1

Hardware Startup Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Senior Hardware Engineer

Saratoga, CA · On-site

$210 - $265/hr

About Eridu Eridu AI is a Silicon Valley-based hardware startup pioneering infrastructure solutions that accelerate training and inference for large‑scale AI models. Today's AI performance is ...

Head of Hardware

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$220 - $270/hr

About the Role As the Head of Hardware at Picogrid, you will be the foundational technical leader ... Preferred past founding or early stage fast‑growth startup experience. Ability to work with ...

Head of Hardware

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$220K - $270K/yr

About the Role As the Head of Hardware at Picogrid, you will be the foundational technical leader ... Preferred past founding or early stage fast-growth startup experience. * Ability to work with ...

Eridu is a Silicon Valley-based hardware startup pioneering infrastructure solutions that accelerate AI data centers to deliver Faster AI . Today's AI performance is frequently limited by ...

New

We are looking for a Diagnostic Engineer to join our Hardware System team. The successful candidate ... Self-directed and effective in a fast-moving, low-overhead startup environment * Strong ...

Own continuous‑improvement efforts: reduce cost, increase throughput, improve reliability and uptime in a fast‑moving hardware startup environment. * Collaborate with procurement, quality, test ...

About Eridu Eridu is a Silicon Valley-based hardware startup pioneering infrastructure solutions that accelerate AI data centers to deliver Faster AI. Today's AI performance is frequently limited by ...

Head of Supply Chain

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$196K - $222K/yr

This is a hands-on role at a fast-moving aerospace hardware startup where supply chain is tightly integrated with engineering execution. You'll work closely with engineers to manage BOMs, track part ...

Senior Hardware Engineer

Saratoga, CA · On-site

$210K - $265K/yr

About Eridu Eridu is a Silicon Valley-based hardware startup pioneering infrastructure solutions that accelerate AI data centers to deliver Faster AI. Today's AI performance is frequently limited by ...

Hardware Engineer, FPGA

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$180 - $240/hr

Startup mindset: you work independently, pivot quickly, and run at ambiguous problems that span hardware, software, and physics. Bonus Points * Verification frameworks like Cocotb or UVM * Experience ...

Manufacturing Engineer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$125K - $145K/yr

Own continuous-improvement efforts: reduce cost, increase throughput, improve reliability and uptime in a fast-moving hardware startup environment. * Collaborate with procurement, quality, test ...

GITAI is an early-stage hardware startup. Requirements will change, interfaces will move, and the clean answer on paper will often fail in integration. This role is for someone who can make practical ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Hardware Startup information

See California salary details

$12

$24

$47

How much do hardware startup jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 23, 2026, the average hourly pay for hardware startup in California is $24.27, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $17.31 and $27.50 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a hardware startup?

A hardware startup is a company focused on designing, developing, and bringing to market physical products or devices that typically incorporate electronics, mechanics, or related technologies. These startups often work on innovative consumer gadgets, industrial equipment, or connected devices (IoT). The process usually involves prototyping, manufacturing, and scaling production, which can present unique challenges compared to purely software-based startups. Hardware startups require expertise in product design, engineering, supply chain management, and may need significant capital for manufacturing and distribution.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a hardware startup founder?

To thrive as a Hardware Startup Founder, you need a solid background in engineering, product development, and business strategy, often supported by relevant degrees or entrepreneurial experience. Familiarity with CAD software, rapid prototyping tools, supply chain management systems, and fundraising platforms is typically essential. Leadership, resilience, and effective communication are standout soft skills for successfully guiding teams and building partnerships. These competencies are crucial for navigating technical challenges, attracting investment, and bringing innovative hardware products to market.

What are some common challenges faced by team members working at a hardware startup, and how can they be addressed?

Team members at hardware startups often encounter challenges such as tight development timelines, limited resources, and the need to iterate quickly on physical prototypes. Collaboration between engineers, designers, and supply chain specialists is essential to ensure that the product moves efficiently from concept to production. Open communication, flexibility, and a willingness to take on varied responsibilities are key to overcoming these challenges and driving the company’s success.

What is the difference between Hardware Startup vs Hardware Engineer?

AspectHardware Startup

AspectHardware Startup

Hardware Startup professionals focus on developing new hardware products from concept to prototype, often working in small teams or startups with a flexible environment. Hardware Engineers typically work within established companies, focusing on designing, testing, and maintaining hardware components. Both roles require technical skills in electronics and engineering, but Hardware Startups emphasize innovation and product development, while Hardware Engineers prioritize reliability and manufacturing processes.

What job categories do people searching Hardware Startup jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Hardware Startup jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Hardware Startup jobs?

Cities in California with the most Hardware Startup job openings:

Infographic showing various Hardware Startup job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 50% Full Time, and 50% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $50,484 per year, or $24.3 per hour.

Senior Hardware Engineer

Eridu Corporation

Saratoga, CA • On-site

$210 - $265/hr

Other

Posted 5 days ago


Job description

About Eridu

Eridu AI is a Silicon Valley-based hardware startup pioneering infrastructure solutions that accelerate training and inference for large‑scale AI models. Today’s AI performance is frequently limited by system‑level bottlenecks. Eridu AI delivers multiple industry‑first innovations across semiconductors, software, and systems to unlock greater GPU utilization, reduce capital and power costs, and maximize data center efficiency. The company’s solutions and value proposition have been validated by several leading hyperscalers.

The company is led by a veteran team of Silicon Valley executives and engineers with decades of experience in state‑of‑the‑art semiconductors, optics, software, and systems, including serial entrepreneur Drew Perkins, co‑founder of Infinera, Lightera, Gainspeed and Mojo Vision.

Position Overview

Eridu is a Silicon Valley-based hardware startup pioneering infrastructure solutions that accelerate AI data centers to deliver Faster AI. Today’s AI performance is frequently limited by communication bottlenecks. Eridu delivers multiple industry‑first innovations across silicon, packaging, software, and systems to deliver a step function in AI networking – a network switch that is an order of magnitude improvement in bandwidth and radix versus today’s state‑of‑the‑art switches. This is the first silicon and system designed from the ground up for AI and the increase in radix and throughput unlocks greater GPU utilization to speed training job completion times and tokens‑per‑second for more profitable inference. We do this while simultaneously reducing capital and power costs, improving reliability, simplifying operations and speeding AI data center deployments for faster time to revenue.

The company’s solutions and value proposition have been widely validated by leading hyperscalers.

The company has raised $200M to date including its most recent, oversubscribed Series A round led by Socratic Partners, John Doerr, Hudson River Trading, Capricorn Investment Group and Matter Venture Partners, with participation by SBVA, MediaTek, Bosch Ventures, TDK Ventures, Eclipse Ventures and VentureTech Alliance, among others.

Visit our website eridu.ai to learn more.

Responsibilities
  • Work cross‑functionally to turn high‑level concepts into detailed Hardware Specifications
  • Architect the design to meet all functional, quality, compliance, cost and schedule targets
  • Develop technology de‑risk plans through supplier evaluations and early prototypes
  • Work with our partners through schematic entry, layout and manufacturability reviews
  • Develop comprehensive test plans (including EDVT, MDVT, EMI/EMC) to validate the design
  • Validate hardware prototypes in the lab using analyzers and high‑speed oscilloscopes
Qualifications
  • Bachelors in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering required, Master’s preferred
  • Minimum of 10 years’ experience in system‑level development, preferably within the server, computer, or network industries
  • Experience designing and validating systems with standards‑based optical interfaces (eg SFP+, QSFP+, etc)
  • Proficiency in high‑speed technologies including Ethernet, SerDes, PCIe, etc
  • A solid understanding of high‑speed design and signal & power integrity considerations
  • Proficiency in control interfaces such as MDIO, SPI, I2C, JTAG
  • Good understanding of FPGA design, Power circuits, Clocking, Mechanical/Thermal considerations
  • Outstanding knowledge of hardware design process and design practices, derived from a track record of delivering shipped products
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Why Join Us?

At Eridu, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the future of AI infrastructure, working with a world‑class team on groundbreaking technology that pushes the boundaries of AI performance. Your contributions will directly impact the next generation of AI infrastructure solutions, transforming the performance of AI data centers.

The starting base salary for the selected candidate will be established based on their relevant skills, experience, qualifications, work location, market trends, and the compensation of employees in comparable roles.

Notice to Recruiting Agencies

Eridu does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles from staffing agencies or third‑party recruiters. Any candidate submitted to Eridu without prior written authorization from our recruiting team will be considered unsolicited and will become the property of Eridu. Eridu reserves the right to pursue and hire such candidates without any obligation to pay fees. Recruiting agencies are expressly instructed not to contact hiring managers, employees, or executives regarding open positions.

The pay range for this role is 210,000 - 265,000 USD per year (San Francisco Bay Area).

#J-18808-Ljbffr