Director of Hardware

Department: Engineering

Location: Sunnyvale, CA

Employment Type: FullTime

About the Team:

Born at X, Google's Moonshot Factory, Taara is on a mission to connect billions of people lacking abundant and affordable internet today by pioneering the way we use light to deliver faster, cheaper, and more reliable connectivity. We are a small, dynamic team with a passion for solving challenging problems that lead to high-impact advances in technology. Join us to light the way for bridging the digital divide and illuminating the future.

About the Role:

This isn't just another hardware role. As our Director of Hardware, you will play a pivotal role in a mission to connect billions of people who lack affordable and abundant internet access today. Your work on our wireless optical communication systems won't just advance technology—it will directly impact lives by providing access to information, education, and economic opportunities.

You will spearhead the development of our advanced wireless optical communication systems from concept to market-ready products. This position centers on leading a multidisciplinary electrical engineering team and driving comprehensive system integration and hardware testing initiatives. Working closely with cross-functional leaders, you will architect cutting-edge wireless optical communication systems that push the boundaries of current technology.

Our Culture & Your Growth:

We operate with the agility and passion of a startup. Our culture is built on first-principles thinking, moving fast, and a supportive environment where you'll work alongside brilliant, mission-driven engineers and industry thought leaders. We have a strong growth culture where we believe in building great people as much as great products.

This role offers a unique opportunity to not only lead a team but also to grow as a technical and strategic leader. You'll be instrumental in developing next-generation technology, and your experience here will give you unparalleled expertise in wireless optical communication and systems integration. You'll have the opportunity to mentor others, shape a team, and build a career at the forefront of a groundbreaking field.

How you will make a 10x impact:

• Lead and manage an electrical engineering, reliability and hardware test team developing next-generation wireless optical communication technologies

• Own the electrical hardware design roadmap and drive technical direction across hardware initiatives

• Provide strong cross-functional leadership with proven team management, execution, and stakeholder influence capabilities

• Mentor and develop team members to build deep technical expertise and leadership capabilities

• Drive end-to-end hardware system design, integration, and comprehensive testing protocols

• Build and expand lab capabilities to support advanced hardware development and validation

• Develop robust hardware test processes and infrastructure to ensure product reliability and performance including test setups emulating environmental channel conditions such as motion, precipitation and atmospheric disturbances

• Lead planning and coordination of specialized testing including electromagnetic interference (EMI), UL compliance, eye safety certifications, and regulatory approvals

• Coordinate comprehensive engineering system hardware validation testing including thermal, shock, vibration, and environmental stress testing

• Establish testing methodologies that validate system performance under diverse operational scenarios

What you should have:

• Education: Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or related technical discipline.

• Experience: 10+ years of industry experience in hardware engineering with demonstrated progression in technical leadership.

• Leadership: Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams in complex hardware development projects.

• Technical Expertise: Deep technical expertise in electronic design and testing with comprehensive understanding of industry trends and emerging technologies. Strong knowledge of high-speed and mixed-signal circuit design principles.

• System Design: Experience designing electronics for embedded systems and complex integration environments.

It’d be great if you also have:

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or related field.

• Experience in photonics, or wireless communication technologies.

• Background in outdoor/harsh environment hardware design and testing.

• Experience with regulatory certification processes and compliance testing.

• We understand that no single candidate will have every skill listed. If you are passionate about this mission and believe your skills are a strong match for this role, we encourage you to apply. We are looking for individuals who are excited to learn and grow with us.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $210,000 - $260,000 + bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. Relocation assistance can be provided.