{"id":3485731,"url":"https://alion.io/job/parallel-systems-vp-of-hardware","title":"VP of Hardware","company":{"id":6398,"name":"Parallel Systems","domain":"moveparallel.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/parallel-systems","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":92,"open_postings":6,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.333,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":59,"computed_at":"2026-10-30T05:48:23Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"head","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Los Angeles, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":250000,"max":350000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":350000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":10,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Verification & Validation","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-29T18:23:46Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-29","last_verified_at":"2026-10-31T03:31:50Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":1},"description":"Parallel Systems is pioneering autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles designed to transform freight transportation by shifting portions of the $900 billion U.S. trucking industry onto rail. Our innovative technology offers cleaner, safer, and more efficient logistics solutions. Join our dynamic team and help shape a smarter, greener future for global freight.\nVP of Hardware \nParallel is building Pather, an autonomous, battery-electric rail vehicle to modernize freight transportation. We are seeking a VP of Hardware to own the design and execution of the vehicle, lead the Hardware Engineering team that builds it, and ensure successful deployment. \nThis is a senior, high-ownership role reporting directly to our CEO. You will set the technical direction for the vehicle, from chassis, powertrain, and braking to battery, sensors, and electrical. You will own the hardware program schedule, the development process, and the cost of every vehicle we build, while staying engaged in the day-to-day engineering and testing. \nWe are looking for a true gearhead who has designed and delivered a vehicle at a startup or high-growth company and is ready to drive new product introduction in a zero to one setting. The right person brings extreme ownership, strong leadership, radical candor, and the judgment to make hard calls on scope, cost, and schedule. \nResponsibilities \nOwn system architecture and hardware design for the entire vehicle, including mechanical, electrical, power electronics, battery, thermal, braking, and running gear \nOwn the overall hardware program schedule end to end,report on it regularly, and engage strategically with the CEO and leadership team on planning and execution \nLead, hire, and grow the Hardware Engineering team, setting a high bar for technical excellence and speed \nEstablish the system and hardware development process for new product introduction (NPI), including design reviews and release gates \nDefine and execute the vehicle verification and validation (V&V) plan, including end-of-line production checkouts \nSet the 2-year hardware roadmap, including clear to build, buy, and partner decisions \nDrive vehicle cost down in partnership with manufacturing, supply chain, and purchasing \nWork closely with autonomy and software engineering so the vehicle is designed as one integrated system \nWork with regulators and customers on technical requirements and safety cases \nServe on the senior leadership team and shape company strategy, enable customer success, and support fundraising \nSuccess in This Role \nAfter 30 Days: You’ve completed an org health check of the hardware team and established a hiring plan. You’ve also taken full ownership of the hardware program schedule and are running regular team standups for status and execution. \nAfter 60 Days: You’ve made the first one critical hire. Youhave released a full V&V plan for the vehicle and defined end-of-line production checkouts. \nAfter 90 Days: You’ve released the system and hardware development process for NPI, completed all design reviews and defined a 2-year hardware roadmap. \nAfter 180 Days: Deliver a 12-month cost-down plan with measurable per-vehicle cost reductions already achieved and fully execute the V&V plan. \nBasic Qualifications \nBachelor’s or master’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field \n10+ years of experience in hardware engineering, including 5+ years leading multidisciplinary engineering teams \nProven track record designing and delivering a complete vehicle, from concept through working vehicles in the field, at a startup or high-growth company \nExperience owning whole-vehicle architecture across mechanical, electrical, battery, and control systems \nExperience building and scaling engineering teams, including hiring engineers andgrowing them into leaders \nExperience taking products through analysis, testing, validation, and safety certification in a regulated environment \nAbility to operate in an early-stage environment and make fast, sound decisions with incomplete information \nPreferred Qualifications \nEngineering leadership experience at an automotive start upor a similar high-velocity hardware company \nExperience with vehicle manufacturing and production \nStrong knowledge of electric powertrains and braking systems \nExperience with high-voltage systems and autonomous platforms \nExperience with rail, heavy equipment, trucking, or other commercial vehicles \nExperience working with regulators such as the FRA or NHTSA \nA hands-on builder outside of work, whether that's cars, bikes, robots, or anything with a motor \nWe are committed to providing fair and transparent compensation in accordance with applicable laws. Salary ranges are listed below and reflect the expected range for new hires in this role, based on factors such as skills, experience, qualifications, and location. Final compensation may vary and will be determined during the interview process. The target hiring range for this position is listed below.\nTarget Salary Range:\n$250,000—$350,000 USD\nParallel Systems is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any discriminatory factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. We work to build an inclusive environment in which all people can come to do their best work.\nParallel Systems is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Parallel Systems will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact your recruiter.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5857,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":10,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Rail Transport","Autonomous Driving","Logistics"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-29T21:43:15Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 1","filings_12m":1,"filings_prev_12m":0,"green_card_filings_12m":0,"median_offered_wage_usd":162500,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-29T16:27:21+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)"],"filings_for_role_12m":1}],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":59,"reasons":["conf:3","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-30T05:48:23Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":350000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/parallel-systems-vp-of-hardware","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/parallel-systems-vp-of-hardware.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-31T03:37:10Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":5064,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-01T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":6398},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=6398"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fparallel-systems-vp-of-hardware"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fparallel-systems-vp-of-hardware"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fparallel-systems-vp-of-hardware"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/parallel-systems-vp-of-hardware\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fparallel-systems-vp-of-hardware"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3485731}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"moveparallel.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3485731},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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