Staff Mechanical Design Engineer

Who we are Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, one that will bring a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone. At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. For the latest news from Aurora, visit aurora.tech or follow us on LinkedIn . 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. Aurora is seeking a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer for the Compute Product Engineering team within the HPE (Hardware Product Engineering) group. 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. Role Overview In this role, you will lead the development of our next-generation Aurora Driver Module, which consists of the integration of our Primary Computer and Electronic Control Units for our autonomous vehicle platform known as the Aurora Driver. This role owns mechanical architecture from concept through production, driving robust, manufacturable designs for compute hardware deployed in safety-critical environments. In addition, you will support and sustain products driving autonomously on roads today. This is a high-impact, cross-functional role at the intersection of mechanical design, electronics packaging, and vehicle integration, with responsibility for setting technical direction and mentoring engineers. In this role you will Lead mechanical design and architecture of ECU systems, including enclosures, thermal management, structural design, and packaging Own full lifecycle development: concept → prototype → validation → production release Define system-level requirements and translate into detailed mechanical designs and specifications Design for high-performance compute systems including: Thermal solutions (passive/active cooling, application of TIMs, design of heat sinks) EMI/EMC shielding and grounding strategies Shock/vibration durability for automotive environments Optimize packaging for space, weight, thermal constraints, and serviceability Prototyping & Validation Drive rapid prototyping, bring-up, and iterative validation of ECU hardware Partner with Reliability to develop and execute validation plans (DV/PV) Lead root cause analysis and design improvements based on test data Manufacturing & Production Partner with manufacturing and suppliers for DFM/DFA optimization Own transition from prototype to production-grade designs Cross-functional Leadership Work closely with electrical, firmware, software, and vehicle integration teams Drive system-level tradeoffs across multiple domains for critical decision making Provide technical leadership, design reviews, and mentorship to junior engineers Required Qualifications BS / MS in Mechanical Engineering (or similar) and 8+ years of industry experience in Mechanical Design Proficient in CAD design & 2D drawing creation using GD&T, Catia 3DX preferred Prior experience with Contractor Manufacturers in high volume settings, including DFM/DFA, build support, and ECO processes. Experience designing for harsh environments including shock/vibration and temperature cycling with long term durability Experience mitigating EMI/EMC through specificat