Director of Hardware Engineering - Power Systems

Company Introduction

"ALWAYS PAMOJA" – At Zola Electric, we are a global team united by one mission: achieving Energy Equality through Enterprise Technology. Originating near the Serengeti, Tanzania, our diverse team has grown across 4 continents, embracing over 13 nationalities. We're committed to solving the energy access challenge, impacting vulnerable communities, and striving for equality across various sectors. Join us in our journey to empower communities in over 10 countries, reaching nearly 3 million people with reliable, affordable, and smart power solutions.

We're developing a technology platform that consists of and supports thousands of distributed and connected devices, operating in challenging environments and responsible to maintain high quality electricity supply. To continue building a best-in-class platform with an ecosystem of hardware products, Zola is seeking a Director of Hardware Engineering to join and lead our hardware engineering team in San Francisco.

Job Role Overview:

The Director of Hardware Engineering (Power Systems) is a senior level role with view on the underlying technology - inverters, batteries, comms (both today and where it's going) and can provide significant input on future products that can be implemented into our platform. They have had experience launching products and have some commercial expertise that can connect with our customers when needed. They bring a strong energy hardware background and mindset to the team.

This leader will have strong operational mindset and thinks about the balance between higher levels of production and quality of code. They are methodical, process-oriented, and laser-focused on KPIs. They establish focus for the engineering team as its leader and make sure that deadlines are met. They build systems and processes that are appropriate for the size of their team and are always considering how to evolve them as the team scales.

Responsibilities

• Execute to product roadmap with accountability in HW development through pre-commit, product launch and into sustaining, while providing architecture guidance, deciding technical solutions and helping engineering team.
• Provide inputs to strategic decisions that affect products, resources, and budget.
• Provide detailed cost breakdown and timelines with optimal approach to new product development.
• Lead activities with cross-functional teams in product design, build, upgrades and sustaining.
• Identify and work with external suppliers to build prototypes. Take the prototype and build it for commercial use (design a product that lasts versus one that must be rebuilt three years down the road). Own the solution and make sure it works and scales.
• Lead and coordinate projects, initiatives and continuous improvement activities that drives equipment OEE, cost and safety.
• Drive all aspects of the hardware engineering activities and oversee performance of the hardware engineering team in alignment with corporate goals and strategy.
• Establish policies and procedures that produce high quality hardware products in conformance with organizations established policies and objectives.
• Promote our platform and vision for solving energy inequality by providing CFT leadership with answers to questions and ideas, primarily in solution engineering and customer success. Understand the customer and their pain points and provide solutions through technology innovation.
• Provide oversight in conducting testing and validation of hardware designs, ensuring quality, reliability, and compliance with industry regulations and standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or related field; Advanced degree preferred.
• At least 8 years of relevant experience, with a minimum of 5 years in a management role.
• Proven experience with building hardware, firmware, and software in power systems applications.
• Familiarity with IoT platforms and applications with connected devices
• Passionate about Zola Electric's mission of energy equality and technological innovation.
• Prior role as Director of Engineering, or a similar senior position in engineering.
• Background in power conversion integration, including storage, inverters, solar, and distributed generation.
• Knowledge of product safety standards and certification processes.
• Comprehensive understanding of the product development lifecycle and New Product Introduction (NPI) process.
• Comfortable working in a startup environment and adept at managing rapid scaling.

What We Offer

• A role with meaningful impact on global energy challenges.
• Inclusive, innovative culture in a diverse, global team.
• Competitive compensation and growth opportunities in a mission-driven company.