Embedded Hardware Engineer - Paid Technical Trial (ESP32 / Low Power IoT)

We’re an early-stage Irish startup building a commercial IoT product that is currently deployed with pilot customers. We’re looking for an experienced embedded hardware engineer to help evaluate and improve our existing hardware platform. This is a paid technical trial. If we’re a good fit, there is the opportunity to become our long-term hardware engineering partner and lead future hardware revisions. Initial Project We have an existing PCB and firmware that supports battery operation, but we want to understand its real-world power performance. Your first task is to work with us remotely to: * Review the existing schematic and PCB. * Lead a structured debugging session over video call. * Guide us through measuring current consumption and validating the power system. * Estimate battery runtime under different operating modes. * Identify unnecessary power consumption. * Recommend improvements to maximise battery life. * Produce a concise engineering summary with your findings and recommendations. You will direct the investigation while we perform the physical measurements on the hardware. We’re looking for someone who can * Quickly understand an existing design. * Diagnose problems methodically. * Lead remote debugging sessions. * Communicate clearly and ask the right questions. * Explain technical decisions in plain English. * Deliver practical, evidence-based recommendations. Required Experience * Embedded hardware design. * ESP32 or similar microcontroller platforms. * Battery-powered products. * Power management and low-power optimisation. * PCB debugging and schematic review. * Prototype validation. Bonus Experience * Environmental monitoring devices. * Commercial IoT products. * Product manufacturing and DFM. * Firmware and hardware integration. Deliverables At the end of the engagement we expect: * Estimated battery runtime. * Current consumption measurements in key operating modes. * Identification of the largest power consumers. * Recommended hardware and firmware improvements. * A concise engineering report. To Apply Please include: 1. A brief introduction. 2. Two or three embedded products you’ve worked on. 3. Your role on those projects. 4. An example of a hardware problem you’ve diagnosed. 5. Your hourly rate. 6. Your availability over the next two weeks. We’re looking for someone who enjoys solving real engineering problems, communicates well, and can become a trusted long-term technical partner if the trial is successful.