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Aurora Innovation

Staff Optical Mechanical Design Engineer

Aurora Innovation, Mountain View, CA


Who We AreAurora (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 trucks to ride-hailing passenger vehicles. It underpins Aurora’s driver-as-a-service products for trucking and ride-hailing. Aurora is working with industry leaders across the transportation ecosystem, including Continental, FedEx, Hirschbach, PACCAR, Ryder, Schneider, Toyota, Uber, Uber Freight, Volvo Trucks, Volvo Autonomous Solutions, and Werner. 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 willDesigning and validating opto-mechanical enclosures that achieve or exceed performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost requirements for next generation automotive sensorsCollaborating with Contract Manufacturers to kick off mass production tooling and complete engineering builds leading up to the start of high volume productionPerforming, documenting, and presenting engineering analysis and testing of opto-mechanical sensor performanceHands-on Prototyping and validating next generation automotive sensorsPresenting, documenting and educating others regarding mechanical and optical architectural decisions madeDirecting junior-level engineers, assisting senior-level engineers, and cross-functional supporting teams on various projectsCreating 3D models, 2D drawings, and engineering BOMs in CATIA 3DXPerforming basic structural/thermal analysis using both hand calculations and FEASupport evaluating and characterizing optical elements and mountsImplement geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) methods and conventions in accordance with ASME 14.5-2009 in 2D specificationsRequired QualificationsBS/MS in Mechanical Engineering with 7+ years of industry experience in Opto-Mechanical DesignStrong background in mechanical engineering, optics, mounting of optical components and packagingSkilled in the use of solid modeling CAD tools (ideally CATIA)Experience with optical analysis, including sequential and non-sequential analysis, using Zemax or equivalent toolExperience working directly with and managing relationships with suppliers, ideally automotive OEMs and/or Asia-based Contract ManufacturersProven Strong analytical and hands-on engineering skills;Understanding of geometric dimensioning and tolerancing methods and conventions in accordance with ASME 14.5-2009Ability to work in a hands-on prototyping and test environmentExcellent oral, written, and communication communication skillsStrong interpersonal skillsExperience conducting FEA thermal/ structural analysis, ideally with ANSYS WorkbenchExperience in automotive cameras and sensors is a plusExperience with Matlab or Python or equivalent tool is a plusThe 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.#LI-DW1#Mid-SeniorWorking 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 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.Aurora is committed to providing access to anyone who seeks information from our website. We invite anyone using assistive technologies, such as a screen reader or Braille reader, to email us at careersiteaccommodations@aurora.tech  if they experience difficulty using our website. Please describe the accessibility problem and include a URL (if available).Aurora considers candidates without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, parent or caregiver status, ancestry, political affiliation, veteran and/or military status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by federal or state law. Aurora considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at careersiteaccommodations@aurora.tech. For California applicants, information collected and processed as part of your application and any job applications you choose to submit is subject toAurora’s California Employment Privacy Policy.Diversity, Equity and InclusionAt 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.We are committed to helping qualified military community members leverage their talents in service of our mission. To understand how your military experience aligns with career opportunities at Aurora, review your military job classification at MyNextMove.org and consider applying for open positions corresponding to your identified skills and experiences!