Senior Staff System Architect

Aurora•Mountain View, CA

11h•$197,000 - $285,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Aurora is seeking a Senior Staff System Architect to define and maintain system architecture for complex hardware/software integrated products. The role translates product and market requirements into system-level specifications, functional decomposition, and architecture artifacts, and conducts trade-off analyses across performance, security, reliability, power, thermal, and cost considerations. The architect selects and recommends technologies for core system elements, establishes interface and interoperability standards, leads architecture reviews, and manages cross-domain technical risks. The role also supports engineering teams through design, validation, and manufacturing readiness, and mentors engineering staff in system-level thinking, architecture methods, and technical decision-making. The position is based in Mountain View, California for the stated salary range. Aurorans are expected to work from the office at least three days per week; some roles may require more frequent in-office attendance, up to five days per week, based on operational needs. The successful candidate is eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

Requirements

Bachelor's or master's degree focused in electrical or computer engineering.
12+ years of experience, with a proven ability to lead cross-functional technical initiatives and resolve integration challenges.
Expertise in system architecture and understanding of signal and power integrity and high-speed signaling.
Expertise in multiple relevant domains, including compute architecture, networking, power and thermal management, and system security.
Familiarity with industry standards such as PCIe, Ethernet, GMSL, NVMe, CAN, I²C, SPI, and emerging protocols.
Experience producing architectural documentation, designing diagrams, compiling requirements matrices, and providing technical justifications.
Excellent communication skills for interacting with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

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, and workload-driven architecture.
Knowledge of automotive requirements, safety framework (ISO26262), and qualification processes.
FPGA/ASIC design experience.

Responsibilities

Define and maintain 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 considering performance, security, reliability, power, thermal, and cost.
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.
Lead hardware/software co-design efforts to maximize performance per watt and overall system efficiency.