Lead Hardware Systems Architect - RF, Power & Thermal

Out in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 211,000 - 242,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary paid time off

Paid parental leave for all

Medical, dental, and vision plans

Fitness programs

Emotional & mental wellness support

Learning & development programs

Snacks in offices

Relocation assistance

Fully remote eligibility

Job summary

Axon is seeking a Principal Hardware Systems Architect to own system architecture across electrical, RF, mechanical, and thermal domains. You will define standards, drive cross-functional design decisions, and ensure production readiness for mass-market hardware with ODM/JDM partnerships.

You will lead verification planning, risk mitigation, and certification across U.S. and international standards, while collaborating with EE, RF, and ME leads to deliver scalable, high-performance devices.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hardware engineering experience.
• Experience owning system architecture for complex, integrated hardware.
• Track record bringing compact, battery-powered hardware to mass production.
• Deep experience in RF/antenna integration, power, thermal, EMI/EMC, shielding, enclosure design.

Responsibilities

• Develop system architecture across electrical, RF, mechanical, thermal, and software domains.
• Create block diagrams and interaction diagrams to guide implementation.
• Analyze power, thermal, and computational budgets; balance performance, size, and cost.
• Lead concept studies with internal and external teams; present outcomes and recommendations.
• Write and vet system requirements; ensure traceability from PRD through V&V.
• Review product requirements for next-generation devices.
• Simulate and verify subsystem capability against requirements.
• Manage requirements traceability.
• Lead cross-discipline design reviews; secure stakeholder buy-in.
• Own verification/validation strategy and risk mitigation.
• Develop certification strategy across U.S. and international standards.
• Partner with ODM/JDM for DFM/DFA and production readiness.

Skills

Hardware engineering

System architecture

Cross-disciplinary decisions

Mass production

RF/antenna integration

Power architecture

Thermal management

EMI/EMC

Enclosure design

Regulatory certification

ODM/JDM partnerships

Hardware design tools

Tools

Altium/Cadence

SolidWorks/Creo/NX

RF testing equipment

Thermal characterization tools

PLM/BOM / requirements management

Job description

Axon is seeking a Principal Hardware Systems Architect to own system architecture across electrical, RF, mechanical, and thermal domains. You will define standards, drive cross-functional design decisions, and ensure production readiness for mass-market hardware with ODM/JDM partnerships.

You will lead verification planning, risk mitigation, and certification across U.S. and international standards, while collaborating with EE, RF, and ME leads to deliver scalable, high-performance devices.