Hardware Reliability Engineer Technical Lead

Applied Intuition•Sunnyvale, CA

3d•$180,000 - $220,000•Onsite

About The Position

Applied Intuition, Inc. is seeking a Hardware Reliability Engineer Technical Lead to build and scale our hardware reliability function from the ground up. This high-impact role involves defining product reliability requirements, establishing rigorous test strategies, and driving end-to-end execution across high-reliability industries such as automotive, trucking, defense, construction, mining, and agriculture. As the technical authority for hardware reliability, you will lead cross-functional alignment, manage third-party testing partners, and work directly with external enterprise customers to ensure hardware operates flawlessly in demanding environments. This role offers a direct trajectory into broader engineering leadership as the product portfolio and team scale.

Requirements

10+ years of hands-on Hardware Reliability Engineering experience.
Direct experience shipping products in consumer electronics combined with at least one heavy-duty/regulated industry (automotive, trucking, defense, construction, mining, or agriculture).
Proven track record of defining product reliability requirements, designing comprehensive test plans, and managing 3rd-party suppliers/labs for execution.
Practical scripting/programming capabilities (e.g., Python, C/C++, Bash, or MATLAB) for test automation, data extraction, or system integration.
Demonstrated experience presenting technical reliability data and collaborating directly with enterprise/external customers.
Bachelor’s or Advanced Degree (Master’s / Ph.D.) in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Reliability Engineering, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline.

Nice To Haves

7+ years of team lead, project lead, or direct engineering management experience.
Deep knowledge of industry reliability standards (e.g., ISO 26262, MIL-STD-810, SAE, AEC-Q100/200).

Responsibilities

Architect, establish, and mature the company-wide Hardware Reliability Engineering function, including processes, frameworks, standards, and lab/supplier capabilities.
Establish hardware reliability requirements, HALT/ALT protocols, environmental stress testing (thermal, vibration, ingress, shock, ESD), and failure criteria tailored to harsh heavy-duty and defense environments.
Manage and direct 3rd-party test labs and manufacturing partners to execute test plans accurately, on schedule, and to exact specifications.
Serve as the reliability voice across hardware design, quality, and systems engineering teams.
Engage directly with external enterprise customers to translate field requirements into technical testing standards and present test results.
Lead root-cause analysis (FA) on hardware defects or field failures using physics-of-failure approaches, driving corrective actions back into product design.
Utilize script/automation capabilities (Python, C/C++, or MATLAB) to streamline testing workflows, data collection, and test execution analysis.