Lead Architect - Unified Communications & Collaboration (UC&C)

Acuity Inc.•Atlanta, GA

10d•$150,000 - $270,000•Remote

About The Position

We are looking for a Lead Architect to serve as a key engineering leader for our Unified Communications & Collaboration hardware and software portfolio, spanning Audio, Video, and Control domains. This is a senior role for someone who has spent their career at the intersection of conferencing platforms (Microsoft Teams, Zoom) and the hardware/software products certified to run on them. You will define system architectures, contribute to hardware and software requirements, and act as the technical authority guiding our engineering and product teams through the fast-changing landscape of Unified Communications platforms. You'll be equally comfortable in a whiteboard architecture review, a certification lab, and a conversation with product management about tradeoffs and roadmap. Your technical expertise will be required to lead teams through UC certification efforts and help define broader solution-level test strategies. This role has no formal direct reports but is expected to influence, mentor, and guide engineers across the organization.

Requirements

10+ years of relevant industry experience in audio/video/collaboration hardware and software development.
Direct prior experience at a company that designed, built, and certified Teams and/or Zoom conferencing devices (e.g., cameras, speakerphones, room systems, docking/USB peripherals, or similar collaboration endpoints).
Deep, current knowledge of Microsoft Teams and Zoom device certification programs, hardware specifications, and platform requirements.
Strong architectural background across Audio and Video signal chains, including: Video: USB Video Class (UVC), HDMI/HDCP, camera ISP pipelines, video codecs; Audio: USB Audio Class (UAC), DSP and acoustic echo cancellation (AEC)/noise suppression, Bluetooth audio; Networking/streaming: SIP, RTP/RTCP, PoE
Working knowledge of Control system integration (RS-232/IP control, third-party control system ecosystems).
Hands-on familiarity with Windows platform integration (Windows IoT / Windows for Teams Rooms) and Android platform integration under Microsoft's Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP).
Demonstrated experience defining hardware and software requirements from certification specifications.
Proven ability to operate as a technical consultant/advisor across engineering, QA, and product management functions.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience presenting architecture and technical tradeoffs to both engineering and business stakeholders.
BS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience leading or participating in formal Teams and/or Zoom certification lab engagements.
Familiarity with embedded Linux platforms in collaboration endpoints.
Experience with broader UC solution testing beyond individual device certification (multi-device, room-scale, or interoperability testing).
Experience mentoring engineers or acting as a technical lead without formal management authority.
Familiarity with USB-IF, HDMI Forum, and Bluetooth SIG specifications relevant to AV peripherals.

Responsibilities

Stay ahead of the ecosystem: Continuously track Microsoft Teams and Zoom platform, hardware, and certification specifications, translating changes into actionable impacts on our hardware and software roadmaps.
Define system architecture: Lead the specification and design of end-to-end system architectures across Audio, Video, and Control subsystems for products built for interoperability with UC platforms.
Determine requirements: Establish and document hardware and software requirements that satisfy Teams/Zoom certification programs, customer needs, and internal product goals.
Partner with product management: Provide technical input into product management decisions, helping shape feature tradeoffs, roadmap sequencing, and platform investment priorities.
Champion the customer voice with engineering: Develop a working understanding of the customer base and market landscape; partner with, and advocate for, product management by translating customer requirements and use-cases into terms the development team and engineering leadership can act on.
Certification clarity and leadership: Provide clear guidance to engineering and QA on certification test requirements; when needed, formally own and lead Teams and Zoom certification submissions and lab engagements from planning through sign-off.
Consult on product development: Act as a trusted technical consultant to design and engineering teams across the product portfolio, reviewing architecture and design decisions for compliance, performance, and manufacturability.
Cross-domain ownership: Provide architectural guidance across Audio and Video subsystems as primary areas of depth, with working knowledge of Control system integration (serial, IP-based, and third-party control ecosystems).
Platform integration: Guide integration efforts for Windows-based platforms (Windows IoT / Windows for Teams Rooms) and Android-based platforms under Microsoft's Device Ecosystem Platform (MDEP), ensuring compliance with OEM certification requirements.
Solution-level testing: Periodically help define broader solution and system-level test plans that go beyond individual certification requirements.