Flux

Head of Hardware Design

Flux

full-time

Posted on:

Location Type: Hybrid

Location: San Francisco • California • United States

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Job Level

Lead

About the role

  • Drive ECAD feature design & specs – Craft product requirements for core ECAD behaviors across placement/routing, constraints management, stackup, impedance control, DRC/DFM, manufacturing outputs, and prototyping workflows. Co-author specs, validate by running dogfooding initiatives, beta programs, and scaled user feedback.
  • Be the design partner to AI/ML – Teach the world’s first AI hardware engineer how to design successful products. Define best practices, guardrails, and evaluation harnesses; curate datasets; review AI‑generated designs; create the AI expertise that will help more people build successful hardware on their first production run, without releasing the magic smoke.
  • Build out the Hardware Design function – Start as a hands‑on manager with two existing reports. Over time, refine the team's core responsibilities, and build a larger team that produces reference designs, demos, product specs, training, and field feedback loops.
  • Develop real hardware – Lead quick‑turn-around prototypes (from schematic to bring‑up) that exercise product/AI capabilities. Instrument designs for SI/PI and power/thermal validation; close the loop with data.
  • Amplify user insight – Adopt ownership and improve upon current user experience signals, feedback loops, and channeling user input into our iterative product design. Strategically invest in deeper customer relationships. Champion the user’s voice in cross‑functional forums. Partner closely with our software engineering department in ensuring AI evaluations are reflective of real-world user requirements.
  • Product – Be the "voice of the customer" within the organization, addressing vision, strategy, research & discovery, prioritization and cross-functional leadership.

Requirements

  • Deep EE breadth + depth with real products in the field
  • Comfortable spanning:
  • RF & wireless: from sub‑GHz to mmWave; matching, filtering, antenna/feed layout.
  • EMI/EMC & ESD: design‑for‑compliance, grounding/return paths, shielding, filtering.
  • Power electronics: DC‑DC (buck/boost), PMICs, PoE, motor/actuator control, power sequencing, efficiency/thermal trade‑offs.
  • Analog & mixed‑signal: sensor interfaces, data converters, low‑noise design.
  • High‑speed digital: DDRx, PCIe/SerDes, USB‑C/USB4, MIPI, Ethernet (1G–25G+); timing, skew, and equalization considerations.
  • SI/PI: signal/power integrity analysis, decoupling strategies, return‑path control.
  • PCB/stackup expertise: material selection and stackup definition, controlled impedance, differential pair tuning & length-matching, via strategies (blind/buried, microvia, backdrill), HDI (high‑density interconnect), panelization, and build rules with fabs/EMS.
  • DFM/DFT & manufacturing: hands‑on bring‑up and debug, test coverage, fixture definition; tight collaboration with CMs/ODMs.
  • Tooling fluency: meaningful time in multiple ECADs (e.g., Altium, Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, Mentor Xpedition, KiCad, Zuken) and experience with simulation tools (SPICE, SI/PI such as ADS/HyperLynx/SIwave; 3D EM such as HFSS), plus lab instrumentation (oscilloscope, VNA, logic analyzer, power analyzer).
  • Product sense & communication: ability to turn messy user needs into simple workflows; excellent written specs, diagrams, and presentations; confident with senior leadership and deep‑dive technical reviews.
  • Leadership at multiple altitudes: thrive as both a hands‑on engineer and a manager; co-develop core ECAD product strategy. Hire, mentor, and scale processes while staying close to the work.
Benefits
  • Competitive salary and meaningful equity
  • Comprehensive benefits
Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills & Tools
ECAD designRF designEMI/EMC designPower electronicsAnalog designHigh-speed digital designSignal integrity analysisPCB designDFM/DFTPrototyping
Soft Skills
Product managementUser experience improvementCross-functional leadershipCommunicationTeam buildingMentoringCustomer relationship managementTechnical reviewSpecification writingProblem-solving