Sr. Hardware Reliability Engineer
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Key details
Job Description
Who we are
Samsara (NYSE: IOT) is the pioneer of the Connected Operations™ Cloud, which is a platform that enables organizations that depend on physical operations to harness Internet of Things (IoT) data to develop actionable insights and improve their operations. At Samsara, we are helping improve the safety, efficiency and sustainability of the physical operations that power our global economy. Representing more than 40% of global GDP, these industries are the infrastructure of our planet, including agriculture, construction, field services, transportation, and manufacturing — and we are excited to help digitally transform their operations at scale.
Working at Samsara means you’ll help define the future of physical operations and be on a team that’s shaping an exciting array of product solutions, including Video-Based Safety, Vehicle Telematics, Apps and Driver Workflows, and Equipment Monitoring. As part of a recently public company, you’ll have the autonomy and support to make an impact as we build for the long term.
Samsara’s Hardware Reliability team enables an exceptional customer experience by enabling reliable hardware, identifying opportunities in product performance, and engaging cross-functionally to resolve key issues. Samsara’s Senior Hardware Reliability Engineer will design quality processes that guarantee the high-quality standards of Samsara's hardware. In this on-site role, you will also work hands-on in our San Francisco (SF9) labs, running and driving reliability tests with the lab and product design teams.
The Reliability engineer is responsible for implementing and executing comprehensive reliability strategies/plans that span the entire product development lifecycle from concept to warranty repair. The Reliability engineer quickly aggregates and analyzes test, field performance, and manufacturing data to drive actions internally and with our suppliers to ensure that we are building the highest quality product. Cross-functional collaboration with hardware, firmware, and operations is an essential part of the role.
This is an on-site position based in our San Francisco (SF9) office and labs, with regular hands-on work in the lab
You should apply if:
- You want to impact the industries that run our world: Your efforts will result in real-world impact—helping to keep the lights on, get food into grocery stores, reduce emissions, and most importantly, ensure workers return home safely.
- You are the architect of your own career: If you put in the work, this role won’t be your last at Samsara. We set up our employees for success and have built a culture that encourages rapid career development, countless opportunities to experiment and master your craft in a hyper growth environment.
- You’re energized by our opportunity: The vision we have to digitize large sectors of the global economy requires your full focus and best efforts to bring forth creative, ambitious ideas for our customers.
- You want to be with the best: At Samsara, we win together, celebrate together, and support each other. You will be surrounded by a high-caliber team that will encourage you to do your best.
In this role, you will:
- Work cross-functionally with partners in Hardware/Firmware Engineering, Operations, and Support to ensure our customers have a best-in-class product experience.
- Design in reliability through the product development process and own product reliability modeling, testing, and validation.
- Set reliability requirements and allocate reliability targets to subsystems.
- Lead product quality investigations in addition to root cause and corrective actions with internal cross-functional team members and external vendors.
- Evaluate and investigate defect trends that improve incoming material and outgoing product quality.
- Identify opportunities for corrective actions and continuous improvement through field failure investigations.
- Create feedback loops to continuously improve the products in the field and the next generation.
- Provide hands-on test execution and lab support at SF9: set up fixtures, run reliability tests (for example thermal, vibration and shock, ingress protection, UV, and chemical or wash exposure), and keep reliability testing on schedule alongside the lab team.
- Tailor reliability test plans to each program's risk, working with Product Design, Firmware, Manufacturing, JDM partners, and third-party labs to close findings quickly.
- Champion, role model, and embed Samsara’s cultural principles (Focus on Customer Success, Build for the Long Term, Adopt a Growth Mindset, Be Inclusive, Win as a Team) as we scale globally and across new offices.
Minimum requirements for the role:
- MS or PhD in Engineering, Material Science, Physics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- 5+ years of experience working in a Hardware Reliability Engineer role.
- Hands-on experience planning and executing reliability tests in a lab: stress, fatigue, vibration and shock, thermal cycling, HALT, electrical stress, and environmental stress (including ingress protection, UV, and chemical or wash exposure).
- Experience with failure analysis methodologies.
- Understanding the physics of failure and the application of stresses to underlying failure mechanisms.
- Experience with Design for Reliability concepts.
- Experience with JDM development model.
- Experience with third-party test oversight, and test execution.
- Self-motivated, proactive, creative and critical problem-solving capabilities.
- Demonstrated ownership and a hands-on, driver mindset: you run tests yourself, work in the lab, and take issues to closure with minimal direction.
- Ability to work through ambiguity and tailor test plans to each program's risk and schedule.
• • Ability to work on-site at our San Francisco (SF9) office and labs.
The compensation range shown spans approved pay zones for this role. Your primary work location determines the range applicable to you, which may be narrower than the full range displayed.
The range of annual base salary for full-time employees for this position is below. Please note that base pay offered may vary depending on factors including your city of residence, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. This role is also eligible for an initial RSU grant with no vesting cliff, and ongoing refresh opportunities tied to performance, subject to plan terms and conditions. Learn more about our total rewards and benefits below.
Total Rewards
At Samsara, we build for the people who keep the global economy moving. We want owners, not passengers, which is why our rewards are designed to fuel high-impact builders. Our compensation program delivers above-market total compensation through a combination of base salary, performance-based bonus/variable pay, and equity (for eligible roles) in a high-growth public company. We meaningfully differentiate pay for our top performers, who have the opportunity to earn above-market compensation that can outpace the broader market over time.
Beyond compensation, we provide the foundations that enable long-term success: a flexible, employee-led remote model, a professional development stipend, comprehensive health and parental leave plans, and more. If you’re ready to build for the long term and own the outcome, your journey starts here.
Flexible Working
At Samsara, we embrace a flexible working model that caters to the diverse needs of our teams. Our offices are open for those who prefer to work in-person and we also support remote work where it aligns with our operational requirements. For certain positions, being close to one of our offices or within a specific geographic area is important to facilitate collaboration, access to resources, or alignment with our service regions. In these cases, the job description will clearly indicate any working location requirements. Our goal is to ensure that all members of our team can contribute effectively, whether they are working on-site, in a hybrid model, or fully remotely. All offers of employment are contingent upon an individual’s ability to secure and maintain the legal right to work at the company and in the specified work location, if applicable.
Belonging at Samsara
At Samsara, we welcome everyone regardless of their background. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, and other characteristics protected by law. We depend on the unique approaches of our team members to help us solve complex problems and want to ensure that Samsara is a place where people from all backgrounds can make an impact.
Accommodations
Samsara is an inclusive work environment, and we are committed to ensuring equal opportunity in employment for qualified persons with disabilities. Please email accessibleinterviewing@samsara.com or click here if you require any reasonable accommodations throughout the recruiting process.
Our Commitment to Authenticity
We use Tofu, a fraud detection tool, to validate the authenticity of applications and protect against identity fraud. This ensures we are connecting with real people and allows us to prioritize genuine candidates. Please see Samsara’s Candidate Privacy Notice for more information.
Fraudulent Employment Offers
Samsara is aware of scams involving fake job interviews and offers. Please know we do not charge fees to applicants at any stage of the hiring process. Official communication about your application will only come from emails ending in @samsara.com, @us-greenhouse-mail.io or @mail3.guide.co. For more information regarding fraudulent employment offers, please visit our blog post here.
