Head of Hardware Engineering - Combustion Systems - Remote

Roadrunner Venture Studios is recruiting a Head of Hardware Engineering for a portfolio company developing rainfall enhancement technology.

You will lead the deployment system from architecture and prototyping through operational qualification and production-scale manufacturing.

You will apply aerospace rigor to industrial hardware that must operate reliably in the field and support repeatable manufacturing at automotive scale. The work spans mechanical, thermal, combustion, fluid, structural, controls, and instrumentation systems.

This is a hands-on role. You will work with internal science and field teams and lead external engineering firms, fabricators, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.

This role includes significant equity.

This is an early-stage startup building something that has not been built before. Priorities will change quickly. If this working environment does not excite you, this role is probably not for you.

• Bachelor's degree or higher in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, systems engineering, or a related field.
• Experience leading complex hardware from concept through prototype builds, operational qualification, and production planning.
• High proficiency with computer aided design software such as SolidWorks or NX and product lifecycle management systems.
• Experience with engineering release processes, configuration control, drawings, bills of materials, and supplier documentation.
• Experience with design for manufacturing and assembly for industrial, aerospace, automotive, robotics, energy, or other complex hardware.
• Experience with combustion hardware, thermal systems, fluid systems, gas handling, pressure systems, large field equipment, or power systems.
• Experience with test instrumentation, data acquisition, controls interfaces, inspection methods, qualification plans, and operational readiness reviews.
• Experience managing engineering firms, fabrication shops, suppliers, contract manufacturers, or engineering, procurement, and construction partners.
• Experience supporting field tests or deployments and making engineering decisions under changing operating conditions.
• At least three years of experience leading hardware development and developing engineering talent.
• Ability to move quickly, take broad ownership, and solve complex problems with limited resources in a startup environment.
• Experience with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), especially for combustion, heat transfer, fluid flow, or gas-handling systems.
• Experience taking hardware from prototype builds into first-article or low-rate production.