Systems Architect / Head of Product - Detroit, US
Nethermind
•Onsite
About The Position
Nethermind is seeking a Systems Architect / Head of Product to define the product and technical architecture for a new category of AI-enabled automated retail and physical-machine systems. This is a senior, founder-facing role where you will help turn an ambitious technical vision into a real product that can be deployed in the field with commercial partners. The ideal candidate can think across product, systems architecture, customer requirements, hardware constraints, software architecture, integrations, and go-to-market needs.
Requirements
- Strong product and systems architecture experience in one or more of the following areas: Automated retail, Vending machines, Payments / POS / payment terminals, Industrial IoT, Retail automation, Self-service kiosks, Robotics, Edge computing, Hardware-plus-software platform, Machine telemetry or fleet systems.
- Experience building or architecting real-world deployed products.
- Ability to work across hardware, software, cloud, data, AI, and field operations.
- Strong product judgment and technical judgment.
- Ability to create clear specifications from ambiguous requirements.
- Strong communication skills with founders, engineers, commercial teams, and partners.
- English fluency required.
- Willingness to travel when needed.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with payment-adjacent systems, machine telemetry, operator dashboards, fleet monitoring, or self-service hardware.
- Experience with AI agents, conversational interfaces, recommendation systems, or automation workflows.
- Experience working with OEMs, industrial partners, retail technology companies, or hardware manufacturers.
- Experience as a founder, CTO, head of product, principal engineer, or early technical/product leader.
Responsibilities
- Define the end-to-end product architecture across hardware, edge software, backend systems, AI workflows, user interfaces, and partner integrations.
- Translate founder and customer requirements into clear product specifications.
- Own the MVP definition, prototype scope, pilot roadmap, and longer-term product roadmap.
- Work with engineering, design, business development, and external partners to ensure the product is coherent and deployable.
- Evaluate build-versus-partner decisions across hardware, software, data, and integration layers.
- Define safe and reliable product behavior for real-world operating environments.
- Create clear documentation, system diagrams, product requirements, and technical decision records.
- Help prepare demos, customer conversations, and technical materials for partners and investors.
Benefits
- We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
No Education Listed
