Role: Director of Engineering

Organization: CowBell Labs, a Non-Profit Focused Research Organization.

Location: New York metropolitan area.

About CowBell Labs:

CowBell Labs works towards a liveable planet with sustainable production of food. Agricultural emissions of the greenhouse gasses methane and nitrous oxide are responsible for over 25% of current global warming. However, access to measurement technology blocks climate solution development and building trust they work. CowBell Labs develops new greenhouse gas measurement technologies and open-access physical and computational tools to test them. Incubated by Spark Climate Solutions, CowBell Labs is supported philanthropically by Schmidt Futures, the Lyda Hill Foundation, and Convergent Research.

Role Overview: We seek a climate-impact motivated Director of Engineering to join our founding team. In this role, you will lead all our engineering and software-enabled hardware product development efforts during this critical early stage of the organization. As the first engineering team member, you will build a fast-based R&D tools development organization through employees and external contractors. The engineering team will research and develop a cow wearable methane sensor and advanced open-source hardware and software testing tools for externally-developed methane sensors. These tools will make it radically easier to develop and validate new agricultural climate solutions.

Responsibilities:

• Drive research engineering and hardware product development from prototype to production.
• Build from the ground up and manage the engineering team, including both hardware and software engineers, with a total headcount of up to 10 people.
• Own technical relationships with engineering consultancies, key vendors, contract manufacturing organizations, and external technical advisors.
• Support internal and partnered scientific research through tool development and engineering consultation.
• Help the organization strategically plan, towards accomplishing ambitious goals efficiently.
• Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within the organization.
• Create a conducive environment for innovation and structured growth within a small, dynamic team, soliciting feedback from team members and external technical advisors.

Requirements:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in technology leadership roles with hands-on development experience, with substantial exposure to startups or small team environments and research engineering.
• Expertise in scaling IoT/embedded sensing systems or embedded systems products and leading engineering efforts that combine both hardware and software.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while creating order and structure for a team.
• Experience leading small teams, especially in a startup or innovative context.
• Willingness to travel up to 10% in North America for work-related activities.

Preferred Requirements

• Familiarity with agricultural climate innovation or related domains.

What’s In It For You:

• Foundational Impact: As a founding executive you have the rare opportunity to shape the ethos, vision, and future of CowBell Labs from its nascent stage. Your strategies and leadership will have a direct and lasting impact on our organization and the climate solutions space.
• Professional Growth: Grow and evolve in stride with CowBell Labs. As we flourish, you’ll have room to expand your role, tackle new challenges, and make a name for yourself as a leader in a pioneering climate innovation organization.
• Autonomy and Influence: Enjoy a high degree of autonomy to craft strategies and make pivotal decisions. Your insights and expertise will be instrumental in steering our strategic partnerships, and your voice will be vital in our high-level organizational decision-making.
• Collaborative Environment: Work alongside a dedicated and talented team committed to creating a significant positive impact on the climate. The collaborative and open culture at CowBell Labs will enable you to share ideas and drive initiatives that could redefine our approach to climate solutions.
• Global Reach: With a mission that transcends borders, your efforts will have a global footprint. The partnerships and strategies you forge will resonate across commercial and non-governmental sectors worldwide, amplifying the reach and impact of our climate solutions.
• Purpose-Driven Work: Wake up every day to work that matters. Be at the forefront of addressing climate challenges by fostering partnerships and strategies that propel CowBell Labs and our mission forward.
• Innovative Culture: Thrive in a culture of innovation that encourages continual learning, experimentation, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in climate technology.
• Learning Opportunities: Benefit from the diverse experiences and backgrounds of your colleagues and our network, fostering a rich environment for professional and personal growth.
• Community Engagement: Engage with a broad network of industry experts, innovators, and passionate professionals in the climate tech community, enriching your professional network and forging meaningful relationships that could last a lifetime.

Keywords: robotics, controls, mechatronics, scientific instrumentation, cloud systems, edge devices, prototyping, R&D, manufacturability, optical sensors, IoT systems, livestock, agriculture, methane, climate change.

Salary / Benefits: CowBell Labs offers a competitive annual salary ($180k to $250k) and a comprehensive benefits package. We prioritize the well-being and future of our team members and provide support for a balanced, fulfilling work life. More details will be provided to candidates during the interview process.

• Health, vision, and dental insurance
• Three weeks paid time off plus holidays
• Flexible spending accounts for health care or childcare
• 401(k) retirement fund with matching employer contributions

CowBell Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity and strive to cultivate an inclusive environment. We encourage applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds.

Please submit your resume and cover letter to info@cowbell-labs.org. We look forward to reviewing your application.

Feel free to reach out for more information or to initiate a discussion. Great teams are built with great people.