Vice President of Engineering

Piper Maddox
Austin, Texas Metropolitan Area

Our client is a venture-backed, early-stage deep-tech company developing next-generation energy systems that integrate advanced physics, complex hardware, and scalable infrastructure.

Backed by experienced founders and technical leaders, the company is tackling a fundamentally new approach to energy generation, with a focus on bringing novel technology from concept to real-world deployment.


The Opportunity

We are supporting our client in hiring a Head / VP of Engineering to lead execution of a first-of-kind hardware platform from detailed design through to initial deployment.

This individual will be responsible for translating a highly ambitious technical vision into:

  • A structured engineering program
  • A high-performing team
  • Fully functioning hardware systems

This role sits at the intersection of:

  • Advanced physical systems
  • Complex hardware integration
  • Real-world deployment


What You’ll Do

Engineering Execution & Program Leadership

  • Own end-to-end technical execution across multiple engineering domains
  • Drive the master engineering schedule, including:
  • Critical path management
  • Subsystem dependencies
  • Program risk identification
  • Lead cross-functional design reviews across all engineering disciplines
  • Oversee progression from:
  • Concept → Prototype → Testing → Deployment


Systems Integration

  • Lead integration across multiple subsystems, ensuring alignment across:
  • Interfaces
  • Performance targets
  • Operational constraints
  • Drive system-level decision-making across engineering functions
  • Ensure effective coordination between hardware, systems, and integration teams


Team Building & Leadership

  • Build and scale a multidisciplinary engineering organization
  • Own hiring strategy and organizational structure
  • Recruit senior engineering talent across multiple technical areas
  • Establish a high-performance culture focused on:
  • Ownership
  • Execution
  • Velocity


Vendor & External Partnerships

  • Lead technical evaluation and selection of key suppliers
  • Own technical specifications for major hardware components
  • Manage relationships with external engineering partners and vendors


Engineering Standards & Quality

  • Establish and maintain engineering processes for:
  • Design documentation
  • Configuration control
  • Change management
  • Balance rigor with speed—ensuring quality without slowing execution
  • Champion a build-and-test approach, using real-world data to inform decisions


What We’re Looking For

  • 10+ years of engineering experience in complex hardware environments
  • Proven track record of delivering first-of-kind or highly complex systems
  • Experience leading multidisciplinary engineering organizations
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