Staff Systems Engineer

About the Team DoorDash Labs, established in 2018, serves as the innovation hub for DoorDash, focusing on developing automation and robotics solutions to enhance last-mile logistics. The team's mission is to create technologies that support and augment human networks, aiming to improve efficiency for Dashers, merchants, and consumers alike.  We’re ruthlessly focused on business impact.  We are a highly senior team composed of former pioneers from a variety of different robotics industries.  As of 2025, DoorDash has completed 10B lifetime deliveries.  We’re focused on how to do the next 10B even better. About the Role We are seeking a highly motivated Systems Engineer to help shape the architecture and integration of our next-generation delivery platforms. In this role, you will define system requirements, interfaces, and verification strategies that connect diverse hardware, software, and operational teams into a cohesive, safe, and reliable system. You will translate high-level business and mission objectives into clear engineering specifications, ensuring our delivery platform meets performance, safety, and regulatory goals. The ideal candidate brings a strong background in complex system development, with experience in aerospace, autonomous vehicles, or other safety-critical domains, and thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment where clear thinking and systems-level perspective drive success. You’re excited about this opportunity because you will… Define system requirements and interfaces for delivery platforms, translating business and operational goals into verifiable technical requirements Develop and maintain system architecture and interface control documents that allocate functionality, performance, and safety constraints across subsystems and components. Lead trade studies and technical risk assessments to evaluate design options and make data-driven recommendations balancing various objectives Create verification & validation strategies (test plans, acceptance criteria, simulation requirements) and coordinate cross-discipline verification activities to ensure end-to-end performance and safety. Act as the technical liaison to regulatory bodies, ops teams, suppliers, and program management to ensure compliance and smooth system integration into delivery workflows. We’re excited about you because… Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Systems, Aerospace, Electrical, Mechanical, or a related engineering discipline. 8+ years of experience in systems engineering, requirements management, or a related role within a safety-critical or high-complexity engineering environment. Proficiency with requirements management tools (e.g., DOORS, Jama, or Polarion) and structured requirements traceability processes. Demonstrated experience developing and validating system requirements in self-driving, aerospace, or other safety-critical domains. Proven ability to collaborate across disciplines (Mechanical, Electrical, Software, and Reliability Engineering) to define and manage system interfaces. Exceptional analytical, communication, and organizational skills, with a track record of driving complex, cross-functional engineering efforts. Experience with Python or SQL for data analysis, system modeling, or test automation. Notice to Applicants for Jobs Located in NYC or Remote Jobs Associated With Office in NYC Only We use Covey as part of our hiring and/or promotional process for jobs in NYC and certain features may qualify it as an AEDT in NYC. As part of the hiring and/or promotion process, we provide Covey with job requirements and candidate submitted applications. We began using Covey Scout for Inbound from August 21, 2023, through December 21, 2023, and resumed using Covey Scout for Inbound again on June 29, 2024. The Covey tool has been reviewed by an independent auditor. Results of the audit may be viewed here: Covey Compensation The successful candidate's starting pay will fall within the pay range listed below and is determined based on job-related factors including, but not limited to, skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions.  Base salary is localized according to an employee’s work location. Ranges are market-dependent and may be modified in the future. In addition to base salary, the compensation for this role includes opportunities for equity grants. Talk to your recruiter for more information. DoorDash cares about you and your overall well-being. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to all regular employees, which includes a 401(k) plan with employer matching, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, wellness benefits, commuter benefits match, paid time off and paid sick leave in compliance with applicable laws (e.g. Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act). DoorDash also offers medical, dental, and vision benefits, 11 paid holidays, disability and basic life insurance, family-forming assistance, and a mental health program, among others. To learn more about our benefits, visit our careers page here . See below for paid time off details: For salaried roles: flexible paid time off/vacation, plus 80 hours of paid sick time per year. For hourly roles: vacation accrued at about 1 hour for every 25.97 hours worked (e.g. about 6.7 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 3.4 hours/month if working 20 hours/week), and paid sick time accrued at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked (e.g. about 5.8 hours/month if working 40 hours/week; about 2.9 hours/month if working 20 hours/week). The national base pay ranges for this position within the United States, including Illinois and Colorado. I4 $130,600 — $192,000 USD I5 $159,800 — $235,000 USD I6 $193,800 — $285,000 USD About DoorDash At DoorDash, our mission to empower local economies shapes how our team members move quickly, learn, and reiterate in order to make impactful decisions that display empathy for our range of users—from