Hardware Engineer

Location San Francisco, California Employment Type Full time Location Type Hybrid Department Engineering Compensation $170K – $190K • Offers Equity Help us tackle the growing wildfire crisis with the latest advancements in AI and IoT Who we are The problem: Every minute matters in fire response. As climate change amplifies the intensity of wildfires—with longer fire seasons, dryer fuels, and faster winds—new ignitions spread faster and put more communities at risk. Today, most wildfires are detected by bystanders and reported via 911, meaning it can take hours to detect a fire, verify its exact location and size, and dispatch first responders.

Fire authorities need a faster way to detect, confirm, and pinpoint fires so that they can quickly respond—preventing small flare‑ups from becoming devastating infernos. About Pano: We are a 175+ person growth‑stage hybrid‑remote start‑up, headquartered in San Francisco. We are the leader in early wildfire detection and intelligence, helping fire professionals respond to fires faster and more safely—with the right equipment, timely information, and enhanced coordination—so that they can stop a new ignition before it grows.

Pano AI combines advanced hardware, software, and artificial intelligence into an easy‑to‑use, web‑based platform. Leveraging a network of ultra‑high‑definition, 360‑degree cameras atop high‑vantage points, as well as satellite and other data feeds, Pano AI produces a real‑time picture of threats in a geographic region and delivers immediate, actionable intelligence. Learn more at https://www.pano.ai/.

The Role Pano is searching for a System Integrator (Electrical/Computer Eng) to join our Hardware Engineering team. The Pano Station is a sophisticated integration of off‑the‑shelf hardware modules: components, cameras, radios, power systems, sensors, and enclosure components—assembled into a system that must operate reliably, autonomously, and continuously for long‑term deployments on remote mountaintops in extreme weather conditions. This role spans the full hardware development lifecycle.

You will own your subsystems end‑to‑end: evaluating and selecting the right components, integrating them together, validating and stress‑testing those integrations, and driving readiness all the way through to production. At Pano, there is no narrow specialization—you will be the technical owner of your hardware from concept to shipping product. Reporting to the Sr Manager of Hardware Engineering, you will be a key contributor to a small, experienced team and have a direct impact on the reliability and performance of hardware deployed in the field protecting communities from wildfire.

Responsibilities Component Selection & System Integration Select and evaluate off‑the‑shelf hardware modules (compute, cameras, radios, power management, sensors) against performance, reliability, environmental, and supply chain requirements. Analyze datasheets to understand component limits and failure modes; design integrations that respect those boundaries across power, thermal, signal, and mechanical interfaces. Bring up integrated assemblies, characterize behavior across operating conditions, and validate against system requirements.

Validation, Stress Testing & Reliability Author and execute test plans for NPI gate reviews (PROTO, EVT, DVT, PVT) covering functional verification, environmental performance, long‑term reliability, and certification/compliance (FCC, safety, cellular). Execute stress and margin tests to find the edges of reliable operation; the Pano Station must operate unattended for 5+ years in harsh outdoor environments. Debug, Triage & Root Cause Analysis Lead hardware triage from first symptom to verified fix—across engineering builds, production runs, and field deployments.

Apply systematic RCA to distinguish integration issues, component escapes, environmental failures, and firmware interactions; document findings in clear, structured reports. Use lab instrumentation (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, thermal cameras, protocol analyzers) to isolate failure mechanisms at the signal and system level. Production Readiness & Sustaining Define acceptance criteria and transfer test scripts and methodologies to contract manufacturers for production.

Support ECOs for sustaining issues, component end‑of‑life transitions, and supply chain changes post‑launch. Qualifications & Experience Must Have Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or closely related engineering discipline. 5+ years of professional hardware engineering experience with ownership across multiple phases of the product development lifecycle. Strong EE fundamentals: datasheet analysis, electrical specification evaluation, and system‑level reasoning about power, signal integrity, and thermal behavior.

Demonstrated ability to debug and root‑cause hardware issues at the system and integration level using standard lab equipment. Hands‑on NPI experience—has taken hardware through multiple full EVT‑to‑PVT cycles. Clear written and verbal communication; able to write structured RCA reports and articulate risk to cross‑functional stakeholders.

Nice to Have Mechanical engineering experience/familiarity/willingness to learn. Familiarity with reliability engineering concepts: derating, MTBF, environmental stress screening, HALT/HASS. Experience evaluating components for long‑lifecycle or harsh‑environment applications (industrial, outdoor, automotive, or similar).

Experience with cellular/LTE, Wi‑Fi, or wireless module integration and RF‑adjacent debugging. Exposure to camera systems, ISP pipelines, or vision hardware. Experience working with contract manufacturers and supporting production yield improvement.

Experience writing automated test or validation scripts in Python (or equivalent) to verify hardware behavior and stress integration points. Final compensation for full‑time employees is determined by a variety of factors, including job‑related qualifications, education, experience, skills, knowledge, and geographic location. In addition to base salary, full‑time roles are eligible for stock options.

Our benefits package also includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, a matching 401(k) plan, and flexible paid time off. Compensation Range: $170K - $190K #J-18808-Ljbffr