Vice President of Engineering, Hardware & Embedded Software

Location: Somerville, MA (on-site) Reports to: CEO Department: Mechanical Engineering, Embedded Systems, Test Engineering Employment Type: Full-time Role & Responsibilities As VP of Engineering, you will lead the engineering organization and ensure the seamless integration of hardware and embedded software into a unified robotics product. Your responsibilities will include (but are not limited to): Technical Leadership & Vision Define and own the engineering vision and strategy for hardware and embedded software, aligning with Rise’s product roadmap, market goals, and business strategy. Shape system architecture for robotics platforms: mechanical, electrical, firmware, embedded software, sensors, controls, communication, and networking. Drive technical innovation and ensure engineering design excellence, robustness, reliability and manufacturability in hardware and embedded systems. Maintain awareness of emerging technologies in robotics, sensors, AI, embedded systems, and advise on how to incorporate them into future products. Organization & Team Management Build, mentor and lead a high‑performing engineering organization: hardware engineering (mechanical & electrical), firmware & embedded software engineering, system integration, test & validation. Define and implement recruiting, onboarding, performance management, professional development, and retention strategies for engineering talent. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous improvement, learning and innovation. Establish appropriate organizational structure, processes, and communication mechanisms to support rapid development, scaling, and cross‑discipline coordination. Product Development & Execution Oversee end‑to‑end product development lifecycle from concept through design, prototyping, testing, validation, manufacturing, and launch. Establish accountability goals to measure engineering productivity, product quality, reliability, time to market, and post‑launch field performance. Ensure rigorous hardware and embedded software verification, validation, and compliance with relevant standards (e.g., safety, EMC, reliability, field durability). Manage budgets, timelines, and resource allocation across hardware and embedded software engineering initiatives. Manufacturing Readiness & Scale Drive design for manufacturability (DFM), design for test (DFT), reliability engineering, thermal/ mechanical/EMI/ESD compliance, and supplier/contract manufacturer engagement. Collaborate with operations and supply chain to move prototypes into pilot production and high‑volume manufacturing while maintaining engineering integrity, field reliability and cost targets. Establish post‑launch support, field feedback loops, & continuous improvement processes. Cross‑Functional & Strategic Collaboration Serve as a senior technical voice in the leadership team, contributing to business strategy, investment planning, go‑to‑market readiness, and customer growth. Work with the CEO to ensure engineering decisions support overall company objectives and customer needs. Represent engineering externally: with customers, partners, suppliers, industry events, key technical discussions, and possibly investors. Qualifications 10+ years of progressive engineering leadership experience in hardware and embedded software development, preferably in robotics, industrial automation, autonomous systems or related high‑complexity domain. Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics or related field. Advanced degree is a plus. Proven track record of leading cross‑disciplinary teams (mechanical, electrical, firmware, embedded software, systems integration) and delivering complete product platforms to market (ideally both hardware + embedded software). Deep technical expertise in embedded systems (firmware, RTOS, drivers, middleware), electronics/PCB design, sensor integration, robotics controls, system architecture, and manufacturing readiness. Demonstrated experience collaborating across functions (product, manufacturing, operations, quality, supply chain) and influencing up to C‑level. Strong business acumen: ability to align engineering roadmap with business goals, manage budgets, resource planning, timeline trade‑offs and risk management. Excellent communication and leadership skills, capable of inspiring and mentoring engineering teams, setting vision and holding teams accountable for results. Comfortable working on‑site in Somerville, MA, and capable of being hands‑on when necessary (not purely executive). #J-18808-Ljbffr