Principal Engineer, Hardware

Responsibilities

• Set architectural direction for retrofit kits and integrated vehicle platforms across generations
• Own integration points for mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical subsystems
• Drive design-for-manufacturing (DFM) rigor for high-volume production
• Partner with software teams on next-generation drive-by-wire stacks (steering, braking, throttle)
• Define redundancy architecture and safe-state failure scenarios for drive-by-wire subsystems
• Lead technical work toward certified drive-by-wire solutions meeting ISO 26262 / ISO 13849 standards
• Own sensor suite design and hardening compute/sensor enclosures for airside environments
• Standardize vehicle BOM and assembly documentation
• Select, qualify, and manage technical relationships with suppliers and contract manufacturers

Requirements

• 15+ years of hands-on hardware engineering experience on shipped physical products (vehicles, robotics, or industrial equipment)
• Dual depth in both mechanical and electrical engineering
• Proven experience taking products from architecture through DFM and into volume production
• Direct experience with electromechanical actuation systems (steering, braking, drive systems)
• Proficiency in PCB design, harness design, mechanical CAD, and lab-level debugging
• Track record of designing hardware for high-reliability, 24/7 operation in demanding environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with functional-safety standards (ISO 26262, ISO 13849, IEC 61508)
• Experience designing or qualifying certified drive-by-wire systems
• Experience working with contract manufacturers at a scale of hundreds to thousands of units per year
• Background in commercial vehicles, off-highway equipment, industrial robotics, or aerospace ground systems
• Experience as a senior individual contributor setting technical direction and mentoring staff engineers

About the Company

AeroVect is transforming ground handling with autonomy, redefining how airlines and ground service providers around the globe run day-to-day operations. We are a Series A company backed by top-tier venture capital investors in aviation and autonomous driving.