Systems engineering lead

Role Overview

This is the technical and people lead for the Devices (hardware) engineering team. We are looking for a hands-on, senior systems engineer who has spent the last decade building hardware products end to end, and is ready to lead, grow, and run a team. You own - “are we building the right way, with the right team?” And more specifically, ensuring the products work end-to-end, from concept to mass production to field results, managing cost and quality outcomes.

The Systems Engineering Lead brings power electronics, RF, firmware, mechanical, thermal, and manufacturing into coherent products. You lead the engineering team day to day, drive technical decisions, partner closely with operations and product, and own the process that lets us scale without losing pace.

Responsibilities

• Accountable for Engineering Outcomes: lower yield losses over time, shorter feedback loops between field and engineering. Reduce surprises late in builds, better handover from engineering to manufacturing. Own the closed loop from field failure to root cause to design fix to production rollout.
• Engineering Operations and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM): Implement and drive adoption of engineering processes, workflows, and best practices that drive continuous improvement in engineering quality, efficiency, and delivery timelines.
• Requirements and Test Standards: establish and maintain system-level requirements and internal test standards across products, ensuring traceability from requirement to verification.
• Leadership and collaboration: lead the engineering team across disciplines. Set technical direction, allocate work, run reviews, unblock the team.
• Resource Planning & Growth: Manage team capacity, skill mix, and gaps, and map out team growth.
• Performance Management: Conduct regular performance reviews, career development planning, and technical skill development for team members.
• Strategic Thinking: Ensure we are building a culture of 'engineering excellence', think proactively and manage engineering risks.
• Technical Direction and Contribution: Review major technical decisions. Stay hands-on as a senior on the highest leverage technical problems.

Technical Skills

• Hardware engineering (electronics, embedded systems, or similar).
• Product development lifecycle.
• Firmware and hardware release processes.
• Quality control and yield loss analysis.
• System-level verification and validation.

Soft Skills

• People leadership & performance management.
• Cross-functional collaboration.
• Hiring and resource planning.
• Communication skills.
• Willingness to learn.

Required Experience

• Significant experience (around 10 years) in systems, electrical, or hardware engineering roles.
• Experience leading small engineering teams.
• Has personally taken at least one hardware product from concept through manufacturing.

Benefits at Okra

• Flexible Location & Hours: Choose where and when you work.
• Professional Growth: Opportunity to take on leadership responsibilities.
• Unlimited Paid Time Off: Rest and recharge as needed.
• Health Insurance: Cover for work travel and sick leave.
• Dynamic & Diverse Workplace: Work in a fast-paced startup environment.

Company Information

Okra Solar is on a mission to bring energy access to everyone. Recently raised over $11M for Series A funding in 2023.