Director, Hardware Engineering

Director, Hardware Engineering

Position Summary

The Director, Hardware Engineering leads the development and delivery of the hardware platforms behind Berkshire Grey’s robotic picking systems. Leading a multidisciplinary team of 15-20 engineers, this person translates customer operating needs into robust, scalable electromechanical products, from concept and prototyping through validation, production, and deployment. This position requires deep technical involvement in the brainstorming phase to design reviews and onsite issues.

The team is composed of a highly talented and flexible group of electrical, mechanical and mechatronic engineers. The Director is responsible for fostering an agile problem solving environment driven by customer needs and leading the team in these areas of responsibility:

1. Develop and deploy robotic picking configurations that meet customer requirements while maintaining a scalable product architecture.
2. Design and deploy new core technology components that meet market needs (end-effectors, tool changers, etc)
3. Design and deploy new large subsystems that meet market needs (advanced conveyance systems, etc)
4. Use field performance data and customer feedback to prioritize improvements in reliability, throughput, and serviceability.

Essential Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and manage a 15-20 person team of hardware engineers. The team is currently broken up into multiple groups that will report to you (4-5 direct reports that are managers/technical leads).
• Work closely with program management, software and product leadership to meet the needs of our customers as well as the market.
• Ability to travel to customer sites - both domestic/international (10-20%).
• Work closely with the software team to inform the design and development of robotic pick cells and core technologies.
• Lead the group in brainstorming new ideas for customer problems and prototype new ideas on short timelines.
• Communicate directly with customers during all phases of the relationship from pre-sales through sustaining.
• Work with corporate partners in identifying customer needs, designing against them and iterating together.
• Promote engineering best practices, design reviews, and technical excellence.
• Lead design verification, validation, qualification, and product release activities.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulatory requirements, and product safety certifications.
• Establish development and execution schedules, resource plans, and project milestones.
• Identify technical risks and implement mitigation strategies.
• Drive predictable execution while balancing scope, schedule, cost, and quality.
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure DFM and DFA standards are met
• Support manufacturing scale-up and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Lead engineering support for production issues and field reliability improvements.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of progressive engineering experience developing complex electromechanical products.
• 3+ years leading multidisciplinary engineering teams comprised of experienced engineers.
• Proven experience leading products through production at scale.
• Experience working with manufacturing partners and supply chains.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional engineering organizations.
• Excellent communication and executive presentation skills.

Preferred

• Experience with leading OEM equip, robotic picking systems, warehouse automation, or industrial robotics.
• Experience with pneumatic systems, conveyors, industrial controls or PLC-based automation.
• Experience in working with external consultants (safety, build, design, etc).
• Knowledge of ISO, CE, UL, OSHA, and other applicable safety standards.
• Experience with PLM, ERP, and engineering change management systems.
• Experience scaling engineering organizations in high-growth technology companies.

6410-2607RH