Senior Staff System Architect

Aurora; Mountain View (CA); Hybrid; USD 197,000 - 285,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus

Equity compensation

Hybrid work model (3 days in office)

Job summary

Aurora is seeking a Senior Systems Architect to define and maintain the overall hardware/software architecture for complex products. You will translate product and market requirements into system-level specifications, lead architecture reviews, and ensure interoperability across domains.

You will mentor engineering teams, support design and manufacturing readiness, and work in a hybrid environment in Mountain View, CA.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in electrical or computer engineering.
• 12+ years experience leading cross-functional technical initiatives.
• Expertise in system architecture and signal/power integrity.
• Lead hardware/software co-design for performance per watt.
• Familiarity with PCIe, Ethernet, GMSL, NVMe, CAN, I²C, SPI.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the overall system architecture for complex hardware/software products.
• Translate requirements into system-level specifications and architecture artifacts.
• Conduct trade-off analyses across performance, security, reliability, power, and cost.
• Lead architecture reviews and manage cross-domain risks.
• Support engineering teams during design, validation and manufacturing readiness.
• Mentor engineering staff in system-level thinking and decision making.

Skills

System architecture

Cross-functional leadership

High speed signaling

Signal and power integrity

Performance per watt

Interoperability standards

Technical decision making

Excellent communication

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in Electrical/Computer Engineering

Tools

PCIe

Ethernet

GMSL

NVMe

CAN

I²C

SPI

Job description

Who we are

Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly.

The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, one that will bring a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone.

At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. For the latest news from Aurora, visit aurora.tech or follow us on LinkedIn.

What we are looking for

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all.

In this role you will

• Define and maintain the overall system architecture for complex hardware/software integrated products.

• Translate product and market requirements into system-level specifications, functional decomposition, and architecture artifacts.

• Conduct trade‑off analyses incorporating performance, security, reliability, power, thermal, and cost considerations.

• Select and recommend technologies for processors, memory, storage, networking, management controllers, and other core system elements.

• Establish and enforce system interface standards and interoperability guidelines.

• Lead architecture reviews and manage cross-domain technical risks.

• Support engineering teams during design, validation and manufacturing readiness.

• Mentor engineering staff in system-level thinking, architecture methods, and technical decision-making processes.

Required qualifications

• This role requires a bachelor's or master's degree with a focus in electrical or computer engineering

• 12+ years experience with proven ability to lead cross-functional technical initiatives and resolve integration challenges

• Expertise in system architecture, understanding of signal and power integrity, high speed signaling

• Lead hardware/software co-design efforts to maximize performance per watt and overall system efficiency

• Expertise in multiple relevant domains: compute architecture, networking, power and thermal management, system security.

• Familiarity with industry standards such as PCIe, Ethernet, GMSL, NVMe, CAN, I²C, SPI, and emerging protocols

• Experienced in producing architectural documentation, designing diagrams, compiling requirements matrices, and providing technical justifications.

• Excellent communication skills for interacting with technical & non-technical stakeholders

Desirable qualifications

• Experience with driverless automotive systems, Lidar system architecture, and/or network design

• Deep understanding of AI/ML accelerators and energy efficient compute design

• Background in performance modeling, cost optimization & workload driven architecture

• Knowledge of automotive requirements, safety framework (ISO26262) and qualification processes

• FPGA/ASIC Design experience

• For roles based in Mountain View, CA: The salary range for this position is $197,000 - $285,000 per year.

• Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

Working at Aurora

At Aurora, we bring together extraordinarily talented and experienced people united by the strength of our values. We operate with integrity, set outrageous goals, and build a culture where we win together — all without any jerks.

We believe in-person work increases collaboration, empathy and our ability to lead effectively. As a result, we operate in a hybrid work environment where Aurorans are in office at least 3 days per week.

Our Careers page provides insight into what it is like to work at Aurora, and you can find all the latest updates in our Newsroom.

Our commitment to safety

At the core of everything we do is our commitment to safety. Building best-in-class self-driving technology will take time, and we believe that each employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. Aurora expects commitment to our safety policies from every employee, and seeks candidates who take an active responsibility, can contribute to building an atmosphere of trust, and invest in the organization’s long-term success by prioritizing working safely, no matter what.

Our commitment to inclusion

Aurora considers candidates without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, parent or caregiver status, ancestry, political affiliation, veteran and/or military status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by federal or state law. Aurora considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].

For California applicants, information collected and processed as part of your application and any job applications you choose to submit is subject to Aurora’s California Employment Privacy Policy.