Staff Optical Mechanical Design Engineer

Who We Are

Aurora (Nasdaq: AUR) is delivering the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly to make transportation safer, increasingly accessible, and more reliable and efficient than ever before. The Aurora Driver is a self-driving system designed to operate multiple vehicle types, from freight-hauling semi-trucks to ride-hailing passenger vehicles, and underpins Aurora Horizon and Aurora Connect , its driver-as-a-service products for trucking and ride-hailing. Aurora is working with industry leaders across the transportation ecosystem, including Toyota, FedEx, Volvo Trucks, PACCAR, Uber, Uber Freight, U.S. Xpress, Werner, Covenant, Schneider, and Ryder. For Aurora's latest news, visit aurora.tech and @aurora_inno on Twitter.

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 Optical Mechanical Design Engineer.

The HPE Mechanical Design team is responsible for the development of all custom hardware modules in the Aurora Driver Kit (ADK) including Compute modules, Sensor Pods, and Lidar. The team works cross-functionally with EE, layout, CAE, Reliability, EMC, NPI, Operations, and other R&D teams to deliver the robust, scalable electro-mechanical solutions that power the Aurora Driver. Our team starts development at the earliest stages of product scoping and technology exploration and carries products through mass production at scale with our manufacturing partners.

The ideal candidate should have a strong history of bringing high-volume optical sensor products to market, ideally in the automotive or consumer electronics industries. Demonstrated technical ownership over shipping optical sensors, optical mechanisms, cameras, lidar, or similar technologies is desired. The candidate will be part of a larger (~20x) mechanical engineering group, with support from a best-in-industry CAE simulation and optical engineering team, but should stand-out as a domain expert in opto mechanical designs. This is a new role on the team added to support additional project scope. The candidate should be experienced in completing DFM/DFA with high-volume, overseas suppliers and be proficient in 3D CAD (CATIA preferred), 2D drawing creation using GD&T, and optical analysis using Zemax or equivalent tool;. High power, high thermal density and high speed electronics experience would be additional bonuses.

In this role, you will

• Designing and validating opto-mechanical enclosures that achieve or exceed performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost requirements for next generation automotive sensors
• Collaborating with Contract Manufacturers to kick off mass production tooling and complete engineering builds leading up to the start of high volume production
• Performing, documenting, and presenting engineering analysis and testing of opto-mechanical sensor performance
• Hands-on Prototyping and validating next generation automotive sensors
• Presenting, documenting and educating others regarding mechanical and optical architectural decisions made
• Directing junior-level engineers, assisting senior-level engineers, and cross-functional supporting teams on various projects
• Creating 3D models, 2D drawings, and engineering BOMs in CATIA 3DX
• Performing basic structural/thermal analysis using both hand calculations and FEA
• Support evaluating and characterizing optical elements and mounts
• Implement geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) methods and conventions in accordance with ASME 14.5-2009 in 2D specifications

Required Qualifications

• BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering with 7+ years of industry experience in Opto-Mechanical Design
• Strong background in mechanical engineering, optics, mounting of optical components and packaging
• Skilled in the use of solid modeling CAD tools (ideally CATIA)
• Experience with optical analysis, including sequential and non-sequential analysis, using Zemax or equivalent tool
• Experience working directly with and managing relationships with suppliers, ideally automotive OEMs and/or Asia-based Contract Manufacturers
• Proven Strong analytical and hands-on engineering skills;
• Understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing methods and conventions in accordance with ASME 14.5-2009
• Ability to work in a hands-on prototyping and test environment
• Excellent oral, written, and communication communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Experience conducting FEA thermal/ structural analysis, ideally with ANSYS Workbench
• Experience in automotive cameras and sensors is a plus
• Experience with Matlab or Python or equivalent tool is a plus

The base salary range for this position is $181,000.00-$290,000.00 per year. 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

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 have offices in several locations across the United States, where we encourage team and cross-functional collaboration. Aurora offers competitive medical, dental, and vision benefits, and additional healthcare support including medical transportation reimbursement, fertility, adoption, and surrogacy benefits. We empower our employees and their families with options to further their unique physical, mental, and financial well-being.

Our Learning and Development offerings include Aurora Academy, where our people learn, develop, and practice the essential skills that drive Aurora's mission, continually up-leveling our team along the way. Our Careers page provides insight into career opportunities at Aurora, and you can find all the latest news on our Blog .

Safety is central to everything we do. Every employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. We seek candidates who take active responsibility, can contribute to building an atmosphere of trust, and invest in the organization's long-term success by working safely - no matter what.

We believe that self-driving technology has broad benefits - including increased access to transportation. To realize those benefits, we need a workforce with diverse experiences, insights, and perspectives - a workforce that reflects the communities our technology will serve.

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Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

At Aurora, every employee is empowered to take an active role in building an inclusive, collaborative, and unified culture that leverages our diverse strengths, perspectives, and backgrounds.

Transforming how the world moves people and goods involves seeking to understand backgrounds, insights, and lived experiences that differ from our own. One way we accomplish that is with our 15 employee-led Aurora Unified Groups, which support diverse voices and drive inclusive collaboration. We believe that teamwork, belonging, and trust motivate and support our employees to do their best work. As our team grows, we strive to attract and retain exceptional talent that adds new perspectives and experiences and continues to drive innovation. Learn more on our Culture Page .

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