Senior Failure Analysis Engineer
Halter · Auckland, New Zealand · 4mo ago
About Halter
At Halter, we’re on a mission to enable farmers and graziers to run the most productive and sustainable operations. Our customers are using Halter to break free from the time-intensive constraints of conventional practices. Imagine watching 500 cattle stand up and walk calmly towards their next break? No quad bikes, no dogs, no fences. Just a group of cattle walking at their own pace. People say it looks like magic. Our customers are revolutionizing grazing with Halter. It's changing lives and transforming an industry. People join Halter to do meaningful work. By joining us you’ll be solving challenging problems within a talented team and a culture built for high performance. Our team out-think, out-work and out-care. We’re committed to delivering real change in the world - this isn’t easy, and in truth, we love that it’s hard.
We’re backed to deliver on a mission that matters by Tier 1 investors including Founders Fund, Bessemer Venture Partners, BOND, DCVC, Blackbird, Promus Ventures, Rocket Lab’s Peter Beck and Icehouse ventures.
To find out more, visit our LinkedIn & Instagram.
About the role
We’re changing the way the world farms - and with that comes a responsibility to the producers worldwide who trust us with their animals. We’re looking for a highly capable and first-principled individual to join our Failure Analysis team and debug failed hardware to root cause, both from the field and lab testing. Halter collars aren’t serviced, aren’t repairable and need to last 6-10 years, anywhere across the globe. To achieve this, we need to know about every failure in the field and how to eliminate it.
You’ll be responsible for debugging and diagnosing failed hardware, including collars and tower components, to deeply understand the root cause. Halter products are complex, highly integrated electromechanical devices, and debugging and root-causing the many different failure modes that occur requires an inquisitive mindset and methodical approach. This is both a technical and operational role where you will be central to closing the feedback loop between our lab & field performance and our engineering teams, ensuring that each failure is investigated, understood, and used to improve product reliability.
This is a huge opportunity for the right person - you will have a lasting impact on farmers across the globe.
What you’ll do
Personally contribute to the highest-impact or deeply ambiguous failure modes. This is a hands-on role; you’ll be very close to the product.
Actively participate in developing the processes and ways of working, to improve accuracy and reduce no-fault-founds.
Mentor and guide junior engineers in their work, with a medium to long term view of expanding their technical knowledge and their approach to failure analysis.
Work closely with hardware, firmware, production, supplier quality and networking teams to investigate failures and find root cause.
Actively support the recruitment process for hiring out a brilliant team, rooted in excellent process discipline, technical capability and a tenacious curiosity to figure things out.
What you’ll bring
Deep electronics engineering experience, with hands-on experience debugging complex hardware.
Experience with diagnosing field failures and understanding the relationships between in-field events and product failures
Excellent communication skills and the ability to translate technical findings into clear feedback for cross-functional teams.
A natural inclination to share knowledge, to educate and mentor
A deep curiosity and principled approach to finding root causes with clear evidence.
Strong sense of ownership and a bias for action - you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into wider challenges when required.
Low ego, highly collaborative and willing to play for the front of the Jersey.
Join our team
Halter is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace — a place where we can each be ourselves and do the best work of our lives. Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and under-represented groups of candidates tend to only apply when they meet every requirement. If you think you have what it takes but don’t necessarily tick every requirement on this job description, please still get in touch and apply to Halter. We’d love to chat to see if you’ll be an epic fit!
If this opportunity sounds like you, please apply below by sending through your cover letter explaining why you’re excited about this role and working at Halter, along with your CV, and we’ll be in touch!
Please also feel free to check out the careers page for more information on working at Halter and don't forget to follow us on LinkedIn & Instagram.
Why our team loves working at Halter:
Work that genuinely matters. Every now and again a company comes along that transforms an entire industry and leaves the world in a better place. Our team gets to be part of something truly meaningful, helping farmers improve their livelihoods, spend more time with their families, and build more sustainable operations.
Spectacular people solving hard problems. Our culture is designed for talented people to do work that changes lives. The team is filled with diverse, kind, and driven people who push each other to do their best work. You'll be thrown into the deep end, tackling complex challenges and building something tangible that solves real problems.
You'll grow here. Autonomy, mastery, and learning define how we work. You'll have the freedom to work on interesting problems, master new skills, and continuously develop yourself, both through your role and our $1,000 personal growth fund.
This isn't easy, and we love that it's hard. Working at Halter will be the most rewarding and the most challenging work of your life. We move fast, take bold bets, and work hard to reshape an entire industry. As one team member put it: "Joining Halter is a bit like strapping yourself to a rocket ship, but it's an epic journey to be a part of!"