VH.Contact
VOLODYMYR HIRNYJ · ENGINEERING LEADER · SYSTEMS ARCHITECT

Transforming ambitious ideas
into reliable products.

I work with founders, executives, and engineering teams to solve complex engineering problems. My focus is on defining technical direction and growing engineering teams to build reliable, manufacturable products that scale with the business. That approach is grounded in more than 14 years of experience spanning product development, technical leadership, and hands-on engineering.

I enjoy bringing people together around a shared technical vision. The best products come from engineering, manufacturing, quality, and business teams working toward the same goal. Shared direction gives people the clarity and confidence to solve difficult problems together.

Volodymyr Hirnyj
20+Embedded Systems Architected
25+Production Releases
1,000sUnits Manufactured
98%Manufacturing Test-Time Reduction
80%Customer Complaint Reduction
$15M+Funding Supported
2Company Acquisitions
01 / CONTACT

Let's build something together.

Email MeLinkedInDownload Resume
02 / MY WORKExplore +
02 / MY WORK

What I've Built

Next-Generation Scalp Cooling System

Medical Device Development
Problem
Existing system design was not scalable and lacked patient, clinician, and service/support features.
Role
Architected the next-generation platform and directed an internal and external engineering team through electronics and software development.
Result
Established a modular foundation for long-term product evolution.

Scalp Cooling Product Evolution

Sustaining Operations
Problem
Reliability issues, manufacturing feedback, supply chain constraints, and customer complaints needed to be translated into product improvements.
Role
Guided sustaining engineering across five product releases, driving root-cause investigations and coordinating improvements across engineering, manufacturing, suppliers, quality, and commercial teams.
Result
Reduced customer complaints by 80% while improving product reliability, manufacturability, and long-term supportability.

Underwater Algae Harvester

Marine Robotics
Problem
Harvesting algae underwater required a vehicle capable of reliable long-duration autonomous operation in a challenging environment.
Role
Architected the robotic platform, led a multidisciplinary engineering team, and developed the embedded hardware, software, and autonomous navigation system.
Result
Delivered multiple working prototypes and introduced a novel underwater navigation approach that enabled dependable field operation.

Automated Neuromonitoring Test Platform

Manufacturing Systems
Problem
Slow, operator-dependent testing constrained production volume and delayed engineering feedback.
Role
Architected an automated manufacturing test platform, defined the technical direction, and coordinated software, FPGA, embedded, and electronics development through production validation.
Result
Reduced manufacturing test time by 98%, improved diagnostic visibility, successful IQ/OQ/PQ.

Connected Fitness Device

Commercial Product Development
Problem
An early prototype lacked the engineering foundation required for commercial production.
Role
Led product architecture, engineering, manufacturing transition, and supplier coordination with the founder.
Result
Moved the product to overseas commercial production and supported hundreds of annual units.

Drone Defense Platform

Defense Systems
Problem
An early-stage counter-drone platform needed a more scalable architecture and a path toward production.
Role
Advanced the system architecture, developed power electronics, mentored an international engineering team, and supported customer demonstrations and manufacturing transition.
Result
Improved technical maturity, introduced an SDR-based architecture, and helped prepare the platform for commercial growth and eventual acquisition.

Software/Firmware Process Modernization

Engineering Infrastructure
Problem
Inconsistent workflows and manual releases increased development and release risk.
Role
Established standard operating procedures, templates, and verification/validation testing practices across the development lifecycle.
Result
Created repeatable workflows compliant with IEC 62304.

Embedded CI/CD Systems

Engineering Infrastructure
Problem
Manual build, verification, packaging, and release workflows were inconsistent, risky, and time-consuming.
Role
Established embedded CI/CD infrastructure and development workflows across the engineering organization.
Result
Shortened feedback loops, release time, and reduced risk.

Thermal Scalp Simulation Platform

Medical Device Research
Problem
Inconsistent prototype testing made thermal design decisions difficult to validate.
Role
Architected the instrumented controls and experimental platform.
Result
Created repeatable validation workflows that reduced development uncertainty before costly testing.

Renal Denervation Generator Stabilization

New Product Introduction
Problem
Recurring cross-disciplinary issues threatened launch readiness during a time-sensitive introduction.
Role
Provided technical leadership during manufacturing launch to rapidly identify, prioritize, and resolve cross-disciplinary production issues.
Result
Improved launch readiness and issue response.

Failure Analysis Systems

Medical Devices
Problem
Production, quality, and field evidence needed to inform one reliability workflow.
Role
Unified failure analysis process connecting production, quality, and field performance.
Result
Improved prioritization and engineering response time.

Diagnostic and Analysis Tools

Engineering Infrastructure
Problem
Device and production data did not consistently support timely engineering decisions.
Role
Established engineering tooling and data workflows to improve investigation and decision-making.
Result
Accelerated failure investigation and technical learning.

PCB Design Standards and Review Systems

Engineering Operations
Problem
Technical consistency needed to scale without adding unnecessary ceremony.
Role
Created development standards, review workflows, and technical mentorship practices.
Result
Improved ownership, consistency, and decision traceability.

R&D Evaluation Platforms

Engineering R&D
Problem
Unclear performance requirements and assumptions made it difficult to select the correct components to design the product with.
Role
Created modular evaluation platforms that reduced technical uncertainty before product development.
Result
Reduced technical uncertainty and improved architectural decision-making before product development.

Fluid Pump Burn-In Test Fixture

Industrial Automation
Problem
Manufacturing needed consistent verification without unnecessary operator burden.
Role
Led development of an automated production test solution, defining the test architecture and manufacturing workflow.
Result
Improved repeatability and production visibility.

Legacy Device Bootloader

Medical Device Development
Problem
Firmware updates required complete device disassembly.
Role
Re-architected the update process by introducing a field-upgradable bootloader.
Result
Reduced service time by five days and enabled remote firmware updates.

Neuromonitor Production Debugging

New Product Introduction
Problem
Manufacturing ramp-up revealed a myraid of issues resulting in a severely low yield.
Role
Traveled to manufacturing site to debug the design, process, and testing of the device.
Result
Resolved about a dozen issues in a week, improving yield from 25% to 80%
03 / TECHNICAL REFERENCEExplore +
03 / TECHNICAL REFERENCE

A searchable engineering
appendix.

This reference reflects the multidisciplinary nature of my work across the full product development lifecycle. While no single project includes every technology listed here, each represents hands-on experience gained through designing, building, manufacturing, or supporting complex embedded systems.

Microcontrollers and Compute PlatformsEXPAND +
  • STM32
  • PIC18
  • PIC24
  • MSP430
  • CC2640
  • TM4C
  • Raspberry Pi
  • ARM Cortex-M
  • TrustZone
  • Secure Boot
Programming LanguagesEXPAND +
  • C
  • C++
  • Python
  • VHDL
  • YAML
  • Shell scripting
RTOS and Embedded SoftwareEXPAND +
  • FreeRTOS
  • CMSIS
  • Bare metal
  • RTOS architecture
  • Device drivers
  • Hardware abstraction layers
  • Bootloaders
  • OTA updates
  • Diagnostics
  • State machines
  • PID controllers
  • CLI
  • Utilities
Electronics and HardwareEXPAND +
  • Mixed-signal PCB design
  • Sensors
  • Power systems
  • Battery systems
  • Motor controls
  • Pump controls
  • LEDs
  • EMC
  • Board bring-up
Communications and ConnectivityEXPAND +
  • Protocol development
  • RS-485
  • UART
  • SPI
  • I2C
  • USB
  • Ethernet
  • BLE
  • Wi-Fi
FPGAEXPAND +
  • Cyclone III
  • MAX II
  • Intel Quartus
  • FPGA architecture
  • Deterministic timing
  • Signal generation
  • Hardware interfaces
Manufacturing and ProductionEXPAND +
  • NPI
  • Production ramp
  • Production test
  • DFM
  • DFT
  • Process improvement
  • Defect investigation
  • Test fixtures
  • Supplier collaboration
  • Sustaining engineering
Verification and QualityEXPAND +
  • Risk management
  • Automated verification
  • Verification planning
  • Requirements traceability
  • Static analysis
  • Design reviews
  • Root cause analysis
  • Quality systems
  • Design verification
Development InfrastructureEXPAND +
  • Azure DevOps
  • Git
  • CMake
  • Ninja
  • CI/CD
  • Build automation
  • Release workflows
  • Python tooling
  • Docker
Embedded Development ToolsEXPAND +
  • STM32CubeIDE
  • Code Composer Studio
  • MPLAB
  • VS Code
Electronic Design ToolsEXPAND +
  • Altium Designer
  • OrCAD
  • Schematic capture
  • PCB review
  • Simulation
Mechanical and CADEXPAND +
  • FreeCAD
  • 3D printing
  • Mechanical integration
  • Thermal systems
  • Enclosure constraints
  • CAD collaboration
  • Design for assembly
Systems ArchitectureEXPAND +
  • System decomposition
  • Requirements engineering
  • Interface definition
  • Memory architecture
  • Platform roadmaps
  • Trade studies
  • Risk analysis
Medical Device DevelopmentEXPAND +
  • 510(k) submissions
  • Design controls
  • IEC 62304 process development
  • ISO 13485
  • Quality systems
  • Risk management
  • Requirements traceability
  • Verification planning
  • Manufacturing support
Technical LeadershipEXPAND +
  • Technical ownership
  • Design reviews
  • Mentoring
  • Cross-functional planning
  • Development standards
  • External partnerships