Principal Hardware Engineer / Director of Hardware

Arable

Arable

Other Engineering
San Francisco, CA, USA
Posted on Aug 31, 2025

About Arable

At Arable, our mission is to connect all the world’s farms and provide the highest-quality data to power predictive analytics, optimizing the global food system. The need to rethink how we feed an ever-growing population and manage our natural resources has never been greater. We believe the heart of the solution lies in digitizing the analog world with high-fidelity data to help food producers optimize their operations. If successful, our work will enhance the lives of farmers, mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, and make a significant contribution to securing the global food supply for decades to come.

Examples of our work:

- Helping farmers in Nebraska manage water more efficiently and sustainably

- Building agricultural climate data networks in Africa to help farmers adapt to climate change.

- Providing California farmers with tools to save water, reduce risk, and minimize waste

The Role:

We are seeking a senior hardware leader to spearhead the development of our hardware ecosystem, including the Arable Mark 3 and future sensing platforms.

This pivotal role will shape the future of our sensing platforms while ensuring exceptional agricultural technology solutions worldwide.

What You Will Do
  • Lead hardware engineering throughout product lifecycle from concept to production
  • Manage domestic and offshore manufacturing operations
  • Oversee and validate ODM designs to meet Arable’s quality standards
  • Develop technical documentation for designs, testing, and support
  • Lead prototyping efforts for new hardware products and features
  • Participate in product validation and testing with QA teams
  • Collaborate with product management, software, operations, and customer success
  • Manage key vendor relationships and component selection
  • Coordinate bug tracking and resolution for hardware issues
  • Support manufacturing test fixtures and processes
  • Provide technical leadership and mentorship, helping to influence technology direction and build long-term organizational capability
What you bring:
  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related field
  • 6+ years of hardware engineering experience with full PCB design lifecycle
  • Proficiency with schematic capture, PCB layout, and board bring-up, and lab equipment
  • Knowledge of regulatory testing (FCC, CE) and NPI processes
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
  • Self-starter who works well in fast-paced environments
  • Excellent communication and organizational skills

Preferred
  • Advanced technical degree
  • 8+ years bringing multiple hardware products to mass production
  • Experience managing or collaborating with offshore teams
  • Knowledge of C programming for embedded systems
  • Wireless product design (WiFi, BLE, cellular) and/or RTOS experience
  • Background in agricultural or environmental sensor technology
  • Prior experience building and leading engineering initiatives, teams, or processes
  • Expertise in low-power system design, particularly for solar-powered and battery-powered devices
Qualities for Success
  • Passion for Sustainability: Care deeply about global food systems and environmental impact
  • Startup Mindset: Thrive in fast-paced environments with multiple responsibilities
  • Technical Leadership: Ownership of projects and influence on technology roadmap
  • Cross-Functional Collaboration: Effective communication across different teams
  • Resourcefulness: Design cost-effective solutions and troubleshoot in field
  • Adaptability: Stay current with emerging technologies and navigate new challenges
  • Leadership Potential: Ability to inspire, mentor, and elevate peers and partners

Why Join Arable?

Work alongside top innovators in ag tech dedicated to transforming global agriculture.

Make a direct impact on sustainability and water conservation in farming communities worldwide.

Play a key role in adoption of cutting-edge technology and education for growers.

What We Offer:

- Excellent medical, dental, vision, and 401k program

- Flexible PTO

- Opportunities for career development and community involvement

- A chance to create innovative products that positively impact the world

Arable celebrates diversity and is an equal-opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and experiences.