Lead Hardware Engineer

San Francisco Bay Area Until 8/22/2026 H-1B sponsor history First posted March 20, 2025 Last posted March 20, 2025
Job description

[Note: we are currently fully staffed for this role, but expect to be hiring for additional team members in the near future. So, we likely won't review/respond quickly, but we WILL look here first when we crank up the hiring machine again.]

Dapster is looking for a Lead Hardware Engineer to join our small-but-powerful team. This is an impact opportunity -- we’re very much still an early-stage startup, and you will be working on our foundational technology and products.  

About Dapster: Dapster is focused on bringing AI-fueled robotic picking solutions to market. We recently landed a large pilot with a top retailer -- effectively dilution-free funding to develop our core technology. 

If you want to do interesting work with a sharp, experienced and humble team, and share in the upside that comes with joining at the earliest stages, we’d love to talk to you.  The quick details:

What will you do? Broad ownership of the hardware design, manufacturing and capabilities of the Dapster robots (we can go into much more detail live). 

What are we looking for?

  • Experience building and shipping robotics hardware components like wheels, drives, grippers and/or arms.

  • Familiarity with  all the phases of the development - prototyping, design, manufacturing, and shipping.

  • Excellent fluency in CAD/CAM tools, allowing the engineer to “think” with the tool.

  • Fluid intelligence and creativity - the ability and willingness to solve problems in unorthodox ways and think outside the box.

  • The willingness to do hands-on work like using the nearby machine shop to prototype some solutions.

  • Highly organized and articulate communication skills.

Other nice-to-have’s:

  • Proven ability to closely manage external contractors and hold them to high standards.

  • Experience working with embedded systems software engineers 

  • Ability to balance business needs with engineering puritanism

Dapster is a remote-friendly, hybrid workplace. We maintain a development lab in Palo Alto, CA, and occasionally travel to client sites (mainly Phoenix, AZ). Roles requiring interaction with our physical robots likely entail more in-office work than not. Other roles can be structured to your preferences.

Interested in learning more? Let’s start a conversation -- you can apply directly below or reach out to Scott (one of our founders) with any questions at [email protected].

About this role

Summary

Lead hardware design, manufacturing, and testing for robotics products in a startup environment

Job title

Lead Hardware Engineer

Experience level

not explicitly stated, likely senior level

Industry

robotics

Location requirements

remote-friendly, more in-office for physical robot roles

Salary

Not specified

Visa sponsorship

H-1B sponsor history

Management role

No

Skills & keywords

Required skills

hardware designCAD/CAMroboticsmanufacturing

Preferred skills

contractor managementembedded systemsbusiness sense

Specializations

robotics hardwaremechanical designmanufacturingCAD/CAM
Locations

Structured locations inferred from the posting.

Unknown location

Hybrid