System Level Architect Director

Aptiv•Troy, MI

2d•$152,000 - $220,000

About The Position

System ‑ Level Architect Director (Non ‑ Executive), Global Product Why join Aptiv? You'll have the opportunity to work on cutting-edge applications, develop breakthrough technologies, and deliver innovative solutions to some of the world’s leading automotive brands. See your work come to life on the road—helping make mobility safer, greener, and more connected. Ready to shape the future of mobility with us? YOUR ROLE The System‑Level Architect Director is a senior technical leader responsible for defining and governing the end‑to-end architecture of complex, integrated product ecosystems across global product lines. This role ensures that product platforms, software, hardware, and connected services are architecturally aligned, scalable, secure, and future‑ready. The position influences global product strategy, drives architectural coherence across business units, and acts as a key thought partner to engineering, product management, UX, and executive leadership.

Requirements

10+ years in system architecture, solution architecture, embedded systems, platform engineering, or equivalent.
Proven experience architecting complex, multi‑component systems in a global product environment.
Strong understanding of software architecture patterns, cloud platforms, connectivity, data architecture, and integration frameworks.
Demonstrated ability to lead without direct authority across diverse global teams.
Excellent communication skills for both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Nice To Haves

10+ years' experience in global product organizations with hardware–software integrated systems.
Knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks.
Background in systems engineering, industrial design, or user‑experience‑driven development.
Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.

Responsibilities

Define the global system architecture vision, principles, domains and standards across product lines.
Ensure architectural decisions align with long‑term business strategy, technology roadmap, and customer experience goals.
Lead system‑level architecture reviews, establishing consistent global governance.
Partner with Product Management, Product Engineering, New Technologies Group, Cybersecurity and Engineering Delivery Organization teams to design integrated solutions.
Translate complex business requirements into cohesive system‑level designs that span software, hardware, interfaces, and data flows.
Act as the senior technical authority in global product planning forums.
Drive the evolution of modular, interoperable product platforms.
Oversee the definition of APIs, data models, interoperability standards, and system boundaries.
Ensure new components integrate seamlessly into existing architectures.
Identify emerging technologies and assess their fit within the global product ecosystem.
Develop multi‑year architectural roadmaps, including refactoring strategies, platform migrations, and modernization initiatives.
Promote architectural innovation that enhances product scalability, security, and performance.
Ensure architectures support reliability, maintainability, global regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity standards.
Collaborate with quality engineering and cybersecurity teams to embed best practices into system designs.
Present architectural strategies and trade-offs to senior and executive stakeholders.
Guide engineering leaders in decision‑making and technical prioritization.
Provide thought leadership, mentoring, and coaching to global architecture and engineering communities.