Otto Motors - Martyn Bassett Associates

Our client was looking for a subject matter expert (SME) to step into the role of VP, Hardware Engineering.

The Search Statistics

Number of days to the first round of resumes: 7
Number of candidates considered: 20
Number of candidates interviewed: 8
Number of business days to complete the search: 83

The Search

This hire would be the hardware engineering leader and report into the CTO. Their mandate would be to manage Mechanical, Electrical and Systems Engineering teams (a total of 40 people, with 3 Manager-level reports).

The Client

OTTO Motors automate common material handling tasks, big and small, to help manufacturers tackle labor shortages, scale their businesses, and outperform the competition.

Search Requirements

The successful hire needed to have 10+ years of experience in hardware product design and minimum 5 years of management experience in building and leading successful engineering teams. Past experience managing similarly sized teams with a layer of Managers/Directors between them and the engineers was also considered essential.

Our client required an expert in hardware engineering development and system integration, with experience in managing suppliers and outsourcing design and manufacturing, and taking a product from concept to production. Knowledge in mechatronic systems in industrial or automotive environments and experience with stationary or mobile robotics was a huge plus.

The Hire

An Electrical Engineer by trade with over 20 years of experience in new product design and development. They had spent the last 3 years in engineering leadership for companies manufacturing IoT solutions, smart sensors, and electro-mechanical assemblies for manufacturing and material handling needs. They also had over 3 years of experience managing teams of 30 – 40 split between Hardware, Mechanical Design, and Embedded Firmware, while reporting into C-level leadership. The bonus was their 5 years of experience working on New Product Development for a smart device start-up owning hardware development and sourcing of contract manufacturing overseas.

“Martyn Bassett Associates quickly found a broad spectrum of candidates, and continued to refine their searches as we progressed through the process. They also kept the burden on the hiring team as low as possible, from initial engagement all the way through the final offer.”

–– Ryan Gariepy, CTO & Co-Founder

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