Lead Systems Architect - Autonomous Driving Platform

Wayve; Sunnyvale (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Relocation & visa sponsorship

Hybrid working

Learning budget

Benefits package

Job summary

Wayve is seeking an experienced System Architect to own the end-to-end architecture for the Wayve AI Driver across L0–L4. You will define sensor/topology, ECU interfaces, and safety mechanisms while guiding integration with OEMs and partners.

The role involves leading cross-functional discussions and shaping deployment strategies for safe, scalable autonomous driving solutions. You will work closely with product and safety teams to translate high-level goals into concrete architectural

Qualifications

• Strong experience in system architecture, systems engineering or solution architecture for ADAS / AD, robotics or complex safety-relevant embedded systems.
• Broad understanding across system and vehicle-level architecture, sensors, compute and hardware, embedded software, vehicle integration and safety.
• Experience defining and owning product or integration architecture for complex, cross-functional systems end-to-end.
• Ability to translate high-level product or deployment goals into concrete architectural requirements and trade-offs.
• Experience working across multiple technical domains and aligning different engineering stakeholders.
• Experience leading technical discussions with OEMs, Tier 1s or other external partners.
• Working knowledge of ISO 26262 and ISO 21448 (SOTIF) and how they shape system architecture.
• Strong written and verbal communication, including architecture documents that others build from.
• Hands-on enough to support technical problem-solving, bring-up and integration trade-offs in practice.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end system architecture, interface contracts, assumptions of use and decision records.
• Lead technical discussions with OEMs, Tier 1s and partners, aligning internal architecture owners around a common direction.
• Define ECU and sensor requirements, guide system engineers and support integration planning, bring-up, triage and system-level debugging on vehicles and HiL/ViL benches.
• Shape how Wayve AI Driver is deployed across L0–L4, with near-term focus on L3 eyes-off and L4 driver-out.
• Translate use cases, ODD and operational constraints into reusable product, system and integration architecture.
• Define sensor and compute topology, vehicle interfaces, safety mechanisms, redundancy, fallback and minimal-risk manoeuvre assumptions with safety engineering.
• Define on-board/off-board architecture for connectivity, remote assistance and operation, and fleet operations, including latency, availability and Wayve/OEM/operator ownership.
• Distinguish core product changes from partner-specific integration so deployment needs strengthen one common architecture.

Skills

System architecture

ADAS/Autonomous driving

Safety-critical embedded systems

Cross-functional collaboration

ISO 26262 / SOTIF familiarity

OEM/partner engagement

Tools

HiL/ViL benches

Embedded software debugging

Job description

Wayve is seeking an experienced System Architect to own the end-to-end architecture for the Wayve AI Driver across L0–L4. You will define sensor/topology, ECU interfaces, and safety mechanisms while guiding integration with OEMs and partners.

The role involves leading cross-functional discussions and shaping deployment strategies for safe, scalable autonomous driving solutions. You will work closely with product and safety teams to translate high-level goals into concrete architectural