Head of Hardware Engineering at Convective – San Francisco, California

About Convective

Convective is an early-stage startup building weather modification systems. Our mission is to unlock abundance: ending droughts, suppressing wildfires, greening deserts, and cooling cities.

About the role

We are seeking a Head of Hardware Engineering to lead the development of our deployment system.

We have a patent-pending design, but you will lead prototyping, operational qualification, and production scale manufacturing by partnering with an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC).

You will apply aerospace rigor to a new class of industrial hardware, developing systems that must be as robust and produced at the scale of a car.

This role includes a significant equity opportunity.

This is an early-stage startup building something that has never been built before. You should expect upwards of 50-60 hours per week, sometimes more, with frequent travel and regular weekend work. Priorities shift, roadmaps evolve, and the work products change frequently. We are looking for someone who thrives in that kind of environment. If that does not excite you, this role is probably not the right fit.

What you'll do

Technical Leadership

• System Architecture: Responsible for the requirements and architecture of our deployment system.
• Hardware Development: Partner with EPC firms to accelerate hardware prototyping and production scaling.

Business & Team Management

• Outcome Ownership: Own large business outcomes, including the development schedule, budget, and qualification timeline for production.
• Team Building: Mentor and manage a small team world-class engineers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Degree: BS/MS/PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• Software: High proficiency in CAD software (Solidworks, NX) and PLM systems.
• Manufacturing: Background in Design for Manufacture (DFM) for mass-producting hardware.
• Scaling: Experience managing EPC firms or external partners for prototyping and production scaling preferred.
• Management: Preferred 3+ years in a management position, guiding hardware development and developing engineering talent.
• Startup experience: Proven ability to move fast, wear multiple hats, and solve complex problems with limited resources.