Hardware & Firmware Engineer (Contract) – V0 & V1 Pilots (Europe-based candidates)
Role Overview
This is a mid to senior-level contract role for a Hardware & Firmware Engineer, focusing on hands-on modification and control of portable battery systems for early-stage pilots in Nigeria. The engineer will work closely with the founder to reconfigure hardware, implement embedded firmware for device management, and integrate GSM modules for tracking, ensuring safe and testable systems for grant-funded scale-up. Day-to-day tasks include hardware integration, firmware development for safety features, and configuring low-code dashboards, with a clear impact on validating real-world energy infrastructure ahead of institutional deployment.
Perks & Benefits
This role offers remote work with a preference for EU-based candidates, allowing flexibility in location, and includes milestone-based payments with a rate of 50-70 USD per hour. It provides direct collaboration with the founder, a clear scope without endless roadmap creep, and the opportunity to contribute to grant-funded projects with real-world impact, fostering a practical and focused engineering environment. The contract duration is approximately 12-16 weeks, with hands-on build requirements and paid technical tests included.
Full Job Description
Headquarters: Lagos, Nigeria URL: http://energyhubclub.com
We are seeking a hands-on Hardware & Firmware Engineer to support the build, integration, testing, and monitoring of V0 and V1 portable battery pilots for university-focused energy infrastructure in Nigeria. We are running early-stage pilots to validate hardware behaviour, firmware control, and operational workflows ahead of an institutional-scale deployment.
Role Overview This is a practical, early-stage engineering role focused on modifying and controlling portable power systems for real-world pilot use. The engineer will work closely with the founder to deliver safe, testable, and grant-ready V0 and V1 systems. This is not a factory NPI or mass-manufacturing role.
Hardware Responsibilities
- Reconfigure pre-built portable power stations for pilot use
- Integrate GSM/LTE modules for SIM-based tracking and control
- Implement hardware mechanisms for remote output shutdown
- Validate AC (230V Type-G) and DC output behaviour under load
- Test overload, low-battery, and fault shutdown behaviour
- Support safe enclosure modifications where required
- Prepare small batches (2 3 units for V0, ~10 units for V1)
Firmware Responsibilities
- Design and implement embedded firmware to manage device states (active, disabled, fault)
- Implement remote enable/disable of outputs while keeping tracking and telemetry powered
- Integrate GSM-based telemetry and handle intermittent connectivity
- Enforce firmware-level power, current, and thermal limits
- Implement safe shutdown and fail-safe behaviour for overload, low battery, and thermal events
- Ensure firmware resilience across power loss and reboot scenarios
- Maintain firmware versioning consistency across V0 and V1 units
- Implement lightweight logging for pilot metrics and fault analysis
- Document firmware logic, assumptions, and safety-critical behaviour
Operator Dashboard & Admin Tooling (Low-Code)
- Configure or integrate a simple operator dashboard (no consumer app)
- Display device status, state-of-charge, and fault states
- Enable basic operator actions (remote enable/disable, device flagging)
- Prefer low-code or lightweight tools (e.g. Retool, Appsmith, Supabase, Airtable)
- Support data export for pilot analysis and grant reporting
- Ensure usability under intermittent connectivity
This role does NOT require building a consumer mobile app or a full cloud backend platform.
Required Experience
- Strong hands-on embedded systems experience (ESP32, STM32, or similar)
- Experience with battery systems, inverters, or power electronics
- Experience integrating GSM/LTE modules
- Comfortable working with off-the-shelf hardware and early-stage prototypes
- Strong safety awareness and pragmatic engineering judgement
Not suitable for:
- App developers
- Factory/NPI specialists
- Pure PCB designers
Location & engagement
- EU-based contractors preferred
- Remote + hands-on build required
- Contract duration: ~12 to 16 weeks (possibly longer)
- Milestone-based delivery (V0 V1)
Rate guidance
- 50 70 / hour, depending on experience
- Milestone-based payments
- Paid technical test included
Why this is interesting
- Real-world constraints, not lab theory
- Direct founder collaboration
- Work feeds into grant-funded institutional scale-up
- Clear scope no endless roadmap creep
How to apply Send:
- A short intro & CV
- 1 2 examples of hands-on hardware / firmware work
- Your availability
Send applications or expressions of interest to: contact@energyhubclub.com
To apply: https://weworkremotely.com/remote-jobs/energy-hub-hardware-firmware-engineer-contract-v0-v1-pilots-europe-based-candidates
Similar jobs
Found 6 similar jobs
