engineer, hardware

Location: Toronto (Hybrid. Regular in-office presence required for hardware testing.)A hands-on, systems-focused role responsible for validating, stress-testing, and strengthening the full hardware-software systems that power our autonomous retail platform. You act as the final validation layer before release and the escalation point for complex system issues in the field.About MicromartMicromart is building the platform for unattended retail. We empower entrepreneurs to turn any location into a retail opportunity, from offices and condos to gyms, hotels, and other shared spaces. Our focus is on giving entrepreneurs powerful tools that are simple to use, while delivering a fast, intuitive shopping experience for shoppers.Often described as Shopify for physical commerce, Micromart provides the infrastructure that powers unattended retail in the real world.Our TeamMicromart launched just over a year ago and is now used in thousands of locations across North America. We?re a small and growing team working closely across product, platform, and smart store systems, from design through production.Work here is end to end. That means thinking through problems, making pragmatic tradeoffs, shipping changes, and improving systems over time. As we scale, quality and reliability matter more than ever, and this role plays a key part in that.How you can helpAs a Hardware Systems Reliability Engineer, you will define what reliability means at Micromart across the full hardware and software system, and continuously raise that bar as we scale.You will own system-level validation and release confidence for changes that impact hardware, edge devices, payments, vision systems, and connected components. When a feature crosses hardware and software boundaries, this role ensures it works reliably in the real world.This is a systems-first role that combines hands-on validation with reliability-focused engineering work. You will spend time testing cabinets, simulating real-world conditions, reproducing failures, analyzing logs, validating Android builds and device-side changes, and working closely with engineers and external partners to drive root cause and long-term fixes.When systems fail in the field, you are responsible for reproducing, understanding, and driving root cause across hardware, software, and integrations.Our smart stores operate 24/7. Entrepreneurs and shoppers depend on them to work every time.At Micromart, you willOwn System-Level ValidationOwn QA for features that cross hardware and software boundaries, including smart locks, payment terminals, cameras, eTags, edge devices, and Android builds that interact with physical systemsDefine and enforce what ?release ready? means for hardware and edge system changesDevelop and refine hardware and systems validation procedures as architecture evolvesEnsure firmware updates, BIOS changes, hardware revisions, and vendor SDK changes do not introduce regressions before rolloutTest Real-World ConditionsTest end-to-end flows across hardware, embedded Node.js services, networking infrastructure, payments, vision processing, and cloud APIsSimulate real-world scenarios such as internet loss, degraded connectivity, Bluetooth instability, USB device failures, power interruptions, and router instabilityValidate revenue-impacting systems including payment authorization flows and vision-based order processing under real-world conditionsEvaluate and Improve Hardware SystemsTest and compare different hardware components including edge computers, USB cameras, payment terminals, and networking equipmentEvaluate performance, stability, and compatibility across vendors and configurationsPropose and validate improvements to hardware selection and system architectureIdentify tradeoffs between cost, performance, and reliability in real-world deploymentsInvestigate and Resolve Field IssuesReproduce customer-reported and fleet issues in a controlled environmentInvestigate issues such as payment preauthorization fail