Director of Hardware Engineering

About This Role:

Pickle is on the hunt for a dynamic and driven Director of Hardware Engineering to revolutionize the future of warehouse automation. This role will lead the design, development, and delivery of electromechanical systems that power Pickle’s robotic solutions. This leader will oversee the design, development, and delivery of the electromechanical systems that power Pickle’s robotic solutions. By guiding strategy and execution across electrical and mechanical engineering, the Director will enable Pickle to scale from R&D to high-volume, real-world deployments.

• Own the full hardware development lifecycle, from concept through deployment, for Pickle’s robotic systems.
• Lead, mentor, and grow multidisciplinary teams across electrical, firmware, and mechanical engineering.
• Define long-term architectural direction for Pickle’s hardware platform in close collaboration with software, customer, and product teams.
• Partner with manufacturing and supply chain to ensure products are scalable, cost-effective, and built for reliability.
• Guide hardware roadmap prioritization and project scoping in alignment with company milestones.
• Translate customer needs into clear, practical engineering requirements, ensuring functional impact takes precedence over technical novelty.
• Champion documentation, testing, and validation best practices for robust, field-ready hardware.
• Partner on vendor selection and external partnerships with contract manufacturers and component suppliers.
• Roll up sleeves and directly contribute to technical problem-solving and design reviews.

• 10+ years of experience in hardware development for scaled industrial robotics, automation, or complex electro-mechanical systems.
• At least 5 years of experience leading high-performing engineering teams through rapid growth, including both direct and matrixed reports.
• BS in Mechanical, Electrical, Robotics, or Mechatronics Engineering.  Masters degree preferred.
• Proven track record of shipping mission-critical hardware products from concept to deployment.
• Strong technical expertise in some combination of mechanical design, embedded systems, sensors, power systems, or system integration.
• Excellent cross-functional communication and organizational skills.
• Proficiency with hardware development tools such as OnShape, Jira, PLM (Arena preferred)
• Strategic mindset with the ability to align hardware investments to business goals.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-ambiguity startup environment.
• Ability and willingness to work from our Charlestown, MA, facilities at least three days per week.
• Occasional travel to vendors, field sites, or manufacturing partners required.

About Pickle Robot

Pickle Robot is a pioneer in Physical AI for supply chain applications. Today Pickle robots autonomously unload trucks, trailers, and import containers at human-scale or better performance. The alternative is manual work that is difficult, dirty, sometimes dangerous, and increasingly hard to staff at distribution centers around the globe. Pickle Robot is laser focused on automating truck unloading using generative AI, machine learning, computer vision, advanced sensors, and industrial robotics to deliver engineered products customers rely on. Pickle Robot Unload Systems work alongside people on loading docks to make the work safer, faster, and more efficient. Pickle robots are physical AI that unload trucks.

Pickle provides best-in-class benefits including health, dental, & vision insurance; unlimited vacation, along with all federal and state holidays; 401K contributions of 5% your salary, travel supplies, and other items to make your working life more fun, comfortable, and productive.