Hardware Engineering & Supply Chain Lead

01 About EmotionX

What if AI could help us become better at being human?

EmotionX is building a premium consumer AI brand for emotional well-being. It starts with a Personal AI that understands you, and extends into everyday life through fashion-forward wearables:

• Fine our Personal AI, providing personalized support across emotional well-being, relationships, and personal performance. Live in beta.
• Feel a series of AI wearables designed as jewelry, bringing real-world context into more intelligent, personalized experiences. Feel debuts at CES 2027 in Las Vegas.

Together, they represent our vision for AI that understands people beyond the screen, combining multimodal intelligence, human-centered design, and thoughtfully crafted consumer experiences.

02 The Role

We are developing an AI Audio Wearable designed for all-day use. With 24/7 Always-on Audio Sensing, it continuously senses ambient audio and works together with the mobile app and our AI system.

We are now at a critical stage of hardware development and plan to exhibit at CES. We are hiring a hardware lead with deep audio hardware experience and strong knowledge of Shenzhen's electronics manufacturing and supply chain ecosystem, to move the product quickly from technical design and hardware prototypes to a mature, demo-ready product.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role. We need a core team member who can dive into technical details, make hardware decisions independently, and work directly with suppliers and manufacturers to solve problems.

03 Responsibilities

1. Audio Hardware System Design & Development

• Lead end-to-end hardware development for our AI Audio Wearable, including hardware architecture, key component selection, solution evaluation and product iteration.
• Design and optimize the Always-on Audio Sensing system, including MEMS microphones, the audio front end, the audio capture chain, low-power design and connectivity with the phone.
• Bring hands-on experience developing dual- or multi-microphone systems, with a working understanding of microphone arrays, phase difference, time delay, beamforming, noise reduction and audio signal fusion.
• Make sound trade-offs between audio quality, power consumption, size, cost and environmental robustness based on real use cases.
• Independently analyze audio hardware performance bottlenecks and work with algorithm, firmware and mobile engineers to resolve them.

2. PCB Design & Component Selection

• Know the PCB design and development process well, and read and evaluate schematics, PCB layouts, BOMs and related hardware documentation.
• Have a systematic understanding of the core electronic components on a PCB, including but not limited to: MEMS microphones and audio front-end circuits; MCUs, SoCs and low-power processors; memory devices such as Flash, EEPROM and RAM; power management ICs, PMICs, charging ICs and battery protection circuits; wireless modules such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi; clocks, sensors, connectors and other key peripheral components.
• Understand the technical differences between suppliers and part numbers, and select components based on performance, power, size, supply stability, cost and development effort.
• Evaluate compatibility between components, interface requirements, signal integrity, power integrity and potential system-level risks.
• Work with PCB layout engineers, electronics engineers and suppliers to rapidly complete design validation, debugging and iteration.

3. MEMS Microphone & Audio System Expertise

• Candidates must have hands-on audio hardware product development experience and be able to discuss the following topics in depth.
• Know the leading MEMS microphone vendors and their products, such as TDK InvenSense, Knowles, Infineon and STMicroelectronics.
• Understand how MEMS microphones differ in technology, packaging, interfaces and performance, including analog, PDM and I²S options.
• Evaluate key microphone specifications against product requirements, including Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR), Acoustic Overload Point (AOP), sensitivity and sensitivity tolerance, frequency response, Total Harmonic Distortion (THD), self-noise, dynamic range, power consumption and frequency consistency.
• Understand how acoustic design relates to the mechanical design of the device, including microphone placement, acoustic port design, acoustic mesh, enclosure cavities, wind noise, friction noise and water and dust resistance.
• Understand phase and time-delay differences, channel matching and synchronized sampling requirements in dual- or multi-microphone systems, and assess how different audio capture approaches affect final signal quality.
• Compare microphones and audio solutions objectively, grounded in real test data, test environments and target use cases, with supplier datasheets as just one input.

4. MCU, Memory Architecture & Firmware Updates

• Know common MCUs, SoCs and low-power embedded hardware platforms, with relevant hardware product development experience.
• Understand the functions, architectural differences and use cases of MCU memory, external Flash, RAM, EEPROM, NOR Flash and other memory devices.
• Understand embedded firmware memory layout, bootloaders, the firmware boot flow and version management.
• Understand OTA (Over-the-Air) firmware update mechanisms, including the basics of transferring firmware over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) or Wi-Fi.
• Understand OTA design requirements such as dual-bank or backup partitions, power-loss recovery, firmware verification, rollback and failed-update protection.
• Evaluate firmware update approaches in terms of hardware resources, Flash capacity, RAM, power, communication bandwidth and system reliability.
• Work closely with firmware and embedded software engineers to ensure the hardware platform supports full firmware development, debugging and updates going forward.

5. Shenzhen Supply Chain & ODM / OEM Management

• This is one of the core responsibilities of the role.
• Know the electronics hardware supply chain in Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta in depth, including the different types of ODM, OEM, EMS and PCBA manufacturers and component suppliers.
• Bring real partnership experience, and quickly identify the right hardware design houses, solution providers, PCB fabs, PCBA factories, mechanical part suppliers and final assembly manufacturers for the product's needs.
• Understand how suppliers differ in technical capability, product quality, development speed, cost, MOQ, lead time and mass production capacity.
• Independently evaluate supplier quotes, BOM cost, engineering fees, tooling costs, NRE and ongoing mass production costs.
• Know the full hardware development process, from requirements definition, technical design and prototyping through EVT, DVT and PVT to mass production.
• Communicate directly with suppliers on technical specifications, development plans, deliverables, quality standards and acceptance criteria.
• Quickly assemble the right mix of suppliers within a limited budget and a tight timeline, and drive parallel development across multiple suppliers.
• Bring experience in supplier management, delivery management, quality control and risk management, spotting and resolving issues early in development.

6. Rapid Prototyping & Product Delivery

• Turn company product goals into an executable hardware development plan, technical roadmap and phased deliverables.
• Complete key component selection, supplier engagement, solution comparison and prototyping within a short timeframe.
• Bring hands-on experience taking hardware from technical feasibility to working prototypes, and drive fast hardware iteration.
• Define validation plans for size, weight, power, battery life, audio quality, wireless connectivity and wearing comfort.
• Coordinate hardware, firmware, mechanical, acoustic and mobile engineers to solve cross-functional problems.
• Under tight timelines and evolving requirements, quickly identify the critical path and prioritize the issues that most affect delivery.
• Stay focused on real delivery, making sure the product completes prototyping, functional validation and trade show demo preparation on schedule.

04 Requirements

Must-haves

• Audio hardware product experience: 3+ years of hardware R&D experience in consumer electronics, audio hardware, wearables or related embedded hardware. Hands-on development experience with audio capture hardware, such as AI recording devices, smart voice recorders, mini clip-on recorders, wireless audio devices, smart wearables or similar products. Familiarity with the real-world process from hardware design and key component selection to prototype validation and product delivery. A track record of shipping real products, with the ability to clearly explain your own responsibilities, technical decisions and final deliverables on each project.
• Strong electronics hardware fundamentals: A systematic understanding of PCBs, MCUs, memory, power management, wireless communication and the audio capture chain. The ability to independently analyze the rationale behind key component choices, their technical specifications, system compatibility and design trade-offs. An understanding of audio hardware and embedded systems deep enough to hold substantive technical discussions with engineers, on top of coordinating projects.
• Shenzhen supply chain network and hands-on experience: Able to work in Shenzhen long-term, with strong familiarity with the hardware supply chain in Shenzhen and the Pearl River Delta. Hands-on experience working with ODM, OEM, EMS, PCBA or other electronics hardware suppliers. Familiarity with the main stages of hardware development, cost structures, quoting models, lead times and common supply chain risks. The ability to quickly judge whether a supplier has the technical capability to deliver a specific product, and to drive suppliers to deliver efficiently.
• Strong execution and fast delivery: Comfortable with a startup pace, with strong initiative, ownership and problem-solving skills. Able to quickly plan and execute while requirements are still evolving, resources are limited and timelines are tight. Strong cross-functional communication skills, working directly with suppliers, engineers and the leadership team. Focused on real delivery and product quality, and able to make substantial hardware progress in a short time.

Nice to Have

• Development experience with AI wearables, AI pendants, always-on audio devices, smart recording devices or all-day audio sensing devices.
• Hands-on development experience with dual- or multi-microphone audio systems.
• Familiarity with low-power design, BLE, Wi-Fi, OTA and embedded firmware updates.
• Experience developing ultra-compact consumer electronics, balancing size, weight, thermals, acoustic structure and battery life.
• Familiarity with low-power MCU platforms such as Nordic Semiconductor and their embedded development ecosystems.
• End-to-end project experience from EVT, DVT and PVT through to mass production.
• Experience with rapid prototyping, engineering validation, supplier switching and hardware failure analysis.
• Experience collaborating with overseas teams, building products for international markets, or supporting international trade shows such as CES.

05 Core Goals After You Join

The first priority of this role is to drive hardware development of our AI Audio Wearable and reach a product that can be validated, iterated on and demonstrated as soon as possible. Expected goals include:

• Complete the technical assessment quickly: define the hardware system architecture, key component selection, key technical risks and development path.
• Build the supply chain quickly: identify and confirm the right hardware solution providers, PCBA manufacturers, mechanical part suppliers and final assembly partners.
• Deliver hardware prototypes: complete prototype development, functional validation and necessary hardware iterations on a clear timeline.
• Secure key performance metrics: test and optimize audio capture quality, low power, device size, battery life, connection stability and reliability.
• Prepare for productization: establish a hardware architecture, BOM, design documentation, test processes and supplier collaboration model that support continued iteration.

Specific milestones and acceptance criteria will be agreed after you join, based on the CES plan, the current technical foundation and the realities of the supply chain.

06 Who We're Looking For

We're looking for a hands-on hardware lead who understands technology, manufacturing and the supply chain.

You don't have to do every piece of PCB layout or firmware development yourself. You do need to understand the key technical details, judge technical approaches independently, spot potential risks, and know which engineers or suppliers to bring in to solve a problem.

You can move fast within Shenzhen's hardware ecosystem: you know how to find the right partners, assess a supplier's real capabilities, control development cost and time, and take a hardware product quickly from concept to a working prototype.

What matters most to us is whether you have actually built audio hardware products, whether you have solid technical judgment, and whether you can use Shenzhen's supply chain to bring products to life quickly. Familiarity with every technical term matters far less.