Staff Hardware Reliability Engineer, Sensors

The Hardware Reliability team is dedicated to ensuring the robustness and dependability of hardware systems in the Aurora hardware stack. Our team is responsible for evaluating internally and external designed hardware  that is integrated into the Aurora driver. The team analyzes and designs test campaigns for these hardware components that form the backbone of Aurora’s autonomous systems, ensuring they meet the highest Automotive standards of performance and durability under the challenging field conditions.

This role within the Hardware Reliability team will be specifically responsible for conducting rigorous reliability assessments of internal and external sensor designs, developing and implementing reliability tests, and working with the larger cross functional organization to deploy effective corrective actions.

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 Hardware Reliability Engineer, Sensors

In this role, you will

• Analyze and assess sensor designs using Design for Reliability (DfR) best practices to proactively identify and mitigate reliability risks.
• Develop comprehensive test strategies to uncover potential failure modes, predict field failure rates, and validate off-the-shelf components in sensor systems.
• Translate identified risks from FMEAs into actionable, sensor-specific test procedures with clear objectives and outcomes.
• Plan and execute Design of Experiment (DOE) campaigns to understand failure mechanisms in sensors and implement mitigation strategies.
• Design and refine test setups to evaluate sensor reliability under environmental, mechanical, and operational stress conditions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate reliability findings into the design and manufacturing process, ensuring robust sensor performance in the field.

Required Qualifications

• Extensive hands-on experience in developing and validating sensor systems, particularly optomechanical products.
• Proven ability to design and execute sensor reliability test flows suitable for contract manufacturing environments.
• Deep understanding of the physics of failure for electronic and optoelectronic components as applied to sensors.
• Proficiency in automating sensor testing processes and defining test conditions, acceleration factors, and pass-fail criteria.
• Strong skills in analyzing sensor performance data using tools like Python, JMP, or MATLAB to generate actionable insights.
• Experience with designing sensor test setups for shock, vibration, thermal, and other reliability evaluations.
• Working knowledge of test equipment such as environmental chambers, vibration tables, strain gauges, accelerometers, and thermocouples.
• Familiarity with hardware and firmware interactions critical to sensor performance and reliability testing

The base salary range for this position is $181,000 - $290,000. 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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#Mid-Senior