics Design & Validation – Translate requirements into detailed architecture and design specs. Design digital, analogue, power‑management, and sensor integration circuitry for ultra‑low power embedded systems. Drive schematic capture, PCB layout reviews, component selection, and design documentation. Develop test plans and validate prototypes through bench testing, environmental stress testing, and live field trials with athletes. Perform hands‑on debugging using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, protocol analyzers, and RF tools. Ensure robust performance across temperature, shock, vibration, battery life, and RF environments typical of elite sports.

Product Development Lifecycle – Own the end‑to‑end hardware lifecycle: concept, architecture, prototyping, EVT/DVT/PVT, certification, manufacturing scale‑up. Work closely with mechanical engineering to integrate electronics into balls, wearables, anchors, and accessories. Collaborate with embedded software and external RF test houses to design architectures that optimise performance, link‑budget, reliability, power and cost. Ensure documentation, change management, and version control are followed rigorously from early design through production release.

Technical Leadership – Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team (NPD, QA, Compliance), set goals, prioritise, and provide technical mentorship. Facilitate design reviews, architecture discussions, and engineering best practices. Define and enforce DfM, DfT, reliability engineering processes and compliance standards. Improve internal workflows, testing capacity, and validation methodologies as the team scales.

Cross‑Team Collaboration – Partner with product management and project management to balance feasibility, cost, timelines, and strategic value. Engage directly with suppliers, EMS manufacturers, and test labs to manage prototypes, pilot builds, and production lines. Oversee certification activities (CE, FCC, UKCA, etc.) and ensure regulatory requirements are incorporated early.

Support Operations – Support manufacturing, operations, and customer success teams with hardware insights and root‑cause analyses.

Required Skills & Experience

Degree in Electronics / Electrical Engineering or related field. 10+ years of professional experience in electronic hardware design for embedded systems (low‑power MCU‑based platforms preferred). Proven experience taking products from concept through to production and certification. Strong proficiency with Altium and schematic design tools. Deep understanding of digital communications protocols (SPI, I2C, UART, USB, etc.). Excellent debugging and analytical skills. Demonstrated ability to work across mechanical, firmware, and RF disciplines. Strong communicator with experience working with external suppliers and manufacturing partners. Passion for building robust, elegant, real‑world electronics.

Nice to Have

Experience with RF systems including GNSS, Bluetooth, UWB, NFC, or WiFi. Familiarity with CE / FCC / UKCA certification and EMC / EMI requirements. Knowledge of power optimization techniques for battery‑operated systems. Experience designing rugged or real‑time systems for harsh environments. Background in sports technology, consumer hardware or military hardware sectors.

Reporting To

VP of Engineering

Working Closely With

CTO, Embedded Software Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations & Supply Chain, Mechanical Design, Product Management