Staff Systems Engineer

Hayden AI • San Francisco, CA

2d • $185,000 - $240,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

At Hayden AI, we are on a mission to harness the power of computer vision to transform the way transit systems and other government agencies address real-world challenges. From bus lane and bus stop enforcement to transportation optimization technologies and beyond, our innovative mobile perception system empowers our clients to accelerate transit, enhance street safety, and drive toward a sustainable future.

As the Staff Systems Engineer, you will play a key technical leadership role in the design, integration, and deployment of complex, end-to-end systems that are essential to Hayden AI’s mission of shaping smarter, more efficient cities. In this role, you will own the architecture, requirements gathering, and system-level design of integrated hardware-software solutions, driving projects from concept through deployment and support. You will report into the Engineering Leadership Team and work closely with hardware, software, operations, product, customer engineering, and field deployment teams. We’re looking for someone with a deep background in systems engineering, proven project leadership experience, and a collaborative, solutions-driven mindset. This position is based in our SF Office and follows a hybrid schedule with at least 3 days in-office per week.

Requirements

• 8+ years of systems engineering experience designing and deploying complex, integrated systems
• Proven success leading technical projects from requirements and design through implementation and deployment
• Strong understanding of both hardware (sensors, networking, embedded or edge devices) and software (systems integration, APIs, cloud services)
• Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, and cross-functional communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to write clear technical documentation and requirements
• Collaborative and solutions-oriented
• Adaptable, proactive, and comfortable working in fast-paced, evolving environments
• Strong organizational and leadership skills
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field

Nice To Haves

• Experience in urban mobility, transportation, or fleet technology environments
• Exposure to IoT, computer vision, or large-scale sensor/data platforms
• Experience interacting directly with customers or field deployment teams
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or similar)

Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture, requirements gathering, and system-level design of integrated hardware-software solutions
• Drive end-to-end project execution, ensuring systems are delivered on-time and meet functional, operational, and quality targets
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align priorities and resolve technical challenges
• Interface with customers and internal stakeholders to translate operational requirements into actionable technical plans
• Ensure deployment readiness, supporting installations, configuration, and integration in the field
• Identify and troubleshoot system issues, root causes, and implement corrective actions
• Document design decisions, interfaces, and lessons learned for future scalability
• Contribute to process improvement across systems engineering and deployment practices

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior