Principal, Quality Architect

42dot•San Francisco, CA

12d•$233,700 - $336,300

About The Position

As the Principal Quality Architect, you are the technical lead for the external certification of our firmware platform. You serve as the vital link between the Firmware Development team, the internal Functional Safety Organization (FSO), and external regulatory bodies. Your mission is to ensure the firmware architecture meets rigorous safety standards while leading the engagement with third-party auditors to achieve formal automotive safety-critical certifications.

Requirements

25+ years in Firmware Engineering, Embedded Quality, or Regulatory Governance for high-integrity systems.
Proven success leading a complex embedded platform through a formal external safety certification process (e.g., ISO 26262, DO-178C, IEC 61508, or equivalent).
Expert knowledge of safety-critical software standards and process frameworks.
While ISO 26262 and ASPICE are preferred, candidates with equivalent expertise in Aerospace (DO-178), Industrial (IEC 61508), or Medical (IEC 62304) are encouraged to apply.
Extensive experience managing technical assessments and relationships with third-party certifying bodies or government regulators.
Strong ability to audit C code and architectural designs for safety logic and adherence to coding standards (e.g., MISRA, JSF).
Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and align diverse stakeholders (Engineering, Safety, and Regulatory).

Nice To Haves

Formal certification in a safety-critical areas

Responsibilities

Certification Management: Act as the primary technical liaison to external auditors (e.g., TÜV). Lead the technical defense of the platform architecture to secure formal automotive safety certifications.
Safety Organization Interface: Collaborate with the internal Functional Safety Organization (FSO). Translate system-level safety goals into firmware-specific requirements and deliver certified platform evidence/manuals.
Compliance Governance: Oversee the firmware-specific safety lifecycle (ISO 26262-6). Ensure the codebase adheres to strict integrity standards, focusing on partitioning, fault isolation, and freedom from interference.
Verification Strategy: Define the evidence requirements for automated testing, unit testing, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments.
Process Traceability: Lead the creation of safety-critical documentation including Software Detailed Designs and Verification Reports. Ensure the development workflow meets ASPICE requirements.
Internal Safety Milestones: Partner with internal safety stakeholders to clear engineering gates and "pre-approve" platform components before final external assessments.
Ensure test coverage satisfies the proof-of-compliance required for external audit.