Principal Hardware Product Manager - Spark

Job description

Crusoe is on a mission *to accelerate the abundance of energy and intelligence*. As the only vertically integrated AI infrastructure company built from the ground up, we own and operate each layer of the stack — from electrons to tokens — to power the world's most ambitious AI workloads. When you join Crusoe, you join a team that is building the future, faster. We're in the midst of the greatest industrial revolution of our time. The demand for AI compute is boundless, and power is a bottleneck. We're solving that — with an energy-first approach that makes AI infrastructure better for the world and faster for the people innovating with AI. We're looking for problem-solving, opportunity-finding teammates with a sense of urgency, who believe in the scale of our ambition and thrive on a path not fully paved — people who want to grow their careers alongside a team of experts across energy, manufacturing, data center construction, and cloud services. If you want to do the most meaningful work of your career, help our customers and partners advance their AI strategies, and be part of a high-performing team that believes in each other, come build with us at Crusoe. **About the role:** Crusoe is a vertically integrated AI Factory company accelerating the abundance of energy and intelligence through modular infrastructure. We are seeking a Principal Hardware Product Manager to own the multi-year Hardware roadmap and Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) for Crusoe Spark™, our modular datacenter. In this role, “hardware” and “product” refers to the physical infrastructure of the Spark module: structural steel modules, RPPs, DLC cooling loops, CDUs, chillers, piping headers, electrical and mechanical systems, and power distribution gear. Compute hardware (servers, GPUs, storage, networking, and rack specifications) is owned by Cloud Product. Cloud Product defines the compute needs; you define the Hardware that houses and powers it. **What You'll Be Working On:** I. Physical Module Roadmap & Design Requirements - **Hardware Roadmap Ownership:** Own and maintain the multi-year Spark hardware roadmap. - **Hardware PRD Authorship:** Author precise Spark PRDs for physical modules, translating compute needs into concrete structural, thermal, and electrical specifications. - **Compute-to-Hardware Translation:** Receive Cloud Product’s GPU, server, and rack requirements and translate them into modular physical configurations - power envelopes/distribution, rack weights, fluid specs. Partner with Cloud Product leads and own the facility-side interface: power distribution to racks, fluid flow, rack weight and floor loadings etc. - **Physical Version Management:** Manage hardware generation transitions. Define cut-in criteria, retrofit rules, module-side accommodation of rack footprint, loading, and cooling interface per Cloud Product’s rack specifications., and documentation required for manufacturing release. II. Requirements Ownership & Engineering Partnership - **Spark Hardware TPM Alignment:** Work in lockstep with Spark Hardware TPMs and engineering discipline leads (Mechanical, Electrical, Structural, Thermal) to guide physical development from concept to build. - **Requirements Discipline:** Set clear product hardware requirements (module power distribution capacity, thermal capacity, transportability) and hold hardware engineering teams accountable without prescribing detailed sub-component implementation. - **Design Partner Leadership:** Serve as the primary design contact for external architecture, engineering, and modular design firms. - **Requirements intake from Cloud Product:** Collaborate with Cloud Product teams to ensure that the physical Spark module hardware supports the GPU & rack-level architecture needs. Translate GPU/rack compute needs directly into physical facility capabilities (fluid flow rates, power specs, structural building and frame requirements). **What You'll Bring to the Team:** - **Physical Infrastructure Roadmap Expertise:** 10-15 years owning multi-year physical product roadmaps, with a proven track record shipping complex hardware or heavy mechanical/electrical infrastructure. - **Disciplined Hardware PRD Management:** Expertise in writing clear hardware product requirements (PRDs) for physical systems and requisite sub-systems separating product requirements from engineering requirements, and designing to requirements supplied by an upstream customer or platform team. - **Cross-Functional Leadership:** Track record driving alignment across mechanical, electrical, structural, thermal, and manufacturing teams during first-of-a-kind builds. - **Clear Technical Communication:** Exceptional written communication with emphasis on precise engineering trade-off documentation and executive-level clarity. **Education** - **Required:** Bachelor’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Systems, or a related physical engineering discipline. - **Strongly Preferred:** Master’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical or Electrical) and/or an active Professional Engineer (PE) license in at least one U.S. jurisdiction. **Bonus Points** - **DLC & Advanced Thermal Design:** Experience specifying liquid cooling loops, CDUs, or secondary fluid loops for high-density compute environments. - **Data Center Infrastructure:** Product experience in physical data center infrastructure, high-voltage distribution, industrial cooling, or heavy modular/prefab hardware. - **Advanced Power Distribution:** Experience specifying 800V DC or medium-to-low voltage data center power topologies. - **Modular Construction / Offsite Fabrication:** Hands-on experience with modular/prefab construction, containerized enclosures, or advanced offsite manufacturing. - **Tooling Fluency:** Familiarity with CAD/BIM platforms (Revit, SolidWorks), electrical single-line diagrams (SLDs), or CFD/thermal simulation workflows. **This Role Is Not a Good Fit If:** - **You’ve owned physical infrastructure products end to end:** You have defined, built, and shipped complex mechanical enclosures, power distribution products, or industrial systems, and you’re energized by designing steel, piping, pumps, and power distribution where next-gen compute runs inside. - **You turn upstream requirements into buildable design:** You’re comfortable receiving requirements from a platform or customer team and translating them into precise structural, thermal, and electrical specifications, with clear trade-offs documented. - **You’d rather define the design than run the schedule:** You want to set physical design requirements and make the trade-offs that shape the module, and you partner with TPMs and engineering leads who run the schedule and program logistics. **How This Role Works with Cloud Product:** Cloud Product defines what the compute needs: GPU, server, and rack requirements, along with the software stack that runs on them. This role defines the physical module that houses and powers that compute: structure, piping, cooling, and power distribution. - **Requirements flow in:** Cloud Product provides compute, rack, and server requirements. You translate them into physical capabilities (kW per rack, fluid flow, rack loading) and commit to what the module can deliver. - **Roadmaps stay in sync:** Spark Module generations are sequenced to Cloud Product’s compute roadmap. Cloud Product owns the GPU, server, and storage roadmap; you own the physical module roadmap. - Customer-facing cloud offerings, pricing, packaging, go-to-market, and software built on Spark are owned by Cloud Product. This role owns the physical module only. **Benefits:** - Competitive compensation and equity packages - Restricted Stock Units - Paid time off, paid holidays & leave of absence programs - Comprehensive health, dental & vision insurance - Employer contributions to HSA account - Paid parental leave - Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability - Professional development & tuition reimbursement - Mental health & wellness support - Commuter benefits (parking & transit) - Cell phone stipend - 401(k) Retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary - Volunteer time off - Global travel insurance & emergency assistance - Daily meals allowance - Additional perks & programs specific to location **Compensation Range** Compensation will be paid in the range of up to $225,000-$255,000 + Bonus. Restricted Stock Units are included in all offers. Compensation to be determined by the applicant's knowledge, education, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. Crusoe is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, citizenship, marital status, sex/gender, sexual preference/ orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, national origin, or any other status protected by law or regulation.