Staff Systems Architect

Story Terrace Inc.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

SAVA is seeking a passionate Staff System Architect to drive system-level technical development across complex, multidisciplinary product programmes. The role focuses on Architecture & Risk while supporting Requirements & Test across software, hardware, chemistry, manufacturing and quality.

The ideal candidate will lead cross-functional design decisions, simplify interfaces, and apply risk analysis to ensure scalable, robust systems.

Qualifications

• Broad technical understanding across engineering disciplines.
• Ability to rapidly learn unfamiliar domains and ask precise, useful questions.
• Strong systems thinking and architectural judgment.
• Experience with risk analysis methods such as dFMEA, pFMEA, hazard analysis.
• Experience delivering cross-functional technical programmes or feature cycles.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical development from a system-level perspective across cross-functional cycles.
• Drive architectural clarity by simplifying interfaces and reducing coupling.
• Apply structured risk analysis to identify system weaknesses and risks.
• Support test efforts and use feedback to refine system design.
• Define requirements and maintain architectural documentation.

Skills

Broad technical understanding

Systems thinking

Architectural judgment

Leadership in system design

Risk analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Learning across domains

Tools

Model Based Engineering

FMEA (dFMEA/pFMEA)

Regulatory interface awareness

Job description

About SAVA

All the health information we need is within us. Just below the skin. SAVA is redefining the way people interact with their health by developing the most advanced biosensing technology science has to offer, capable of accessing bodily information in a painless, real-time and affordable way.

The Role

We are looking for a passionate Staff System Architect to drive system-level technical development across complex, multidisciplinary product programmes at Sava. Technical disciplines at SAVA span areas like mechanical engineering and chemistry through to manufacturing and software. Among the four pillars of Systems Engineering at Sava (Requirements, Test, Architecture, Risk), this role focuses on Architecture & Risk, whilst firmly supporting Requirements & Test.

Its all about interfaces - obsess, refine, rinse and repeat. The relentless pursuit of system elegance is what this role is about. The right candidate will continuously simplify interfaces, lock in on areas of system brittleness, remove unnecessary coupling, challenge complexity, and keep iterating until the result is elegant, scalable, and robust. Does this resonate with you?

This role is for someone who enjoys moving across technical disciplines. A specialism in one or two areas is valuable, but the core requirement is broad technical range and crucially; curiosity and humility to learn. If you prefer to stick with the familiarity of your own domain and keep other domains at arm’s length, this is not the right role for you.

What You’ll Do

• Lead technical development from a system-level perspective across cross-functional feature development cycles or other complex cross-team initiatives.
• Drive architectural clarity by simplifying interfaces, reducing coupling, and making system behaviour easier to reason about.
• Use structured risk analysis techniques (e.g. FMEA) to identify system weaknesses & risks (patient, security etc.).
• Getting stuck in and supporting test efforts, and using them as feedback to validate/refine system design.
• Support in great requirements definition throughout.
• Consistently funnelling work into clear tangible outputs such as requirements, block diagrams, interface control documents, architectural specifications through to introducing company level naming conventions where required.
• Enjoying the art of translating concepts, constraints, and tradeoffs between technical teams to allow cross-disciplinary teams to truly engage. Technical teams at Sava span areas such as software, hardware, mechanical, chemistry, biology, manufacturing, quality, and regulatory.
• Use of model based engineering concepts where effective.
• Work closely with Quality and Regulatory Affairs to ensure designs and processes support regulatory compliance.
• Work closely with Programme Management to support timelines, coordination, and critical-path delivery.
• Develop and refine technical processes that improve delivery quality and repeatability.

What We’re Looking For

• Broad technical understanding across multiple engineering and scientific disciplines.
• Ability to rapidly learn unfamiliar domains and ask precise, useful questions.
• Strong systems thinking and architectural judgment.
• Comfortable engaging deeply with technical detail without losing sight of the whole system.
• Confident and pragmatic to lead system design decisions, balancing collaboration with intentional design.
• The ability to keep conversations focused, balancing valuable diverse inputs whilst being confident and intentional in technically sound system design will be essential for the role of this seniority.
• Experience with risk analysis methods such as dFMEA, pFMEA, hazard analysis, or related techniques.
• Experience delivering cross-functional technical programmes or feature cycles.

Bonus Points For

• Experience with creating and maintaining detailed documentation required for regulatory submissions and compliance for medical devices. Strong understanding of medical device regulations, including ISO 13485.
• A strong specialism in at least one relevant field is desirable.

Why SAVA?

This is a high-ownership, high-responsibility role in a company that’s building something complex, meaningful, and fast. The expectations are high, the learning curve is steep, and the work is often messy - but the impact is real.

We don’t have room for egos or passengers. What we do have is a team of thoughtful, driven, and mission-aligned people who are committed to building something better - and doing it with urgency and integrity.