Hardware Lead

Reusables.com•Vancouver, BC

2d•CA$80,000 - CA$100,000•Onsite

About The Position

The Hardware Lead owns the full lifecycle of Reusables' hardware products - from supplier relationships and component sourcing through to manufacturing, testing, shipping, and ongoing reliability. This role's contribution to Delivery is reliability. You are accountable for the development and delivery of hardware products, measured against incidents: preventing them through rigorous testing and process, and reducing them through continuous product improvement. This is a technical and operational leadership role that requires both hands-on hardware expertise and the ability to build and develop a team. You are responsible for making sure the hardware works, the team is equipped to deliver, and the supply chain can support growth. You bring a genuine passion for hardware and the discipline to build repeatable, scalable systems around it. This is not a heads-down role. You'll be working closely with internal teams and external partners - suppliers, contractors, and consultants - so strong communication and relationship management matter as much as technical depth.

Requirements

Hands-on hardware experience spanning both R&D/engineering and production - you've taken products through development as well as manufacturing, assembly, and shipping (we're not looking for someone who has only overseen production, or only done R&D)
Proven ability to manage a hardware product through its full build-and-ship lifecycle
Experience managing supplier and supply chain relationships, including sourcing, procurement, and re-evaluation
Track record of building repeatable, scalable processes so quality doesn't depend on any one person
Strong testing, quality assurance, and reliability discipline
Experience leading or developing a team, with a focus on building others' capability rather than doing it all yourself
Excellent communication and relationship management skills - this is a people-facing role with significant external stakeholder contact
Strong documentation habits and attention to detail
Based in or able to work in person in Vancouver, BC (this is a local, in-person role)

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with customs, duties, and tariffs for imported components
Experience working with IP considerations (patents, infringement risk, IP strategy)
Exposure to field-deployed hardware operating in variable real-world environments (outdoor, humid, unstable power or connectivity)
Experience owning or contributing to a hardware product roadmap
Background in a growth-stage company where systems are still being built

Responsibilities

Lead, mentor, and develop the Hardware Production team
Set clear expectations and support team members in building capability over time
Build a team culture grounded in quality, accountability, and continuous improvement
Manage workload and capacity across the hardware team to support delivery timelines
Own and maintain the hardware product roadmap in partnership with the Product Lead
Identify and prioritize improvements to existing hardware products based on field data, incident patterns, and user feedback
Conduct market research on components and configurations to keep the hardware offering current and competitive
Translate roadmap priorities into clear delivery plans for the team
Lead R&D efforts for new hardware products
Build relationships with external contractors and hand off to Hardware Technician(s) for ongoing management
Keep hardware projects in scope, on time, and within budget
Own all strategy for procuring, re-evaluating, and off-boarding supplier relationships
Establish and maintain a reliable supply chain that can scale with customer growth
Stay ahead of the supplier landscape, knowing when to re-evaluate on quality, cost, or sourcing reliability so issues can be anticipated before they arise
Coordinate with an external customs broker and duty/tariff consultant to stay ahead of the changing tariff landscape
Oversee hardware manufacturing and assembly processes
Define and own testing protocols for reliability and usability across all hardware products
Establish and uphold quality standards
Ensure documentation for all hardware is thorough, accurate, and kept up to date
Analyze feedback and incident data to drive documentation and product improvements
Work with Sales and CS to ensure hardware timelines and customer needs are understood and met
Anticipate likely hardware-related issues for CS and AM to support their pre-launch quality assessments (e.g. ergonomics of equipment placement, new climates and environments such as outdoor or humid settings, unique campus conditions like brown-outs or poor WiFi)
Collect insights from CS and AM on field issues to inform product improvement and R&D priorities
Partner with the Product Lead on roadmap prioritization and cross-functional delivery planning
Collaborate with internal and external IP experts to ensure IP standards are upheld, infringement risks are avoided, and IP value is maximized