VP of Hardware

At Rhoda AI, we’re building the next generation of generalist intelligent robots. We own the full robotics stack from high-performance hardware and robot systems to the infrastructure and state-of-the-art foundation world models that control our robots. Our robots are designed to be generalists capable of operating in complex, real-world environments and handling long-tail edge cases, made possible by our cutting edge research and end-to-end system design. We've raised over $400M and are investing aggressively in model research, infrastructure, hardware development, and manufacturing scale-up to make generalist robotics a reality.

We are looking for a VP of Hardware Engineering to lead the design, development, and scaling of Rhoda's robotic systems from concept through volume production. This is a critical leadership role responsible for building and managing a high-performance hardware organization, defining product architecture, and delivering best-in-class systems that meet the demands of real-world industrial deployment. Robotics has historically been limited by hardware systems that cannot operate reliably in real-world environments at scale. At Rhoda, we are solving that problem.

What You'll Do

Product & System Leadership

• Partner with Product Management to define system requirements and product roadmaps

• Translate product requirements into clear engineering specifications and system architectures

• Drive end-to-end hardware development across mechanical, electrical, and system domains

Design & Development

• Lead the design and development of robotic systems including manipulation platforms, end effectors, sensor integration, and compute and control systems

• Ensure systems are robust to real-world operating conditions (variability, wear, safety, uptime)

Execution & Delivery

• Oversee full product lifecycle: Concept → Prototype → Validation → NPI → Volume Production

• Build and manage rigorous test and validation processes (functional, reliability, safety)

• Establish engineering processes and standards to support rapid iteration without compromising quality

Manufacturing & Scale

• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) and transition to volume production

• Working together with operations and supply chain teams, develop and manage relationships with contract manufacturers and key suppliers

• Drive cost optimization, yield improvement, and supply chain resilience

Compliance & Safety

• Oversee safety engineering and certification processes (CE, ISO, etc.)

• Ensure systems meet regulatory and industrial deployment requirements globally

Team Building & Culture

• Build and lead a world-class hardware engineering team across mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering

• Establish a culture of execution, ownership, and first-principles problem solving

• Drive bold innovation across the hardware organization — encourage the team to push beyond existing approaches, rapidly iterate, and learn from real-world data

What We're Looking For

• 15+ years of experience in hardware/system development, including senior leadership roles

• Proven track record of taking complex hardware systems from concept to volume production

• Deep experience across the full product lifecycle: requirements definition, system architecture, design & development, test & validation, NPI & manufacturing scale-up

• Strong experience with contract manufacturing and global supply chains

• Experience leading safety, certification, and compliance efforts

• Demonstrated ability to build and lead high-performing engineering teams

• Experience working closely with product management and cross-functional teams

Nice to Have (But Not Required)

• Experience building and shipping commercially scaled robotic systems

• Background in robotics, automation, or industrial systems

• Experience with high-reliability systems deployed in real-world environments

• Familiarity with hardware/software/AI system integration

Candidates without direct robotics experience are encouraged to apply if they have led the full lifecycle development of complex hardware systems in adjacent industries (e.g., automotive, aerospace, industrial equipment, or consumer electronics).

Why This Role

• Define and build the hardware platforms that will bring intelligent robotics into production environments at scale — one of the most consequential engineering leadership roles in physical AI today

• Own the full hardware organization from the ground up, with the resources, backing, and technical ambition to build something genuinely world-class

• Work at the frontier of hardware and AI, where the systems you ship will determine what the next generation of humanoid robots can do in the real world