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Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Shield AI

Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$158.54K - $237.81K/yr

As a Hardware Reliability Engineer at Shield AI, you will be responsible for ensuring the robustness and long-term performance of our VBAT flight hardware. You'll work closely with design ...

Shield AI

Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer

Dallas, TX · On-site

$158.54K - $237.81K/yr

As a Hardware Reliability Engineer at Shield AI, you will be responsible for ensuring the robustness and long-term performance of our VBAT flight hardware. You'll work closely with design ...

Shield AI

Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer

Dallas, TX

$101.40K - $127.60K/yr

As a Hardware Reliability Engineer at Shield AI, you will be responsible for ensuring the robustness and long-term performance of our VBAT flight hardware. You'll work closely with design ...

Shield AI

Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer

Boston, MA

$111.40K - $140.10K/yr

As a Hardware Reliability Engineer at Shield AI, you will be responsible for ensuring the robustness and long-term performance of our VBAT flight hardware. You'll work closely with design ...

Superbeo

Hardware Reliability Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$108.80K - $137K/yr

Hardware Reliability Engineer Job location: San Diego, CA Job Duration: 3 Months, Contract to Hire Job Summary: * The Hardware Reliability Engineering team is seeking a highly motivated individual to ...

Ōura

Hardware Reliability Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$108.80K - $137K/yr

We are looking for a Hardware Reliability Engineer . In this role, you will be responsible for planning and executing hardware reliability tasks for Oura's wearable products, working closely with ...

Skip

Hardware Reliability Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$160K - $210K/yr

The Role As our Hardware Reliability Engineer, you will be the person who makes sure our products don't just work in the lab -- they work on real humans, in real conditions, for a long time. You will ...

Waymo

Hardware Reliability Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$144K - $177K/yr

Hardware Engineering is a diverse, innovative, and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the ...

Waymo

Hardware Reliability Engineer

Mountain View, CA · Hybrid

$120.90K - $152.20K/yr

Hardware Engineering is a diverse, innovative, and collaborative group of electrical, mechanical, reliability, software and vehicle engineers. We design, build, and perfect the products which are the ...

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Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer information

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How much do freelance hardware reliability engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 1, 2026, the average hourly pay for freelance hardware reliability engineer in the United States is $63.74, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $54.81 and $72.84 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer vs Hardware Test Engineer?

AspectFreelance Hardware Reliability EngineerHardware Test Engineer
CredentialsRelevant certifications, engineering degree, experience in reliability testingEngineering degree, certifications in testing methodologies
Work EnvironmentIndependent, project-based, remote or on-siteIn-house or contracted, lab or manufacturing settings
Industry UsageUsed across electronics, aerospace, automotive sectorsPrimarily in electronics, consumer devices, and hardware manufacturing

The main difference is that Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineers focus on assessing and improving the long-term durability of hardware products independently, while Hardware Test Engineers concentrate on testing hardware functionalities during development. Freelance Reliability Engineers often work on a project basis with multiple clients, whereas Test Engineers are typically employed within companies to ensure product quality before release.

What cities are hiring for Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Hardware Reliability Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Hardware Reliability Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer jobs include:
Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Freelance Hardware Reliability Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 79% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,583 per year, or $63.7 per hour.
Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer

Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer

Shield AI

Boston, MA

$158.54K - $237.81K/yr

Full-time

Posted 27 days ago

Job description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

Job Description:
As a Hardware Reliability Engineer at Shield AI, you will be responsible for ensuring the robustness and long-term performance of our VBAT flight hardware. You'll work closely with design, manufacturing, and supplier chain to implement design-for-reliability best practices and perform reliability verification from concept through production.
 
You will lead environmental and stress testing efforts, including temperature cycling, vibration, HALT, and HASS, conduct failure analysis and materials characterization, and analyze root cause investigations for manufacturing non-conformances and field returns. You'll participate in design reviews and FMEA activities, shape material selection and manufacturing requirements, analyze test and field data using reliability modeling tools, and help develop corrective actions and process improvements that elevate hardware reliability across the program. 
What you'll do:
  • You will be responsible for developing and implementing design-for-reliability best practices, conducting rigorous testing, shaping manufacturing requirements, selecting materials, and analyzing field data to enhance the robustness of VBAT hardware. 
  • Perform stress screening, environmental testing, and drive failure analysis to ensure flight hardware meets reliability and performance targets. 
  • Analyze designs and test results to identify potential failure modes and mitigations. 
  • Collaborate with design engineers to implement design for reliability best practices early in design. 
  • Act as a key stakeholder in reviewing and approving designs for release. 
  • Participate in design reviews and failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) to assess potential reliability issues. 
  • Investigate manufacturing non-conformances and field hardware failures to determine root cause. 
  • Travel as needed to perform deep dives into supplier processes. 
  • Develop and recommend corrective actions to address identified reliability issues. 
  • Utilize reliability modeling and simulation tools to predict system performance and lifespan. 
  • Stay current with industry trends, advancements, and best practices in hardware reliability engineering. 
  • Propose and implement process improvements to drive improvements in reliability across the program. 
Required qualifications:
  • Technical background in materials science, electronics manufacturing processes (PCB fabrication and assembly), hardware reliability concepts, and environmental test practices. 
  • Candidate must be self-starting and come with a growth mindset, with excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail. 
  • Bachelor's degree in Materials Engineering preferred. Degrees in Mechanical OR Reliability Engineering also are acceptable.  
  • Familiarity with electronics (PCBs, PCBAs, electronic components) and moving mechanical assemblies. 
  • Team-player with clear and concise written and oral communication skills. 
  • Experience working with interdisciplinary teams to execute product design from concept to production. 
  • Experience with the project management of technical projects. 
  • Proficiency in Python, including NumPy, Pandas, SciPy, Plotly, and Matplotlib. 
  • Familiarity with relevant industry standards, including IPC, JEDEC, AIAA, AEC, MIL, and SMC standards. 
Preferred qualifications:
  • Master's degree in Materials Engineering preferred. Degrees in Mechanical OR Reliability Engineering also are acceptable.  
  • 3+ years of experience in hardware reliability engineering, preferably with a focus on aerospace or automotive applications. 
  • Proficiency in failure analysis techniques and materials characterization methods 
  • Experience with environmental testing, including temperature cycling, vibration, highly accelerated limit testing (HALT), and highly-accelerated stress screening (HASS). 
  • Familiarity with PCB fabrication, SMT, and polymerics application manufacturing processes 
  • Significant knowledge of reliability engineering principles, methods, and tools 
$158,542 - $237,812 a year
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
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