Principal Systems Engineer

Bose Corporation; Framingham (MA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 231,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus programs

Health and welfare benefits

401(k) plan

Employee discount

Job summary

Bose Corporation, Framingham, MA, seeks a Principal Systems Engineer to shape architecture and lead cross-functional teams delivering advanced audio and sound management across embedded, AI/ML, and cloud platforms.

You will drive end-to-end systems engineering, define strategic roadmaps, manage risks, and guide make-versus-buy decisions to align with Bose’s product goals and customer experiences.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (Systems, Electrical, Software, Acoustics, DSP, Audio Engineering) or related field.
• 12+ years of experience leading complex platforms through concept to launch.
• Deep expertise in at least two technical domains (DSP, acoustics, sensors, AI/ML, embedded systems).
• Experience defining system architectures and maintaining traceability across needs and verification.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and influence across disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Lead platform and system architecture for advanced audio and sound management across consumer and automotive platforms.
• Partner with PM, Research, and Architects to translate portfolio vision into technical strategy and roadmaps.
• Drive end-to-end systems engineering activities: requirements, trade studies, risk analysis, verification.
• Identify opportunities for platform reuse and scalable product line engineering.
• Influence hardware/software design decisions using systems thinking across DSP, AI/ML, embedded systems, acoustics, cloud.

Skills

Systems thinking

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Traceability & verification

Risk analysis

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (Systems, Electrical, Software, Acoustics, DSP, Audio Engineering)

Job description

At Bose Corporation, we believe sound is the most powerful force on earth — and for over 60 years, we have been a company built on innovation, excellence, and independence. Privately owned, fiercely customer-focused, and driven by our values, we continue to lead industries and transform lives through sound.

Today, Bose Corporation is entering an exciting new era. Across multiple global Business Units and Global Functions, we are shaping the future of audio technology, automotive, luxury, and premium experiences. We invite you to join us in this transformation.

Job Description

About the Team

Bose is known for innovative, high-performance audio systems and is expanding its reach through exceptional products and technology licensing. Our technologies power experiences in consumer and automotive applications around the world.

Join our Global Research & Development organization to help shape the next generation of audio experiences. Our teams explore new technologies, use cases, user interactions, and early concepts, then translate them into clear system requirements, scalable architectures, advanced algorithms, and tuning approaches that deliver exceptional audio experiences.

About the Role

We are seeking a Principal Systems Engineer to join Bose Audio Lab in a highly visible technical leadership role. You will shape platform strategy, define system architecture, and guide cross-functional teams in delivering advanced audio and sound management solutions that span across embedded systems, AI/ML algorithms, mobile applications, cloud services, and third-party software integrations for consumer, and automotive products.

• Lead platform and system architecture for advanced audio and sound management capabilities across consumer, and automotive platforms from cradle to grave.

• Partner with Product Management, Research, and Architects from various engineering disciplines to translate portfolio vision into technical strategy, system requirements, and platform roadmaps.

• Drive end-to-end systems engineering activities, including integrating stakeholder needs, requirements definition, architecture development, trade studies, risk analysis, verification, and validation.

• Identify opportunities for platform reuse, architectural commonality, and clear variation points to support scalable product line engineering.

• Influence software and hardware design decisions by applying systems thinking across DSP and AI/ML algorithms, embedded systems, acoustics, cloud-connected experiences, and mobile applications.

• Use model-based and analytical approaches to evaluate alternatives, guide trade-off decisions, and maintain traceability across stakeholder needs, requirements, architecture, and verification intent.

• Lead critical architectural decisions, including make-versus-buy choices, reuse strategy, and technology selection, with clear rationale tied to business and product goals.

• Partner across teams to identify and mitigate technical, safety, cybersecurity, and compliance risks early in development.

• Stay current with emerging technologies and industry trends and help turn innovation into differentiated product experiences.

This is an ideal opportunity for a systems thinker to influence the future of audio, shape foundational platform decisions, and work with cross-functional teams to deliver technologies that delight customers around the world.

About You

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (Systems, Electrical, Software, Acoustics, DSP, Audio Engineering), or a related field.

• 12+ years of experience leading complex platforms from concept through launch, with substantial experience in systems engineering, systems architecture, or related technical leadership roles.

• Deep expertise in at least two relevant technical domains, with working knowledge across others such as DSP algorithms, acoustics, analog and digital electronics, sensors, AI/ML, embedded systems and firmware, cloud engineering, data analysis, and mobile applications.

• Experience defining system architectures, managing technical trade-offs, and maintaining traceability across needs, requirements, architecture, and verification.

• Strong understanding of ecosystem, platform, and system-of-systems relationships in complex platforms as well as requirements development, system decomposition, and verification/validation.

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and influence skills to build alignment across disciplines and organizational levels.

• Strong problem-solving skills, sound engineering judgment, and navigate ambiguity, conflicting requirements, and complex decisions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• INCOSE ASE/CSEP certification or equivalent experience applying systems engineering first principles and best practices.

• Experience in consumer audio, automotive audio, wearables, or other complex embedded product domains.

• Experience using model-based systems engineering (MBSE) approaches to support architecture development and trade studies.

• Experience working in Agile environments and leading cross-functional teams.

• Experience driving organizational change, engineering transformation, or adoption of new processes and tools.

• Comfort using modern engineering productivity tools, including AI-assisted tools, to improve efficiency and learning speed.

At Bose, you’re inspired to be and do your best and are rewarded for your unique talents! Our compensation is thoughtfully tailored to your skills, experience, education, and location, and goes beyond base salary. The hiring range for this position in the primary work location of Framingham, Massachusetts is: $168,300-$231,450.The hiring range for other Bose work locations may vary.In addition to competitive base pay we offer rewards including bonus programs, comprehensive health and welfare benefits, a 401(k) plan, plus exclusive perks designed to support your wellbeing, and a generous employee discount where you can immerse yourself in our products and experiences. We are a proudly independent company—driven by purpose, guided by our values, and united by a belief in the power of sound. As the world leader in audio experiences, we’re creating what’s next—pushing boundaries and delivering transformative sound experiences for people everywhere. Join us and make your next career move a mic-drop. Let’s Make Waves.

Bose is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics. The EEOC’s “Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal” Poster is available here: https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf. Bose is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to [e-mail]. Please include "Application Accommodation Request" in the subject of the email.

Our goal is to create an atmosphere where every candidate feels supported and empowered in the interviewing process. Diversity and inclusion are integral to our success, and we believe that providing reasonable accommodation is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental aspect of our commitment to being an employer of choice. We recognize that individuals may have different needs and requirements based on their abilities, and we provide reasonable accommodations to ensure ideal conditions are met during the application process.