Sr Robotics Architect - Robotics & Drones

Senior Robotics Architect, Robotics & Drones

We are Aptiv - a global technology company with 200,000 specialists in 48 countries. We develop innovative software and build the hardware to bring autonomous driving cars, advanced driver-assistance systems, connected vehicles and smart cities to life in a way that only we can. We work in partnership with almost all car manufacturers. Our sensors, systems and software can already be found in almost all passenger cars today.

We are building a new Robotics business at Aptiv, focused on Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and Drones for warehouse, industrial, and adjacent markets. As a Sr. Robotics Architect, Robotics & Drones, you will be the technical backbone of this effort, defining the end-to-end software architecture that powers autonomy, safety, and connectivity across platforms.

Role Summary

You will work closely with product management, hardware/SoC teams, and engineering partners to turn PoCs into scalable, reusable architectures that can be deployed across multiple customers and robot form factors. As an industry expert you will provide insight into the needs of a robotics development organization to product management and various development teams.

Your Role

Architecture & System Design

• Own the overall software architecture for AMR and drone platforms, from sensors to perception, localization, planning, safety, and cloud connectivity.
• Define platform architecture based on ROS 2 / middleware, real-time OS, and Linux, ensuring modularity, scalability, and re-use across programs.
• Partition functionality across onboard compute (SoCs, MCUs) and offboard services, including edge and cloud where appropriate.
• Define and maintain clear APIs and interfaces between perception, mapping/localization, planning, control, safety, and fleet/enterprise systems.
• Responsible for verifying that the software architecture design meets all software requirements (performance, throughput/latency, modeling)

Technical Leadership

• Lead architecture reviews, design decisions, and trade-offs (safety vs. performance, cost vs. capability, CPU/GPU/NPU offload, etc.).
• Provide technical direction to software teams implementing autonomy, perception, and safety features.
• Mentor senior and junior engineers on architectural best practices, coding standards, and design patterns for robotics systems.
• Collaborate with embedded compute teams to map robotics workloads to heterogeneous compute (CPU, GPU, NPU, DSP).

Safety, Reliability & Compliance

• Architect the software stack to meet relevant functional safety standards (e.g., IEC 61508, ISO 13849, ISO 10218, ISO 3691-4, ISO 12100 - as applicable to AMRs/industrial robots).
• Define safety concepts and software patterns (safety monitors, watchdogs, safe states, redundancy, diagnostics).
• Collaborate with safety engineering to develop and maintain safety cases, hazard analyses, and FMEAs for software.
• Drive architectural strategies for robustness, resiliency, observability, and over-the-air updates.

Simulation, Tooling & DevOps

• Define how simulation (e.g., Gazebo / Isaac / Webots / custom) fits into the development flow - from algorithm prototyping to regression and scenario testing.
• Work with DevOps/Tools teams to shape CI/CD pipelines, testing strategy (HIL/SIL/MIL), and performance benchmarks for robotics software.
• Evaluate and integrate open-source components and third-party SDKs, ensuring license compliance, maintainability, and fit to architecture.

Customer & Partner Engagement

• Translate customer/partner requirements into technical architecture and system requirements.
• Support PoCs and demos with partners (e.g., AMR OEMs, drone OEMs, industrial automation vendors), ensuring architectural alignment with the long-term platform vision.
• Contribute to technical roadmaps, build-vs-buy decisions, and ecosystem strategy (ROS 2 distributions, middleware vendors, safety toolchains, etc.).

Your Background

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Mechatronics or equivalent practical experience.

• 15+ years of experience in robotics development, with at least 3-5 years in a software architect / technical lead capacity.

• Hands-on experience building and deploying software for real robots (AMRs, AGVs, drones, industrial arms, or similar).

• Deep understanding of ROS / ROS 2, including nodes, topics, services, actions, parameters, launch, and packages. Understanding of DDS and the implications with ROS2

• Experience designing systems involving several of the following:

• Perception (vision, lidar, radar, depth, multi-sensor fusion)

• Mapping & Localization (2D/3D SLAM, VIO, VSLAM, VO, sensor fusion)

• Planning & Navigation (global and local planners, obstacle avoidance, trajectory generation)

• Real-time control loops and low-level robot interfaces (motor drivers, IMUs, encoders, etc.)

• Solid understanding of Linux-based systems including containerization (Docker/Podman).

• Proven ability to write clear architecture documents, sequence diagrams, and interface definitions consumable by cross-functional teams.

• Embedded microprocessor experience (operating systems, I/O drivers, communication drivers, etc.)

• C/C++/Python programming

• Software testing and debugging experience

• Excellent communication / presentation skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience across multiple robotic applications in particular industrial / mobile robotics in logistics, warehousing, manufacturing, or similar environments.
• Expertise in one or more robotics discipline: perception, planning, or localization
• Familiarity with functional safety and safety development lifecycles (IEC 61508, ISO 13849, ISO 26262 or related standards).
• Cybersecurity experience
• Experience with heterogeneous compute (e.g., Qualcomm, NVIDIA Jetson, TI, Renesas, or similar SoCs) and GPU architecture and programming. hardware acceleration of perception/ML workloads including GPUs.
• Expertise in advanced machine learning including development and acceleration techniques via GPU or other hardware accelerators
• Prior work with simulation environments (Gazebo, Isaac Sim, Webots, custom in-house) and scenario-based testing.
• Advanced networking experience including CAN, Ethernet, wireless technologies (WiFi, CBRS, 5G)
• Exposure to cloud integration (fleet management, telemetry, remote monitoring, OTA updates, digital twins, data pipelines).
• Experience in start-up or incubation environments, building something from scratch under ambiguity.

Why join Aptiv ?

• You grow at Aptiv. Aptiv's winning culture is global by design. We bring together diverse perspectives, cultures, and business contexts to solve our customers' toughest challenges. In this environment, every individual can grow, lead, and make an impact, regardless of background, because inclusion fuels how we innovate and win.
• You make an impact at Aptiv. One of the strengths of humanity is our drive to progress, to improve, to achieve more tomorrow than we did yesterday. People need solutions they can trust when it matters most. At Aptiv, you are building those solutions every day.
• You have support at Aptiv. We ensure you have the resources and support you need to take care of your family, your physical health, and your mental health with a competitive benefits package

Your Benefits at Aptiv:

• Private health care effective day 1 of employment
• Life and accident insurance
• Paid Time Off (Holidays, Vacation, Designated time off, Parental leave)
• Relocation assistance may be available
• Learning and development opportunities
• Discount programs with various manufacturers and retailers
• Recognition for innovation and excellence
• Opportunities to give back to the community
• Tuition Reimbursement

Compensation

The annual base salary range for this role's listed grade level is currently $170,000 to $200,000 plus bonus for residents in the states of Colorado, New York and New Jersey and Massachusetts: $180,000 to $230,000 plus bonus for residents in the states of California and Washington. Salary ranges are determined through interviews and a review of education, experience, knowledge, skills, location and abilities of the applicant, and equity with other team members. Employees in this role are also eligible for the following benefits in accordance with the terms of the Company's plans: health, dental, vision insurance, life insurance, flex time off, eligibility to enroll in 401k, 12 paid holidays.

Meet the Next Generation Aptiv

At Aptiv, we deliver innovative solutions that people trust when it matters most.

Progress is never static. It is about reaching further, exploring new possibilities, and enabling mobility. Aptiv empowers customers to create solutions people rely on-advancing safety and autonomy in Automotive and Commercial Vehicles, enabling mission-critical performance in Aerospace & Defense, and powering intelligent systems across Energy, Enterprise, and Telecommunications. We also drive precision and efficiency in Industrials & Robotics and support life-critical innovation in Medical technologies.

Guided by our winning culture and values to Think & Act Like Owners, as One Team, and Play to Win, we turn commitment into results and achieve more together.

Join Us to Deliver Innovative Solutions That People Trust!

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Aptiv is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.