Hardware R&D & Manufacturing
/Founding leadership
VP, R&D — Frontier Hardware
R&D Leadership
Compensation
INR 55 LPA - 95 LPA + equity.
Engagement
Full-Time
Permanent role. Full-time commitment. Remote-first, with periodic in-person off-sites.
Scope of role
Build the function from zero. Set the strategy. Own the outcome.
01 — The role
Why this role exists at EduRankAI
Lead the R&D org that turns research-grade ideas into shippable hardware. Optical engineering, novel display, on-device ML hardware, biomechanical sensing for Karate. You will own the multi-year frontier hardware roadmap.
02 — The work
What you will own
- 01 Set the R&D roadmap across optics, display, sensing, embedded ML.
- 02 Hire Principal + Staff research engineers across disciplines.
- 03 Defend the R&D budget against quarterly cost pressure.
- 04 Set the patent + IP strategy.
- 05 Partner with university labs.
- 06 Represent the R&D program publicly.
03 — The expertise
What we look for
04 — The bar
Who thrives here
- → You have led an R&D org that shipped at least one frontier hardware product.
- → You have authored or co-authored hardware patents.
- → You have a public technical reputation.
- → You write your own RFCs.
05 — How we work
The EduRankAI environment
Where you work matters
This role is based in Guwahati (on-site) / Hyderabad / Bangalore — hardware lab access required. We chose this on purpose — the work calls for proximity, collaboration, and presence. We will help with relocation where appropriate.
High autonomy, high standards
We hire adults and trust them. You will be expected to set your own goals, communicate clearly, and ship.
Builders, not bureaucrats
We optimise for clarity over process. Make the call, ship the work, write up what you learned.
Bharat-built, globally ambitious
We are an Indian frontier AI lab. We build for India first and the world second — in that order.
06 — Hiring process
What to expect after you apply
- 01
Application review
Every application is read personally within five business days. We respond either way.
- 02
Take-home or live exercise
Role-specific. Time-boxed. Real problems we are actually working on, not invented puzzles.
- 03
Conversations
Deep technical and values conversations with the team you would join. No trick questions. No panel ambushes.
- 04
Offer or honest no
If yes: digital offer letter, signed in-portal, transparent terms. If no: written feedback if you want it.
Before you start
What we will collect. What it costs. What we will not do with it.
Application fee
CHF 100
C-Level tier
We will collect
- Name, email, phone — Account + application updates. No marketing.
- Resume / portfolio link — Human review of your work.
- Date + place of birth — Identity verification only.
- Your written responses — Selection rubric. Read by humans.
- Government ID (later) — Anti-fraud at offer / interview stage. Not at signup.
We will never
- Sell your data
- Share with third-party recruiters
- Use for advertising
- Train models on it
- Send marketing email
Our situation
EduRankAI is a small, independent organization building long-term capabilities in educational intelligence, advanced AI systems, and research infrastructure. We take no advertiser money, no donations with strings attached, and no investor pressure on hiring decisions. The small per-application fee covers the real cost of processing your application — human review, identity verification, infrastructure, reviewer time. It buys us the right to be honest. Genuine financial hardship? Request a fee waiver inside the application — reviewed individually within 5 business days, with no record in your file and no second-class treatment of waiver-granted applications.
Ready to apply?
We read every application personally. If you are the right person for this role — regardless of pedigree, background, or where you are based — you will hear back from us within five business days.
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