Hardware Lead
Our Mission
We believe robotics is entering a transformative decade, much like the arrival of the internet. Advances in AI, cloud computing, and hardware are reshaping what autonomous systems can do. Our mission is to build the intelligent software that powers physical security in the real world - enabling robots and sensors to handle dangerous and critical tasks that humans shouldn't have to. By engineering the orchestration layer for intelligent security, we aim to create a world that is safer, more secure, and more resilient.
We're a strong founding team based in Zurich, backed by visionary investors and advisors. We are engineering the future of security today!
The Role
As Hardware Lead, you'll build and own the hardware function from the ground up. Today we have deep expertise across AI, autonomy, and software, with zero hardware in-house. You'll change that.
You'll define our hardware strategy across ground, aerial, and stationary platforms, take ownership of the physical robots that run our field foundation models, and grow the hardware team behind you as the company scales. This is a high-leverage role. You'll be the senior hardware voice in the company, working directly with founders to decide what we build, how we source it, and how it survives in the field.
Expect to be deeply hands-on for the first year: building, testing, and iterating on real platforms in real conditions, while laying the foundation for a hardware org you'll later lead.
What You'll Own
Hardware strategy: platform choices (build vs. partner vs. integrate) across ground robots, drones, and stationary sensors
Mechanical design: chassis, mounting, and ruggedization for outdoor security deployments
Electrical and electromechanical systems: power, compute, actuation, sensing integration
Sensor integration (cameras, LiDAR, IMU, GPS, audio): selection, calibration, and physical integration
Manufacturing and supply chain: prototype-to-production pipeline, vendor management, BOM ownership
Field reliability: environmental qualification, MTBF, failure analysis, and durability programs
Hiring: build the hardware team behind you as the product scales
Who We're Looking For
We're looking for an experienced hardware engineer who has shipped real robotic systems into the field, not just prototypes that demoed well. You've seen what breaks at scale, what survives, and what doesn't. You move fast without compromising on reliability, because security customers can't tolerate flaky hardware.
Your Background
8+ years in robotics, autonomous systems, or adjacent hardware, with at least one product taken from prototype into the field
Deep expertise across mechanical, electrical, and systems integration - world-class in at least one, strong in the others
Hands-on experience taking robots through prototype, DVT, PVT, and into production
Track record of ruggedizing hardware for outdoor, all-weather, or harsh environments
Experience managing manufacturing partners and supply chains
Strong systems thinker - you reason cleanly across mechanical, electrical, firmware, and software boundaries
Nice to have:
Experience across multiple mobile robot form factors (legged, wheeled, aerial)
Background in defense, security, industrial inspection, or other outdoor field robotics domains
Familiarity with ROS 2 and modern robot bring-up workflows
Prior experience starting and scaling a hardware team from zero
What We Offer
Mission: Build the foundation models that decide how robots see, reason, and act in the real world. Research with deployment, not papers without impact.
Autonomy: Real independence on what to train, how to evaluate, and how to ship.
Compute: Access to the compute and field data you need to do serious work.
Team: Work alongside PhD-level co-founders in AI, Robotics, and Physics, plus a strong founding engineering team.
Location: In-person in Zürich, Switzerland. Visa and relocation support available.
Culture: Small, international founding team that's serious about building, but doesn't take itself too seriously. Curiosity and quirks welcome.
About TechTree's client
We believe robotics is entering a transformative decade. Our mission is to build the intelligent software that powers physical security in the real world - enabling robots and sensors to handle dangerous and critical tasks that humans shouldn't have to. Strong founding team based in Zurich, backed by visionary investors and advisors.