Head of Engineering

Join us at Gradient, where our purpose is to revolutionize home comfort while championing environmental sustainability. Our mission is to combat the escalating challenge of climate change by redefining how homes are heated and cooled. Today, the environmental impact of heating and cooling systems surpasses that of the entire transportation sector, and without intervention, this trend is set to escalate drastically. At Gradient, we believe that ensuring comfortable living spaces shouldn’t come at the cost of our planet. We envision a future where every individual can enjoy the luxury of a comfortable home without contributing to carbon emissions. Our high-efficiency, low-carbon heat pump is just the beginning of our journey toward fully decarbonizing buildings. By joining Gradient, you’ll be at the forefront of a movement to make sustainable living accessible to all, ensuring healthier communities and a brighter, greener future.

The Head of Engineering (Hardware) will be a critical leader in driving Gradient's growth and success. This role will oversee and direct the Electrical, Mechanical, and Thermal Engineering teams, ensuring the delivery, support, and evolution of high-quality, reliable, and innovative heat pump systems. The ideal candidate will possess a strong background in systems engineering and a proven track record of successfully managing engineering teams through product lifecycle (PLC) development process and sustaining engineering processes (e.g. cost down, field issue response and management). This leader will collaborate closely with the SVP of Software and Firmware Engineering, as well as other cross-functional teams, to achieve the company's strategic objectives.

While this position is ideally based at our San Francisco headquarters, we will consider candidates for full-time remote work anywhere in the US for exceptional talent.

The estimated salary for this role is $225,000 to $275,000 USD per year + equity. An individual's compensation will vary on a number of factors including but not limited to geography, skills, education, experience and unique qualifications where applicable.

Responsibilities: 

• Strategic Leadership:
• Develop and execute the strategic vision for the hardware engineering teams, aligning with the company's overall business objectives. 
• Implement industry-leading practices around Failure Analysis, continuous improvement/continuous design, and cross-functional collaboration. 
• Stay ahead of emerging technology trends and market needs to ensure Gradient remains innovative and competitive. 
• Team Management and Development:
• Provide strong leadership and mentorship to the Electrical, Mechanical, and Thermal Engineering teams, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence.
• Recruit, retain, and support diverse engineering talent, ensuring equitable opportunities for growth and development.
• Establish clear performance metrics and ensure accountability that empower team members.
• Systems Engineering Expertise:
• Apply deep systems engineering principles to ensure the seamless integration of electrical, mechanical, and thermal components into innovative heat pump solutions.
• Oversee the design, development, and testing of complex heat pump systems.
• Champion continuous improvement in product performance, reliability, and efficiency.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration:
• Partner  with the SVP of Software and Firmware Engineering to ensure seamless integration of hardware and software systems.
• Work closely with product management, sales, marketing, and manufacturing teams to align on priorities and execution strategies. 
• Work closely with the manufacturing team to ensure Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) best practices.
• Product Lifecycle Management:
• Manage the entire hardware product lifecycle, from concept to production and beyond.
• Ensure product meets quality standards, regulatory requirements, and customer expectations. 
• Drive efficient product development and release processes, optimizing speed to market. 
• Budget and Resource Management:
• Develop and manage the hardware engineering budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources.
• Optimize engineering processes and workflows to maximize productivity and minimize costs.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in hardware engineering, with a focus on systems engineering.
• Proven experience leading and managing engineering teams.
• Strong background in thermal management, HVAC systems, or related fields.
• Demonstrated success in building engineering teams deploying and maintaining hardware products.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.
• Strategic problem-solving and analytical abilities.
• Experience with product lifecycle management and quality assurance processes.
• Experience with high volume manufacturing and scaling of a product.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in the HVAC industry or related fields.
• Experience with heat pump technology.
• Experience with regulatory compliance and product certification.
• Experience with a startup environment.

Benefits 

• Equity
• Medical/vision/dental/life/disability insurance
• 401k
• Paid parental leave
• Professional Development Stipend
• Commuter benefits
• Flexible PTO 

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive company. We seek to create a culture where everyone can belong because we believe that people do their best work when they can show up every day as their authentic selves. We welcome people of different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives.

Gradient is an equal opportunity employer. We do not make hiring or employment decisions on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law.