Director, Hardware Systems Engineering

Crusoe Energy Systems is seeking a Director of Hardware Systems Engineering in San Francisco, CA. The role involves leading a team to innovate and deploy high-performance hardware solutions for AI cloud infrastructure, emphasizing sustainability. Responsibilities include managing hardware development, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and integrating advanced GPU technologies. The ideal candidate should have a strong technical background and a passion for sustainable innovation, contributing to the company's mission of responsible cloud infrastructure.
Crusoe is building the World’s Favorite AI-first Cloud infrastructure company. We’re pioneering vertically integrated, purpose-built AI infrastructure solutions trusted by Fortune 500 companies to power their most advanced AI applications. Crusoe is redefining AI cloud infrastructure, with a mission to align the future of computing with the future of the climate. Our AI platform is recognized as the "gold standard" for reliability and performance. Our data centers are optimized for AI workloads and are powered by clean, renewable energy.

Be part of the AI revolution with sustainable technology at Crusoe. Here, you'll drive meaningful innovation, make a tangible impact, and join a team that’s setting the pace for responsible, transformative cloud infrastructure.

About the Role:

The Hardware Systems Engineering team at Crusoe is at the forefront of innovating hardware solutions that drive our cutting-edge computing platforms. As the Director of Hardware Systems Engineering, you will lead a talented team responsible for designing, validating, and deploying high-performance hardware solutions that support Crusoe’s mission of enabling sustainable computing.

In this role, you’ll collaborate across teams and with external partners to drive the entire lifecycle of hardware product development—from feasibility studies and component evaluation to manufacturing and deployment. The ideal candidate is a visionary leader with a deep technical background in hardware development, a passion for sustainable innovation, and the ability to inspire and guide multidisciplinary teams toward impactful outcomes.

Your contributions will directly shape Crusoe’s ability to expand its capabilities, bringing creative hardware solutions to market that align with our commitment to efficiency and sustainability.

What to Expect:
• Provide Technical Leadership, manage a small team of Hardware Engineers and lead the end-to-end hardware development process, from feasibility studies to product validation and deployment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive system architecture decisions, define the right product fit for Crusoe and ensure alignment with broader company goals
• Manage partnerships with internal teams and external vendors to facilitate prototyping, qualification, and high-volume manufacturing. Collaboratively define the product roadmap and program.
• Ensure hardware systems are rigorously tested for performance, reliability, and scalability through lab-level bring-up and validation.
• Support E2E integration and solution testing to meet the performance, reliability and scalability needs for Crusoe Cloud products.
• Foster innovation by identifying opportunities for new hardware technologies and methods that advance Crusoe’s objectives.
• Lead GPU-to-GPU Communication Design: Design and implement high-performance GPU-to-GPU communication architectures, ensuring low-latency, high-throughput interconnects that meet the demands of AI/ML workloads.
• NVLink and Interconnect Integration: Drive the integration of NVLink and other next-generation GPU interconnect technologies, enabling seamless communication within the infrastructure and improving performance for AI/ML workloads.
• Innovative GPU Architectures: Lead the adoption of bleeding-edge GPU architectures, working closely with internal teams to integrate these advancements into Crusoe Cloud’s product offerings. Provide guidance on how the latest GPU technologies can be harnessed to deliver superior performance in AI/ML applications.
• ARM and x86 Architecture Expertise: Provide leadership in hardware design for both ARM and x86-based architectures, ensuring that the hardware infrastructure is optimized for diverse use cases, whether it involves high-performance computing or energy-efficient solutions.
• Team Leadership and Collaboration: Manage and mentor a high-performing team of hardware engineers, encouraging innovation and technical excellence. Collaborate with software and cloud teams to ensure tight integration between hardware and AI/ML frameworks, optimizing performance across cloud-based machine learning applications.
• Hardware Specifications and Performance Benchmarks: Define and deliver hardware specifications, performance benchmarks, and validation plans for GPU hardware in cloud environments.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with product management, data science, and infrastructure teams to ensure that hardware meets scalability and performance needs for AI/ML workloads. Collaborate with external vendors and partners to evaluate and integrate the latest hardware technologies.

What You'll Contribute:
• Proven technical expertise in hardware development, including digital and analog systems design.
• Experience interfacing with thermal, mechanical, management firmware, system firmware, and software teams during product development.
• Demonstrated ability to lead hardware teams and manage complex projects with a focus on quality and timely delivery.
• Exceptional problem-solving skills and a data-driven approach to decision-making.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities to work effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

What Sets You Apart:
• 10+ years of experience in hardware development and testing with at least years in a technical leadership or TLM role.
• Advanced knowledge of digital interfaces, power systems, and high-performance computing hardware.
• Expertise in systems bring-up, debugging, and validation, with a track record of delivering successful products to market.
• 5+ years of expertise with the industry leading designs of CPU/GPU hardware and server system architecture.
• Familiarity with sustainable and energy-efficient design principles.
• Virtualization Expertise: Leverage expertise in virtualization technologies to optimize the use of GPUs in virtualized environments, ensuring efficient resource allocation, performance tuning, and scalability for AI/ML workloads in the cloud.
• Linux Kernel Experience: Utilize deep knowledge of the Linux kernel to ensure seamless integration of hardware with the underlying operating system. Help drive optimizations in the kernel for GPU and interconnect performance, supporting large-scale AI/ML workloads.
• Experience working in fast-paced environments with multidisciplinary teams.
• Advanced certifications or coursework in hardware development or related areas (nice to have).

Benefits:
• Hybrid work schedule
• Industry competitive pay
• Restricted Stock Units in a fast growing, well-funded technology company
• Health insurance package options that include HDHP and PPO, vision, and dental for you and your dependents
• Employer contributions to HSA accounts
• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
• Teladoc
• 401(k) with a 100% match up to 4% of salary
• Generous paid time off and holiday schedule
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Tuition reimbursement
• Subscription to the Calm app
• MetLife Legal
• Company paid commuter benefit; $50 per pay period

Compensation Range

Compensation will be paid in the range of $280,000 - $300,000. Restricted Stock Units are included in all offers. Compensation to be determined by the applicants knowledge, education, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Crusoe is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, citizenship, marital status, sex/gender, sexual preference/ orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, national origin, or any other status protected by law or regulation.

Job posting details for Director, Hardware Systems Engineering at Crusoe Energy Systems in San Francisco, CA. . ClimateTechList gathers 20,000+ job openings from over 765 climate tech companies and updates them daily.