Staff Component Systems Engineer, ECUs and Dataloggers

About the role

Motional is seeking a senior technical lead to oversee the lifecycle of electronic control units and data recording hardware. You will manage the integration, performance, and reliability of these critical vehicle components to support autonomous driving operations. In this capacity, you will act as the primary systems engineer responsible for translating high-level autonomy requirements into stable, production-ready hardware solutions. The role demands rigorous analysis of component behavior in real-world conditions to prevent systemic failures before they occur. You will establish the architectural guardrails that allow software algorithms to interact safely with the physical vehicle platform. This position requires ownership of complex trade studies between cost, size, power, and performance under strict automotive constraints. You will ensure that every hardware decision aligns with the broader goals of safety, scalability, and operational robustness across the fleet.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Define technical requirements and specifications for ECUs and high-bandwidth dataloggers, ensuring alignment with autonomy sensor suites and control logic.
• Manage the end-to-end development cycle including vendor selection, hardware validation, and system integration, coordinating with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot complex hardware failures and performance bottlenecks within the vehicle architecture using measurement data and simulation models.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure hardware meets safety and functional standards for autonomous systems, contributing to hazard analysis and mitigation strategies.
• Oversee the deployment and maintenance of data acquisition systems across the test fleet, optimizing log configurations for debugging and model improvement.
• Evaluate emerging component technologies and supplier capabilities to identify opportunities for performance gains and cost reductions.
• Develop and maintain detailed documentation for interfaces, electrical characteristics, and communication protocols used throughout the vehicle stack.
• Support qualification and compliance activities, ensuring that hardware designs satisfy contractual, regulatory, and customer expectations.
• Drive the creation of test procedures that validate hardware behavior under nominal and fault conditions, working closely with verification engineers.
• Monitor field performance data to inform design iterations, leading root cause investigations when anomalies impact vehicle operations.
• Partner with manufacturing teams to ensure that designs are producible, testable, and maintainable at scale.
• Establish standard methods for capturing, storing, and analyzing vehicle telemetry to support continuous improvement initiatives.
• Mentor junior engineers by providing technical guidance on best practices for hardware development in safety-critical environments.
• Represent the ECU and datalogger domain in cross-team technical discussions, synthesizing complex information for diverse audiences.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field, with a strong focus on digital and analog hardware fundamentals.
• Extensive professional experience in systems engineering focused on automotive electronics, demonstrating a track record of delivering production hardware.
• Demonstrated expertise in hardware architecture for embedded systems and data logging platforms, including selection and integration of processors, memory, and storage components.
• Proficiency in automotive communication protocols such as CAN, Ethernet, and LIN, with an understanding of timing, reliability, and diagnostic capabilities.
• Ability to manage technical relationships with external hardware suppliers and manufacturers, negotiating specifications and resolving interface issues.
• Experience with requirements management and traceability practices to ensure that hardware designs satisfy stated system objectives.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret test results, performance metrics, and failure modes in order to guide corrective actions.
• Willingness to travel as needed to support engineering reviews, supplier meetings, and validation activities at various locations.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in a relevant engineering discipline, such as a Master of Science in Electrical or Computer Engineering.
• Experience with functional safety standards like ISO 26262, including familiarity with safety mechanisms and fault tolerance techniques.
• Background in designing hardware for high-performance computing or robotics applications, where real-time constraints and reliability are critical.

Practical notes

Full-time

Travel may be required

Work authorization sponsorship may be available for qualified candidates

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States now or in the future