Sr. Systems Engineer

Job Title: Sr Systems Engineer

Job Description

The Sr Systems Engineer plays a critical role in the development, integration, and deployment of autonomous vehicle and automation platforms. This position spans product development, controls integration, software-enabled systems, manufacturing, and field deployment to ensure that autonomous systems are reliable, scalable, serviceable, and commercially viable. The Sr Systems Engineer helps define and maintain system architecture, drives cross-functional integration, and shapes the future direction of autonomous platforms and technologies.

Responsibilities

• Support the development and maintenance of overall system architecture, including subsystem definitions, interfaces, technical requirements, and system behaviors.

• Participate in system-level engineering decisions and trade studies, including buy-versus-build evaluations for hardware, software, controls, navigation, and third-party technologies.

• Coordinate integration efforts across electrical, embedded, controls, software, and mechanical engineering disciplines to ensure cohesive system performance.

• Support the development of scalable, reliable, serviceable, and commercially viable autonomous vehicle platforms.

• Integrate and troubleshoot embedded control systems, motor drives, battery systems, safety systems, industrial I/O, and communication networks.

• Support the development and review of electrical schematics, harnessing systems, control architectures, and vehicle electrical systems.

• Diagnose complex electrical, controls, communication, and system-level integration issues and implement effective solutions.

• Support implementation and integration of navigation, localization, fleet management, obstacle detection, and sensor-based technologies.

• Support validation of vehicle behaviors, operational reliability, localization accuracy, and overall system performance.

• Work closely with third-party robotics, navigation, controls, and automation suppliers to evaluate technologies and validate performance.

• Support integration and troubleshooting of industrial and embedded communication systems, including CANbus, EtherCAT, Ethernet/IP, TCP/IP, Modbus, MQTT, or related technologies.

• Support integration between autonomous vehicle systems, fleet management platforms, WMS/MES systems, and customer infrastructure.

• Develop and execute system validation, verification, and troubleshooting activities for autonomous and automation systems.

• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action efforts for system-level issues impacting performance or reliability.

• Support prototype builds, pilot deployments, production launches, and field implementation activities.

• Participate in risk assessments, design reviews, and safety evaluations for autonomous systems.

• Support compliance with applicable safety standards and relevant industry requirements.

• Develop and maintain technical documentation, including system specifications, validation reports, test procedures, and troubleshooting documentation.

• Collaborate closely with engineering, manufacturing, sourcing, operations, suppliers, and customers throughout development and deployment activities.

Essential Skills

• 5+ years of experience developing complex electromechanical, robotic, automation, or mobile equipment systems.

• Experience with industrial vehicle, automation, robotics, or mobile equipment systems.

• Experience integrating electrical, embedded, controls, and software-driven systems within complex electromechanical products.

• Strong understanding of system integration involving electrical, controls, embedded, software, and mechanical systems.

• Experience troubleshooting complex industrial, automation, or mobile equipment systems in real-world operating environments.

• Strong hands-on technical aptitude with electrical, controls, or automation systems.

• Familiarity with industrial networking, motion systems, embedded controls, or autonomous technologies.

• Exposure to robotics, navigation systems, fleet management systems, machine vision, or sensor-based technologies.

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, Embedded Systems, or a related engineering discipline, or equivalent experience.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams, including electrical, mechanical, software, and controls engineering.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for diagnosing and resolving complex system-level issues.

• Ability to work with third-party suppliers and technology partners to evaluate and integrate new technologies.

• Experience developing and reviewing technical documentation such as system specifications, test procedures, and validation reports.

• Comfort working across the full product lifecycle, including prototype builds, pilot deployments, production launches, and field implementations.

Work Environment

The role operates in a multidisciplinary engineering environment that spans design, integration, testing, and field deployment of autonomous and automation systems. You will work closely with electrical, mechanical, embedded, controls, and software teams, as well as manufacturing, sourcing, operations, suppliers, and customers. The position involves hands-on work with complex electromechanical systems, including embedded controls, motor drives, battery systems, safety systems, industrial I/O, and industrial communication networks such as CANbus, EtherCAT, Ethernet/IP, TCP/IP, Modbus, and MQTT. The work includes both office-based engineering activities and time in lab, shop, or field settings to support prototype builds, system integration, troubleshooting, and validation of autonomous vehicle platforms and related technologies.

#ACTjobsMN26

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Rockford, MN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $110000.00 - $140000.00/yr.

Company offers 401K match, PTO, Medical Benefits.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Rockford,MN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 14, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email View email address on click.appcast.io for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.