Staff Systems Architect

As the leading transit bus manufacturer in the United States, GILLIG buses play a critical role in the environmental and social initiatives in communities across our nation.  GILLIG is on the forefront in the transition to zero-emission vehicles and has an unmatched reputation in the industry for quality, reliability, durability, service, and support.  From initial design through final assembly, each GILLIG bus is designed and built in Livermore, CA.  WHY GILLIG Leader in environmentally friendly mobility solutions including battery electric, hybrid electric, near-zero CNG and clean diesel transit buses Renowned for its inclusive team/family-oriented culture Stable, successful, and growing organization – a Bay Area business for over 132 years! Flexible schedules (*depending on project needs) Excellent compensation including company paid medical premiums, generous retirement plan and other comprehensive benefits DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW GILLIG Engineering is responsible for the development, customization, and configuration of GILLIG’s clean technology heavy-duty transit buses.  We are committed to developing the most reliable buses that connect communities, eliminates congestion, and contributes to a greener environment.  Our engineers are engaged in designing, analyzing, testing, launching, and problem solving across a wide range of technical areas.  Systems Engineering is responsible for defining, integrating, and optimizing vehicle-level and subsystem requirements, architectures, interfaces, and verification strategies across hardware and software domains. The team works across software architecture, controls development, software processes, cyber security, functional safety, and toolchains to ensure GILLIG buses are reliable, maintainable, secure, and ready to scale with future technology needs. Systems engineers collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing, validation, Supply Chain and Customer Care teams to manage technical risk and deliver robust product solutions tailored to heavy-duty transit buses. ABOUT THE ROLE We are looking for a Staff Systems Architect who will be a thought leader in the development, integration, and industrialization of major new content for GILLIG’s continuously evolving product line. The Staff Systems Architect will have direct influence over vehicle, system, software, and controls architecture decisions by leading technical trade-offs in the areas where GILLIG has the greatest need and risk, and which are expected to remain critical into the future. These areas include software architecture, controls development, software creation and management processes, cyber security, functional safety, and software tools and toolchains. This role provides stronger technical leadership for product-facing initiatives such as stability teams and diagnostics development, and requires a leader with deep subject matter expertise who combines hands-on technical depth with process and organizational acumen. The role also requires strong practical mechanical aptitude to connect system decisions to real vehicle integration, serviceability, manufacturability, and field performance. This is a direct, full-time position with GILLIG. This is a hands-on, on-site role at our Pleasanton satellite office and reports to the Head of The Zero Emission Product Platform. TECHNICAL FOCUS Software and Controls Development You will contribute to the development, integration, and improvement of vehicle software and controls systems that support safe, reliable, and high-performing heavy-duty transit buses. This includes helping define control strategies, software behavior, system interfaces, diagnostics, and overall functionality across vehicle features and subsystems. The role requires sound engineering judgment, strong cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to connect software and controls decisions to vehicle performance, serviceability, manufacturability, and long-term product support. IN THIS ROLE YOU WILL Lead technical evaluation and trade-off studies across software architecture, controls development, software processes, cyber security, functional safety, toolchains, diagnostics, and vehicle integration to drive robust product decisions Play a lead role in interpreting customer, regulatory, internal, and supplier requirements, deploying actionable system requirements, and resolving incompatibilities across hardware and software domains Define and maintain system, subsystem, and interface architectures, including allocation of requirements to hardware, software, and controls functions Establish and improve software creation and management processes, development workflows, and engineering operating cadence to increase product quality, traceability, execution speed, and organizational effectiveness Assess designs, plans, and implementation strategies of self and others using structured systems thinking, risk analysis, verification planning, and sound engineering judgment Guide cyber security, functional safety, and verification strategies by identifying risks early, defining mitigations, and ensuring requirements can be validated through test and analysis Provide significant support toward engineering programs by shaping technical scope, integration plans, verification strategy, schedules, and cross-functional deliveries, with particular leadership on product-facing initiatives such as stability teams and diagnostics development Lead and influence large, collocated cross-functional teams working in-person across engineering disciplines to solve complex vehicle and product challenges, while raising technical rigor, decision quality, and team capability Collaborate and iterate with mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing, validation, quality, supplier, and service teams to ensure architectures and solutions are practical, manufacturable, and supportable in the field SCOPE OF THE ROLE Autono