Senior Consumer Electronics Hardware Architect (Product Feasibility & Manufacturing Strategy)

We’re looking for judgment before engineering. We are building a premium AI-powered consumer hardware product and are looking for an experienced hardware architect to help us evaluate the product before engineering begins. This is not a request to design or build the product. Our goal is to de-risk the hardware by validating the architecture, identifying manufacturing risks, estimating costs, and challenging assumptions before significant investment. We are looking for experienced judgment before execution. ⸻ Objective Help us answer one question: Can this product be manufactured beautifully, reliably, and profitably at a target landed cost of under approximately $100 USD? ⸻ Initial Engagement The first engagement will be a 60 to 90-minute consultation, followed by a written summary and recommendations. Topics may include: * Hardware architecture * Component selection strategy * BOM cost estimates * Manufacturing feasibility * Design for Manufacturing (DFM) * Consumer product considerations * Shenzhen manufacturing * Certification considerations * Product risks * Scalability from prototype to production ⸻ Ideal Experience We’re looking for someone who has successfully brought consumer electronic products to market. Examples include: * Wearables * Bluetooth devices * AI devices * Smart home products * Voice-enabled products * Consumer IoT devices Experience working directly with manufacturers in Shenzhen is highly preferred. ⸻ What We’re Looking For We’re looking for someone who can confidently answer questions such as: * What assumptions should we challenge? * What are the biggest technical risks? * What are the biggest manufacturing risks? * What could make this product unexpectedly expensive? * What would you simplify? * What would you change before engineering begins? We value honest feedback over optimism. ⸻ Please Include When applying, please share: * Products you’ve helped bring from concept to manufacturing * Your role on those products * Approximate production volumes * Experience working with factories or manufacturing partners * Why you believe you’re a good fit for this project Finally, please answer this question: What is the biggest mistake first-time consumer hardware founders make before building their first product?