Staff Software Engineer - Sensor Systems
$189k - $303k USD
Who we are
Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly.
The Aurora Driver will 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 aurora.tech or follow us on LinkedIn.
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.
We’re searching for a Staff Software Engineer, Sensor Systems. In this role, you will lead the software architecture and integration of Aurora’s multimodal sensing suite—including lidars, cameras, radars, GNSS, IMUs, and audio systems—into a unified self-driving fleet. You will drive the evolution of our sensor interfaces from individual integrations into a scalable, high-performance platform that ensures the Aurora Driver perceives the world with maximum reliability.
In this role you will
- Architect and lead the design of the sensor software stack, ensuring a modular and scalable interface between raw sensor data and autonomy perception algorithms.
- Drive the technical roadmap for sensor health monitoring and calibration, transforming raw device metrics into actionable insights for fleet-wide sensing reliability.
- Lead cross-functional integration efforts for next-generation lidars, high-resolution cameras, and advanced radar systems, defining standards for low-latency data ingestion.
- Establish rigorous engineering standards for sensor-specific Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing and automated performance profiling to guarantee data integrity.
- Mentor senior engineers and provide technical oversight on complex challenges ranging from sensor synchronization (PTP/gPTP) to efficient processing of high-bandwidth data streams.
Required qualifications
- 10+ years of professional software engineering experience, with a proven track record of leading large-scale architectural projects for complex sensing systems.
- Expert-level C++ programming skills and the ability to design high-performance, thread-safe systems for processing massive sensor data volumes in Linux.
- Deep experience with sensor modalities: Direct involvement in the integration and driver development for Lidars, Radars, Cameras, GNSS/IMU, or Audio/Acoustic sensors.
- 7+ years of experience in system-level development, including Linux kernel drivers, performance profiling, and hardware-software co-design for sensors.
- Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects between software, hardware, and perception teams.
Desirable qualifications
- Expertise in sensor synchronization and time-stamping protocols (e.g., PTP/gPTP, PPS) across distributed architectures.
- Experience with ISP (Image Signal Processing) pipelines, radar signal processing, or lidar point cloud optimization.
- Experience developing safety-critical systems or working within functional safety frameworks (e.g., ISO 26262) specifically for sensing hardware.
- Deep expertise in performance optimization for sensor data transport (e.g., PCIe, Ethernet/TSN, MIPI).
The base salary range for this position is $189,000- $303,000. Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s 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.
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Working at AuroraAt 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 collaboration, empathy and our ability to lead effectively. As a result, we operate in a hybrid work environment where Aurorans are in office at least 3 days per week.
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Our commitment to safety
At the core of everything we do is our commitment to safety. Building best-in-class self-driving technology will take time, and we believe that each employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. Aurora expects commitment to our safety policies from every employee, and seeks candidates who take an active responsibility, can contribute to building an atmosphere of trust, and invest in the organization’s long-term success by prioritizing working safely, no matter what.
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