Principal Hardware Engineer
Arable· startup· Farming· Oct 20, 2026 · 7d ago
San Francisco Bay area
Hybrid
Full-time
Principal
$136K–$213K est.
6+ years exp
Job description
About Arable
At Arable, our goal is to connect the world’s farms to help optimize the global food system. As we work to feed a growing population while reducing our impact on natural resources, we believe a critical part of the solution is digitizing the analog world with high-fidelity data that helps food producers optimize their operations.
Our work helps improve the lives of farmers and contributes to securing the global food supply for decades to come.
Examples of Our Work:
Helping farmers maximize ROI through precision irrigation and data-driven water management.
Supporting leading agricultural and technology partners in meeting sustainability and climate resilience goals.
Equipping growers with insights to improve decision-making, reduce waste, and enhance yields across diverse cropping systems.
The Role
We are seeking an experienced, hands-on hardware engineer to drive the development of our hardware ecosystem, including the Arable Mark 3 and future sensing platforms.
This role centers on individual technical contribution and ownership across the hardware product lifecycle—from design and prototyping through production and field performance. You will work directly on engineering challenges while providing technical leadership, mentoring colleagues, and collaborating closely with internal teams and external partners.
This is an opportunity for an engineer who enjoys staying close to the work while helping shape the technical direction of sensing products used by growers around the world.
What You Will Do
Drive hardware development across the full product lifecycle, from concept to production.
Coordinate domestic and offshore manufacturing operations.
Review and validate ODM designs to meet Arable’s quality standards.
Develop technical documentation for designs, testing, and support.
Lead hands-on prototyping of new hardware products and features.
Work with QA teams on product validation and testing.
Collaborate with product management, software, operations, and customer success.
Manage key vendor relationships and guide component selection.
Troubleshoot hardware issues and coordinate bug tracking and resolution.
Support manufacturing test fixtures and processes.
Provide technical leadership and mentorship, influence technology direction, and strengthen the team’s engineering capabilities.
Experience and Skills
Required
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
6+ years of hardware engineering experience spanning the full PCB design lifecycle.
Proficiency with schematic capture, PCB layout, board bring-up, and lab equipment.
Knowledge of regulatory testing, including FCC and CE, and new product introduction (NPI) processes.
Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
A self-directed approach and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent communication and organizational skills.
Preferred
Advanced technical degree.
8+ years of experience bringing multiple hardware products to mass production.
Experience managing or collaborating with offshore teams.
Knowledge of C programming for embedded systems.
Experience with wireless product design (WiFi, BLE, cellular) and/or RTOS.
Background in agricultural or environmental sensor technology.
Experience leading engineering initiatives, developing processes, or mentoring engineers.
Expertise in low-power system design, particularly for solar-powered and battery-powered devices.
Qualities for Success
Passion for Sustainability: Care deeply about global food systems and environmental impact.
Startup Mindset: Thrive in a fast-paced environment and take ownership across multiple responsibilities.
Technical Leadership: Lead through engineering expertise, sound judgment, and ownership of results.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Communicate effectively and build productive relationships across teams.
Resourcefulness: Develop cost-effective solutions and troubleshoot real-world field challenges.
Adaptability: Stay current with emerging technologies and navigate new challenges.
Mentorship: Share knowledge and help elevate the work of colleagues and partners.
What We Offer
At Arable, you will join dedicated team players who bring together diverse expertise and a passion for building a more sustainable future. You’ll find no shortage of lively conversation around the lunch table about the food we eat and how it is produced.
We are a fast-moving startup committed to providing a rewarding employee experience through our work, team, compensation, and benefits, including:
Excellent medical, dental, vision, life, and disability benefits, and a 401(k) program.
Opportunities to work closely with customers who are eager for our products and make a positive impact on their livelihoods and the world.
A focus on community involvement and career development.
We are an equal-opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Application prep
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Benefits
Benefits detected in the listing.
Dental
Vision
401(K)