Hardware Engineering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Who we are:

Fuse builds innovative communications, networking, and computing solutions that improve the sharing of information, video, text, and voice among operators distributed throughout the airborne, maritime, and ground environments.  We are a Technology firm creating in-house software, network and hardware solutions that support our noble cause of advancing warfighter capabilities with elegant, user-focused communications, networks, and software systems.

About this role:

As the Hardware Engineering Manager, you'll lead Fuse's Mechanical and Electrical Engineering teams - building and developing the people, capabilities, processes, and engineering practices required to deliver innovative, rugged, mission-ready hardware.

You'll own the functional management and continued development of Hardware Engineering, including hiring, mentoring, performance management, career development, resource planning, and engineering processes. You'll ensure the team has the people, tools, priorities, and support needed to execute successfully.

Technical execution within Hardware Engineering is a shared leadership responsibility. The Hardware Engineering Manager will co-lead technical execution with Fuse's Principal Mechanical and Principal Electrical Engineers, combining organizational leadership with deep discipline-specific technical expertise. Together, this team will guide technical direction, manage risk, mentor engineers, and ensure design maturity.

This role requires strong technical breadth across electro-mechanical product development but does not require the Manager to be the foremost technical authority in every hardware discipline. The successful candidate will leverage Principal Engineers and other subject matter experts, recognize risk, ask the right questions, and establish clear technical ownership.

You'll collaborate closely with Systems, Software, Network, Product, Production, and Program teams throughout the development lifecycle - from early concepts and requirements through detailed design, prototype builds, qualification, production transition, and sustainment.

At Fuse, great engineering leadership means developing both great products and great engineers.

Duties and Responsibilities

Lead and Grow the Hardware Engineering Team

   Lead and functionally manage Fuse's Mechanical Engineers, Electrical Engineers and Designers.

   Mentor and develop engineers through coaching, performance management, goal setting, and career development.

   Recruit and retain high-performing engineering talent to support Fuse's continued growth.

   Establish clear roles, expectations, career paths, and development opportunities across Hardware Engineering.

   Identify capability gaps and develop strategies for staffing, training, tooling, processes, and outside technical support.

Co-Lead Hardware Technical Execution

   Co-lead Hardware Engineering technical execution with the Principal Mechanical and Principal Electrical Engineers.

   Partner with Principal Engineers to establish technical direction, engineering standards, design practices, and expectations for technical quality.

   Maintain a clear partnership between functional leadership and technical authority: the Manager owns organizational effectiveness, staffing, priorities, and execution health, while Principal Engineers provide discipline-level technical leadership and mentorship.

   Facilitate technical decisions and escalation when mechanical, electrical, systems, manufacturing, cost, schedule, or program requirements compete.

   Partner with Principal Engineers to identify technical risk early and drive appropriate analysis, testing, trade studies, or design changes.

Drive Hardware Development and Engineering Excellence

   Provide leadership across the hardware lifecycle from concept and requirements through design, analysis, prototyping, integration, qualification, production transition, and sustainment.

   Ensure designs appropriately address performance, reliability, manufacturability, maintainability, environmental requirements, and lifecycle needs.

   Promote effective electro-mechanical integration and early collaboration between Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.

   Drive continuous improvement of engineering processes, tools, CAD/PDM practices, design reviews, configuration management, and documentation.

   Partner with Principal Engineers and Systems Engineering to address applicable military and industry standards.

Enable Program and Product Success

   Align Hardware Engineering resources with program and product priorities in partnership with Program Management and Product leadership.

   Provide engineering inputs to proposals, ROMs, WBS development, staffing plans, schedules, and execution strategies.

   Balance capacity across customer programs, internal product development, sustaining engineering, technical debt, and emerging needs.

   Identify resource constraints, technical risks, and schedule concerns early and drive mitigation with leadership.

   Support NPD/NPI to ensure designs are mature, documented, manufacturable, and ready for Production.

Collaborate Across the Enterprise

   Partner with the Systems Engineering Manager to align system architecture and requirements with mechanical and electrical execution.

   Collaborate with Software, Network, Cyber, Product, Programs, Production, Quality, Configuration Management, and Supply Chain throughout the product lifecycle.

   Work with Production and Supply Chain to ensure designs address manufacturability, supplier capability, first article requirements, and production scalability.

   Represent Hardware Engineering in customer engagements, technical interchange meetings, program reviews, and field integration events.

Requirements

   Bachelor's or higher degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related Engineering discipline

   8+ years of experience developing complex hardware or electro-mechanical systems

   Proven experience leading engineering teams, including hiring, mentoring, performance management, and career development

   Strong technical foundation in either Mechanical or Electrical Engineering with demonstrated ability to effectively lead and collaborate across both disciplines

   Experience developing complex electro-mechanical hardware from concept through design, prototype, integration, qualification, and production

   Demonstrated ability to lead collaboratively with Principal Engineers, senior technical contributors, and subject matter experts

   Experience managing engineering resources and priorities across multiple simultaneous projects or programs

   Strong understanding of design reviews, technical risk management, configuration management, and engineering change control

   Familiarity with hardware verification, environmental qualification, and applicable military/industry standards

   Strong communication skills across technical teams, leadership, customers, suppliers, and program stakeholders

   U.S. Citizen with ability to obtain Secret Clearance

Nice to Have

   Experience developing ruggedized hardware for defense, aerospace, maritime, or harsh-environment applications

   Background in tactical communications, networking, computing, or command-and-control systems

   Familiarity with MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461, MIL-STD-704, DO-160, or similar environmental and electrical qualification standards

   Experience with SolidWorks, PDM, and related mechanical CAD environments

   Familiarity with electrical design tools, cable/harness design, PCB development, power systems, structural analysis, or thermal analysis

   Experience with prototype builds, FAI, qualification testing, NPI/NPD, and manufacturing transition

   Experience working in a matrix engineering organization supporting multiple programs

   Active Secret Clearance

Soft Skills That Matter at Fuse

   Curiosity Over Comfort - You ask the right questions across disciplines and are comfortable relying on experts when deeper technical knowledge is required.

   Low Ego, High Impact - You empower engineers and technical leaders rather than needing to personally own every technical decision.

   Develop Others - You measure success not only by what the team delivers, but by the capability and growth of the engineers delivering it.

   Resilient in the Gray - You can balance technical risk, resource constraints, changing priorities, and incomplete information while providing the team with clear direction.

Your own unique talents! If you meet some requirements of this position but not 100% of the qualifications outlined above, tell us why you'd be a great fit for this role based on your specific characteristics that align with our values and goals

Must be a nimble self-starter who is excited about technology and has the ability to think out of the box and suggest powerful new ideas

More about Fuse:

Founded in 2010, Fuse is a veteran-owned, rapidly growing small business. Our San Diego-based company has earned recognition as an emerging leader in airborne, maritime, and ground networking. Placing the warfighter at the center of every design process, Fuse delivers intuitive, agile, and resilient products that go beyond national security requirements - providing lasting utility and game-changing results. We take pride in our brilliant and talented team as well as our dynamic environment and collaborative, creative, environment. We build cutting-edge hardware and software products that solve complex national security challenges for our warfighters at the tactical edge.

Salary Range: $170,000 - $210,000

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Covered for employee, and a portion of dependents' coverage is covered as well
• 11 paid Federal Holidays
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Date of hire through second year: 10 days/year (accrued)
• Third year and beyond: unlimited
• 40 hours of paid sick leave per year
• 401k with employer matching
• Annual bonuses
• Cell phone reimbursement: $100/month