At Hayden AI, we are on a mission to harness the power of computer vision to transform the way transit systems and other government agencies address real-world challenges.
From bus lane and bus stop enforcement to transportation optimization technologies and beyond, our innovative mobile perception system empowers our clients to accelerate transit, enhance street safety, and drive toward a sustainable future.
About the RoleAs the Staff Systems Engineer, you will play a key technical leadership role in the design, integration, and deployment of complex, end-to-end systems that are essential to Hayden AI’s mission of shaping smarter, more efficient cities. In this role, you will own the architecture, requirements gathering, and system-level design of integrated hardware-software solutions, driving projects from concept through deployment and support. You will report into the Engineering Leadership Team and work closely with hardware, software, operations, product, customer engineering, and field deployment teams. We’re looking for someone with a deep background in systems engineering, proven project leadership experience, and a collaborative, solutions-driven mindset. This position is based in our SF Office and follows a hybrid schedule with at least 3 days in-office per week.
Below are your primary responsibilities. These represent the core areas where you’ll make an impact. As part of a rapidly evolving team, we look forward to your impact expanding over time.
Lead the architecture, requirements gathering, and system-level design of integrated hardware-software solutions
Drive end-to-end project execution, ensuring systems are delivered on-time and meet functional, operational, and quality targets
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align priorities and resolve technical challenges
Interface with customers and internal stakeholders to translate operational requirements into actionable technical plans
Ensure deployment readiness, supporting installations, configuration, and integration in the field
Identify and troubleshoot system issues, root causes, and implement corrective actions
Document design decisions, interfaces, and lessons learned for future scalability
Contribute to process improvement across systems engineering and deployment practices
The qualifications below outline the experience and skills most relevant to success in this role. We recognize that skills and potential come in many forms, and we welcome diverse experiences that advance our mission.
Experience:
8+ years of systems engineering experience designing and deploying complex, integrated systems
Proven success leading technical projects from requirements and design through implementation and deployment
Core Skills:
Strong understanding of both hardware (sensors, networking, embedded or edge devices) and software (systems integration, APIs, cloud services)
Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, and cross-functional communication skills
Demonstrated ability to write clear technical documentation and requirements
Personal Attributes:
Collaborative and solutions-oriented
Adaptable, proactive, and comfortable working in fast-paced, evolving environments
Strong organizational and leadership skills
Education:
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field
Experience in urban mobility, transportation, or fleet technology environments
Exposure to IoT, computer vision, or large-scale sensor/data platforms
Experience interacting directly with customers or field deployment teams
Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or similar)
If you’re ready to help power the systems shaping tomorrow’s cities, apply to join Hayden AI as a Staff Systems Engineer!
Skills Required
- 8+ years of systems engineering experience designing and deploying complex, integrated systems
- Proven success leading technical projects from requirements and design through implementation and deployment
- Strong understanding of hardware: sensors, networking, embedded or edge devices
- Strong understanding of software: systems integration, APIs, cloud services
- Excellent problem-solving, troubleshooting, and cross-functional communication skills
- Ability to write clear technical documentation and requirements
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field
- Experience in urban mobility, transportation, or fleet technology environments
- Exposure to IoT, computer vision, or large-scale sensor/data platforms
- Experience interacting directly with customers or field deployment teams
- Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, or similar)
Hayden AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Hayden AI and has not been reviewed or approved by Hayden AI.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is described as competitive for senior technical roles, with multiple posted ranges and wage baselines converging around high six figures. Equity and a company-wide bonus plan are also referenced as parts of the overall package.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents is consistently listed, alongside FSA/DCFSA options. Some listings indicate very high employer premium coverage depending on role and location.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) plan with an employer match is repeatedly cited as a standard component of the package. The presence of a stated match suggests a more structured retirement benefit than many early-stage startups.
Hayden AI Insights
What We Do
Artificial intelligence is already impacting almost every aspect of our lives. But cities still rely on outdated technologies that are too expensive to scale and unable to deliver on their promise. As a result, streets are becoming unsafe, and cities are becoming unmanageable. Hayden AI was founded on the belief that by combining mobile sensors with artificial intelligence, we can help governments bridge the innovation gap while making traffic flow less dangerous and more efficient. Led by a team of experts in machine learning, data science, transportation, and government technology, we’ve developed the world’s first autonomous traffic management platform — simultaneously serving citizens and multi-agency missions to help cities become safer and more sustainable.
