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Senior Staff Lidar Systems Architect

Aurora Innovation


Job Location:

Bozeman, MT - USA

Yearly Salary: $ 178000 - 257000
Posted: 3 July 2026 (30+ days ago)
Application Deadline: 30 September 2026
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Who we are

Auroras mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely quickly and broadly.


The Aurora Driverwill create a new era in mobility and logistics one that will bring a safer more efficient and more accessible future to everyone.

At Aurora you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate intelligent individuals growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. For the latest news from Aurora visit follow us onLinkedIn.


What we are looking for

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer get crucial goods where they need to go and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all.

Were searching for a Senior Staff Lidar Sensor Architect. This position will be responsible for defining the next-generation architecture of our high-performance lidar systems. The role will bridge the gap between high-level lidar performance requirements and practical hardware implementation. The primary focus of the position will be electrical and firmware partitioning and defining the interfaces between the photonic module of the lidar and the electrical and computing systems driving and supporting it while optimizing for performance scalability and automotive reliability.

In this role you will

  • Be responsible for the lidar sensor system architecture including functional decomposition module definition and electrical to photonic interface definition.
  • Translate top-level functional requirements into detailed requirements for design teams including EE ME and FW
  • Partner and collaborate with EE Embedded FW/SW integrated photonics and ME design teams to balance tradeoffs between mechanical electrical thermal and optical requirements.
  • Lead strategy for architectural evolution between lidar generations particularly in EE and FW domains to reduce cost power and size of sensor
  • Drive initial bring-up and debugging for key electrical-to-photonic interfaces and modules.
  • Author technical documentation including architecture diagrams theory of operation documents hardware/software interfaces DFMEA etc.

Required qualifications

  • PhD or MS in Electrical Engineering Physics or a related field with 8 years of relevant experience or a BS with 12 years of experience.
  • Deep understanding of active sensors including lidar radar or spectral imaging systems.
  • Proven track record of architecting complex sensing systems specifically defining EE/FW partitions and high-speed data interfaces.
  • Proficiency in system simulation and modeling and familiarity with high-performance FPGA/SoC architectures.

Desirable qualifications

  • Experience with Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICS) and the unique challenges of integrating them with standard electronics OR experience with defining system architecture and specifications for sensor ASICs / ROICs and working with vendors on physical implementation.
  • Experience taking high-performance sensors from initial R&D through mass manufacturing and field validation.
  • Familiarity with ISO 26262 ASIL requirements and AEC-Q100/200 component qualification.

The basesalary range for this position is $178000 - $257000 per Year. Auroras pay ranges are determined by role level and location. Within the range the successful candidates starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills experience qualifications relevant education or training and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus equity compensation and benefits.


Required Experience:

Staff IC


About Company

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Working at Aurora At Aurora, we bring together extraordinarily talented and experienced people united by the strength of our values. We operate with integrity, set outrageous goals, and build a culture where we win together — all without any jerks. We believe in-person work increases ... View more

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