Chief Engineer - Robotics

Job Overview

As the Chief Engineer for Robotics at Proper Voltage you will be the technical authority for our robotics and drone product lines, owning the engineering integrity of the system from first principles through volume production. You will define what we're building, establish the requirements that govern how it performs, and hold the line on engineering rigor across every discipline contributing to the product. Your job is to ensure that what leaves our facility works predictably, repeatably, and to specification in the hands of our customers.

You will operate as the senior systems thinker for the product line, translating customer needs and market realities into a coherent technical architecture and a disciplined requirements framework. You'll work hand-in-hand with the Head of Programs to ensure execution stays aligned with technical intent, and with the Head of Product to ensure our technical decisions serve the commercial mission. Where trade-offs are required, you are the voice that ensures they are made with clear eyes and full understanding of the downstream consequences.

What you'll do

• Own the system architecture for our robotics product line, defining how electrical, mechanical, thermal, firmware, and software subsystems integrate into a cohesive, manufacturable, and serviceable product.
• Establish and maintain the requirements framework for the product line — from customer and system-level requirements down through subsystem and component specifications — ensuring traceability, testability, and configuration control throughout the development lifecycle.
• Serve as the final technical decision authority for the product line, resolving cross-discipline trade-offs on performance, cost, schedule, manufacturability, and reliability with clear rationale that the team can stand behind.
• Drive the verification and validation strategy, ensuring that every requirement has a defined method of verification and that our test programs produce evidence sufficient to qualify the product for its intended service environment.
• Partner with the Head of Product to translate customer needs, market inputs, and competitive realities into technical requirements that are ambitious, achievable, and grounded in engineering first principles.
• Partner with the Head of Programs to ensure that technical scope, dependencies, and risks are reflected accurately in the execution plan, and that schedule decisions preserve engineering integrity.
• Lead design reviews, architecture reviews, and technical deep-dives with a standard of rigor that raises the engineering bar across the organization and develops the technical judgment of the team.
• Own the technical risk register for the product line, identifying engineering risks early, driving mitigation plans, and ensuring that accepted risks are visible and consciously chosen rather than inherited by default.
• Represent the product line's technical position to customers, partners, and certifying bodies, serving as the senior engineering voice in external technical engagements.
• Model the behaviors and leadership qualities that define our culture, serving as a visible advocate for engineering excellence, intellectual honesty, and continuous improvement.

Required Qualifications

• Proven success leading the technical development of complex electromechanical products through to volume production, with clear personal ownership of system-level outcomes.
• Deep expertise in systems engineering practice, including requirements definition and management, interface control, verification and validation planning, and configuration management.
• 10 or more years of engineering experience with demonstrated progression into senior technical leadership roles such as Chief Engineer, Systems Architect, or Principal Engineer.
• Bachelor's or graduate degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, or Aerospace Engineering.
• Demonstrated experience operating with high levels of ambiguity and converting it into clear, executable technical direction.
• Fluency in requirements management and PLM tooling such as Jama, DOORS, Flow, Duro, Arena, or equivalent.
• Strong multidisciplinary technical foundation with the ability to engage credibly across electrical, mechanical, thermal, firmware, and software domains.
• Track record of making difficult technical trade-offs under schedule and resource pressure while maintaining product integrity.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in startups or high-growth technology companies where the Chief Engineer role required hands-on depth alongside system-level leadership.
• Experience bringing products through relevant safety, environmental, or regulatory qualification programs (UL, IEC, MIL-STD, ISO, or equivalent).
• Prior experience mentoring and developing engineering talent across disciplines.

Compensation & Benefits

• Company Equity
• Health, dental, vision insurance
• Flexible PTO with a generous holiday policy
• Hybrid-friendly work schedule, with travel as needed for customer engagement

Ready to work on power systems that matter? Let's talk.