Head of Mechatronics

Head of Mechatronics

Have you taken a hardware product from prototype to something that actually works in the real world - under pressure, at scale, and with customers using it?

This is a role for someone who knows that building a robot is easy - making it work reliably in the real world is the hard part.

A scaling robotics company is developing autonomous systems designed for demanding agricultural environments, where hardware has to perform day in, day out, in unpredictable conditions.

They're looking for a Head of Mechatronics to own the physical system end-to-end - leading everything from actuation and sensing through to mechanical integration and real-world performance. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who has taken hardware from early prototypes all the way through to commercial deployment.

What You'll Be Doing

• Own the mechatronic architecture of the robot - spanning mechanical systems, actuation, embedded control, and sensor integration
• Lead the development of hardware from prototype through to multiple product iterations and commercial readiness
• Turn field performance and customer feedback into concrete design improvements, making pragmatic trade-offs where needed
• Define reliability and performance standards for challenging agricultural environments
• Collaborate closely with software and AI teams to ensure hardware supports perception and autonomy requirements
• Build and lead a small, high-output mechatronics team as the company scales
• Own supplier relationships, component selection, BOM management, and certification processes
• Support field trials and real-world deployments, using those insights to drive continuous improvement
• Contribute to technical direction, IP, and documentation for investors and partners

What They're Looking For

• Experience leading mechatronic or robotics hardware development
• Proven track record taking a product from prototype through to commercial deployment
• Strong hands-on experience across mechanical design (CAD, manufacturing, tolerances) and embedded systems (firmware, motor control, sensors)
• Comfort making decisions across hardware and software without relying on specialists for every detail
• Experience incorporating real-world feedback into iterative product development
• Background in robotics, agriculture, industrial systems, or similar real-world environments is a strong plus
• Previous experience leading or building engineering teams
• Pragmatic, ownership-driven, and comfortable working in fast-moving, ambiguous environments

Hybrid on-site role based in Porto, Portugal.

If you want to build robots that actually work in the real world and take ownership of the hardware that makes it possible - apply now.