Head Of Hardware (Embedded Systems)

Bullock Tech Talent Partners; Cape Town; Hybrid; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sports technology firm is searching for a Head of Hardware to lead the development team responsible for innovative tracking systems. You will design, validate, and oversee key hardware functionalities, ensuring integration with software and other engineering disciplines. Candidates should have over 10 years of experience in hardware design and familiarity with production processes. The position is full-time and offers a hybrid work model based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in electronic hardware design for embedded systems.
• Proven experience taking products from concept through to production and certification.
• Familiarity with CE/FCC/UKCA certification and EMC/EMI requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the hardware development function overseeing design and validation.
• Collaborate with mechanical engineering for electronics integration.
• Manage multidisciplinary team and improve internal workflows.

Skills

Electronic hardware design

Embedded systems

Schematic design

PCB layout tools

Digital communication protocols

Debugging skills

Strong communication

Education

Degree in Electronics/Electrical Engineering or related field

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. They build ultra‑low‑latency tracking systems using Ultra‑Wideband (UWB) and motion sensing to capture every movement of players and balls in real time.

The Role

We are assisting our client source for their Head of Hardware to lead the NPD, QA and Compliance teams and to 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. You will also be responsible for overseeing our client's external industrial design partners, who will handle mechanical/industrial design, PCB layout and bring‑up under your technical direction and scrutiny.

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 our client's products meet stringent reliability, safety and performance requirements in demanding real‑world sports environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Electronics Design & Validation: Translate product and system requirements into detailed electronic architecture and design specifications. 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: Work closely with mechanical engineering to ensure optimal integration of 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), including goal setting, prioritisation, and technical mentorship. Facilitate design reviews, architecture discussions, and engineering best practices. Define and enforce Df M, Df T, reliability engineering processes, and compliance standards. Improve internal workflows, testing capacity, and validation methodologies as the hardware team scales. Partner with product management and project management to balance technical 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 in the design cycle. Support operations, manufacturing, 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 schematic design and PCB layout tools (Altium strongly preferred).
• Deep understanding of digital communications protocols (SPI, I²C, UART, USB, etc.).
• Excellent debugging and analytical skills with lab equipment and measurement tools.
• Demonstrated ability to work across mechanical, firmware, and RF disciplines.
• Strong communicator with experience working with external suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Nice to Have: Experience with RF systems including GNSS, Bluetooth, UWB, NFC, or Wi‑Fi.
• 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

Seniority level

Mid‑Senior level

Employment type

Full‑time

Job function

Sporting Goods Manufacturing, Computers and Electronics Manufacturing, and IT System Custom Software Development