​Responsibilities

• Cross-Functional Leadership

  • Define and drive the hardware and operations strategy, aligned with Smartex’s product roadmap and commercial growth.

  • As part of Leadership Team, own and report on key hardware and operations metrics.

  • Coordinate closely with Product, Software, and commercial teams to ensure hardware capabilities support business objectives.

  • Build and scale the hardware and operations organisation, owning hiring, team structure, and talent development.
    
    

• Hardware Engineering Leadership

  • Oversee & develop a multidisciplinary hardware team spanning electronics, firmware, machine vision/optics, and mechanical engineering.
  • Own the full hardware development lifecycle: Proof of Concept (PoC) → Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) → Design Validation Testing (DVT) → Production Validation Testing (PVT) → Mass Production (MP).
  • Manage Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) rigorously, ensuring design fixes are implemented without disrupting the supply chain or creating inventory exposure.
  • Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Testability (DFT), and Design for Assembly (DFA)across all hardware programmes.
  • Own Bill of Materials (BOM) cost targets and the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) reduction roadmap; lead cost engineering across hardware development.
  • Ensure products meet reliability targets, including Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) objectives; own field failure analysis and the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) process.
  • Manage certification and compliance for industrial deployment, including CE marking, the Machinery Directive, IEC standards, and relevant regional certifications.
  • Ensure all hardware is designed for industrial-grade durability, including vibration, dust, lint, humidity, and 24/7 duty cycles in factory environments.
  • Lead hardware architecture decisions for next-generation systems
    
    

• Supply Chain & Operations

  • Oversee supply chain operations, including supplier relationships, Contract Manufacturers (CMs), procurement, inventory, and logistics.
  • Lead CM and supplier negotiations, maintain strategic relationships, and develop qualified alternatives to reduce single-source risk.
  • Manage low-to-medium volume manufacturing operations with the rigour of industrial hardware, not consumer scale.
  • Drive process improvements and cost optimisation across manufacturing and operations.
  • Build scalable supply chain infrastructure as Smartex grows internationally.
    
    

• Field Deployment & Service

  • Oversee the end-to-end deployment model, from shipping a unit to it being live and operational on a customer’s factory floor.
  • Oversee the field service and customer escalation process, including RMA procedures and warranty cost management.
  • Drive down installation cycle time and time-to-resolution for field issues.

Skills & Experience

• 8+ years in hardware engineering or operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
  
  
• Proven track record shipping 3 or more hardware products through the full lifecycle: Proof of Concept (PoC) → Engineering Validation Testing (EVT) → Design Validation Testing (DVT) → Production Validation Testing (PVT) → Mass Production (MP).
  
  
• Strong background in electronics and machine vision / optics — industrial cameras, lenses, lighting, sensors (not consumer CV/AI).
  
  
• Solid understanding of firmware development and ability to lead firmware engineering teams.
  
  
• Experience managing supply chain and manufacturing operations: Contract Manufacturers (CMs), OEM/ODM partners, and component suppliers.
  
  
• Experience with industrial-grade hardware designed for harsh environments: vibration, dust, humidity, 24/7 operation.
  
  
• Hands-on experience with Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Testability (DFT), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Bill of Materials (BOM) cost engineering.
  
  
• Reliability engineering experience, including Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) targets, field failure analysis, and Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) processes.
  
  
• Familiarity with industrial certification and compliance: CE marking, Machinery Directive, relevant IEC standards.
  
  
• Experience in low-to-medium volume industrial hardware manufacturing.
  
  
• Exceptional people manager: sets clear direction, holds teams accountable, develops strong individual contributors.
  
  
• Fluency in English; additional languages are a plus.
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Nice to Have

• Background in textile manufacturing, industrial inspection, or adjacent industrial sectors.
  
  
• Experience managing globally distributed supply chains.
  
  
• Exposure to scaling hardware operations in a high-growth deep-tech environment.
  
  

• Familiarity with IP and patent processes in a hardware context.