Senior Hardware Architect Salary: Competitive base + bonus + equity
Location: Washington D.C. - Baltimore MD area (Relocation Available)
Work Model: On-site/Hybrid
Our client, a growing defense technology company, is hiring a Senior Hardware Architect to lead the design and development of ruggedized, embedded hardware platforms deployed in mission-critical environments.
This role is centered around physical product development, owning how hardware systems are designed, built, and integrated, while working closely with embedded software and engineering teams to bring complex edge devices to life.
What You'll Be Doing: - Serve as a technical lead for hardware platforms, guiding design across ruggedized systems
- Translate customer requirements (DoD / defense stakeholders) into practical hardware and system solutions
- Partner with engineering teams across electrical, mechanical, and embedded software disciplines
- Lead development of box-level hardware systems (compute, IO, sensors, and integrated components)
- Drive design decisions around power, thermal, durability, and system reliability in extreme environments
- Guide product development through a structured phase-gate lifecycle
- Act as a key interface between external customers and internal engineering teams
Ideal Background: - 8-15+ years of experience in hardware engineering, embedded hardware, or product development environments
- Strong experience working on physical hardware products (not purely software systems)
- Experience integrating compute, IO, sensors, and other hardware components into complete systems
- Comfortable operating as a technical lead / architect across multiple engineering disciplines
- Strong communication skills-able to work with both engineers and external stakeholders
Nice to Have: - Experience in defense, aerospace, robotics, or industrial systems
- Exposure to edge computing or GPU-based platforms (NVIDIA, AI/ML)
- Background in rugged or mission-critical environments
- Any experience working directly with customers or gathering requirements
Additional Details: - Must be a U.S. Citizen with ability to obtain a Secret clearance
- Relocation assistance available
- Role requires time in a hands-on hardware environment (not fully remote)
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