Hardware Engineer

About algo1

algo1 is a VC-backed, stealth-mode startup building behavioural AI for the retail industry. Our platform has been built from the ground up with no legacy systems, no patchwork, just a clean slate and a clear vision. Our mission is to bring the intelligence of modern machine learning directly to the in-store retail experience.

Our obsession with grocery retail and the shopper experience sets us apart. If you're excited by the opportunity to transform an experience that touches millions of people every day, you'll feel right at home here.

The Role

This role reports directly to our COO and works closely with our B2C and B2B Product heads.

You'll own our hardware product end-to-end, from today's early units through retail pilots to mass deployment. You'll define hardware strategy from a clean slate, not inherit a roadmap. That means making the calls on form factor, sourcing, manufacturing, certification, and the ramp to scale.

What You'll Own

• Hardware strategy and roadmap. Define the product from first principles form factor, component selection, and the path from today's early units to scaled deployment.

• EVT/DVT/PVT execution. Drive prototypes through engineering, design, and production validation with the discipline that gets a product shipped on time and to spec.

• Sourcing and supplier strategy. Select and manage manufacturers, ODMs, and component suppliers. Own the relationships that determine whether we ship on time, at cost, and at quality.

• Supply chain and scale-up. Certification, production ramp, logistics, and deployment into live retail environments, including handling the disruption that always shows up.

• External design partners. Brief, select, and direct industrial design and hardware engineering contractors, holding them to a standard set by you.

• Deployed reliability. Own drop testing, IP ratings, cleaning regimes, and the field durability that consumer-grade retail hardware demands.

About You

Must Have

• Taken product to scale. Shipped a physical product from prototype through EVT/DVT/PVT into mass production, ideally consumer-grade hardware for demanding environments.

• China ODM experience. Direct design-to-manufacturing experience in China, with strong ODM and contract manufacturing relationships you've built and maintained.

• Supply chain resilience. Survived real disruption, component shortages, factory delays, freight blowouts, and kept a product on schedule.

• Field-ready hardware instincts. Second-nature familiarity with drop testing, IP ratings, thermal management, and cleaning regimes for high-use environments.

• Ownership mindset. Comfort being the sole hardware voice in a startup, driving cross-functional decisions with product, engineering, and commercial leaders without needing a team beneath you to be effective.

Nice to Have

• Adjacent category experience. Direct experience with consumer-grade devices in high-traffic environments, payments, logistics, or mobility.

• Battery and power management. Deep experience with rechargeable systems, docking, and power provisioning for all-day use.

• Certification track record. FCC, CE, UKCA, and consumer hardware regulatory approvals.

• Early-stage experience. Comfort being the first hardware hire and building the function from scratch.

How We Work

We're a startup, so this is a high-intensity environment. The people who thrive here are curious, proactive, and love building. If you're happiest when you're creating, experimenting, and moving fast, you'll fit right in.

We draw our energy from being together, so this is primarily an office-based role. It suits someone who enjoys the quick conversations and shared momentum that comes from building together. Our office is on what we think is the best garden square in London, just a couple of minutes from Tottenham Court Road, so it's easy to get to and a great place to be.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity.

• 25 days' annual leave.

• Full autonomy over hardware strategy, working directly with the founders.

• Real ownership from day one.