System Design Specialist Jobs
System Design Specialist jobs are open across technology, defense, manufacturing, and consulting, at every level from entry-level to principal and lead, with specializations in systems architecture, requirements engineering, and embedded systems integration. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
Find System Design Specialist JobsLooking for remote work? View remote system design specialist jobs →Overview
Showing 5 of 168+ System Design Specialist jobs
About Hark
Hark is an artificial intelligence company building advanced, personalized intelligence. One that is proactive, multimodal, and capable of interacting with the world through speech, text, vision, and persistent memory.
We're pairing that intelligence with next-generation hardware to create a universal interface between humans and machines. While today's AI largely operates through chat boxes and decade-old devices, Hark is focused on what comes next: agentic systems that interact naturally with people and the real world.
To get there, we're developing multimodal models and next-generation AI hardware together - designed from the ground up as a single, unified interface for a new era of intelligent systems.
About the Role
We are looking for a hands-on System Validation Engineer to join our growing team. In this role, you will be a key contributor in our hardware lab, rigorously characterizing our system's performance, flagging issues early, and building the automated test infrastructure that will help us scale.
As a System Validation Engineer, you will be the critical bridge between our hardware and software. You will champion the end-user experience by ensuring our systems work flawlessly together.
Responsibilities
- Define, measure, and document key system performance metrics, with a strong focus on power consumption, system latency, and overall stability.
- Rigorously test iterative hardware and software releases, tracking regressions and validating performance improvements over time.
- Ensure Hark's hardware designs integrate seamlessly with software. Proactively test real-world use cases to identify, expose, and document system-level bottlenecks before they reach the user.
- Design, build, and maintain automated test setups to streamline repetitive testing processes, improve reliability, and increase overall test coverage.
- Meticulously track and document bugs. Work closely with the design team to triage issues, diagnose root causes at the system level, and verify fixes.
- Partner effectively with diverse teams across the company—including Wireless, Audio, and UX—to validate holistic system performance and ensure product excellence.
Requirements
- Proven hands-on experience in system-level hardware/software validation. You must be comfortable profiling power, diagnosing latency bottlenecks, and troubleshooting complex system interactions.
- Comfortable reading and working with hardware schematics. Hands on with common hardware lab tools. Working knowledge with Qualcomm chipsets and platforms.
- Solid background in firmware bring-up and experience working within RTOS, Linux, or Android environments.
- Strong programming skills in Python, C++, or LabVIEW. You should be able to write scripts to control standard laboratory test equipment, and/or build simple test jigs.
Bonus Qualifications
- Expertise in one of the following subsystems: camera and optical sensor, capacitive sensor, audio, wireless.
- Familiarity with Agile development processes, bug tracking tools (e.g., Jira), and version control.
Compensation
The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $120,000 - $300,000 annually.
The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.
About Hark
Hark is an artificial intelligence company building advanced, personalized intelligence. One that is proactive, multimodal, and capable of interacting with the world through speech, text, vision, and persistent memory.
We're pairing that intelligence with next-generation hardware to create a universal interface between humans and machines. While today's AI largely operates through chat boxes and decade-old devices, Hark is focused on what comes next: agentic systems that interact naturally with people and the real world.
To get there, we're developing multimodal models and next-generation AI hardware together - designed from the ground up as a single, unified interface for a new era of intelligent systems.
About the Role
We are looking for a hands-on System Validation Engineer to join our growing team. In this role, you will be a key contributor in our hardware lab, rigorously characterizing our system's performance, flagging issues early, and building the automated test infrastructure that will help us scale.
As a System Validation Engineer, you will be the critical bridge between our hardware and software. You will champion the end-user experience by ensuring our systems work flawlessly together.
Responsibilities
- Define, measure, and document key system performance metrics, with a strong focus on power consumption, system latency, and overall stability.
- Rigorously test iterative hardware and software releases, tracking regressions and validating performance improvements over time.
- Ensure Hark's hardware designs integrate seamlessly with software. Proactively test real-world use cases to identify, expose, and document system-level bottlenecks before they reach the user.
- Design, build, and maintain automated test setups to streamline repetitive testing processes, improve reliability, and increase overall test coverage.
- Meticulously track and document bugs. Work closely with the design team to triage issues, diagnose root causes at the system level, and verify fixes.
- Partner effectively with diverse teams across the company—including Wireless, Audio, and UX—to validate holistic system performance and ensure product excellence.
Requirements
- Proven hands-on experience in system-level hardware/software validation. You must be comfortable profiling power, diagnosing latency bottlenecks, and troubleshooting complex system interactions.
- Comfortable reading and working with hardware schematics. Hands on with common hardware lab tools. Working knowledge with Qualcomm chipsets and platforms.
- Solid background in firmware bring-up and experience working within RTOS, Linux, or Android environments.
- Strong programming skills in Python, C++, or LabVIEW. You should be able to write scripts to control standard laboratory test equipment, and/or build simple test jigs.
Bonus Qualifications
- Expertise in one of the following subsystems: camera and optical sensor, capacitive sensor, audio, wireless.
- Familiarity with Agile development processes, bug tracking tools (e.g., Jira), and version control.
Compensation
The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $120,000 - $300,000 annually.
The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.
System Design Specialist Jobs by Experience Level
See All 168+ System Design Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find System Design Specialist JobsSystem Design Specialist Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Apple13
- AMD9
- Blue Origin9
- Stellantis8
- Ingersoll-Rand6
Top Industries Hiring
- Electronics & Hardware
- Technology & Software
- Energy
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Manufacturing
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in system design specialist jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in systems engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field
- Proficiency in model-based systems engineering tools such as Cameo or Rhapsody
- Experience developing system requirements, interface control documents, and verification plans
- Familiarity with industry standards such as IEEE 15288, DO-178C, or MIL-STD-882
- Three or more years of hands-on system design or systems integration experience
- INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional certification preferred for senior roles
Tips for Your System Design Specialist Job Search
Tailor your resume to system-level scope
Hiring managers for system design specialist roles want to see the full system lifecycle, not just individual components. Emphasize where you owned requirements decomposition, interface control documents, or system-level verification plans rather than subsystem work alone.
Highlight model-based design tool fluency
Job listings for system design specialists routinely screen for MBSE tools such as Cameo, Rhapsody, or DOORS. Name the specific tool and version you have used, and describe a deliverable you produced, since generic claims of familiarity rarely pass applicant tracking system filters.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists system design specialist openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings that match your domain depth
System design specialist roles in aerospace, defense, medical devices, and semiconductors each require different domain knowledge and certification awareness. Filter your search by industry vertical so your domain-specific vocabulary, standards experience, and toolchain match what the team actually needs.
Prepare a system design artifact to share
Interviewers frequently ask you to walk through a past design decision. Bring a sanitized block diagram, interface definition, or trade study you can discuss in detail. Candidates who reference a concrete artifact move through technical screens faster than those describing work abstractly.
Negotiate scope and authority, not just compensation
In system design specialist roles, your ability to influence architecture decisions matters as much as pay. When you receive an offer, ask directly about design authority, who you report design decisions to, and how much autonomy the role carries before accepting.
System Design Specialist Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most system design specialists?
The companies hiring the most system design specialists right now include Apple, AMD, and Blue Origin, with the largest share of openings in California, Texas, and Michigan, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Defense contractors and aerospace primes tend to post the highest volume of these roles year-round.
How many system design specialist jobs are remote?
About 51% of system design specialist openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the share varies significantly by industry. Software-heavy system design roles in cloud infrastructure and enterprise architecture are more likely to be remote, while roles in defense, aerospace, or hardware integration typically require on-site access to labs or classified facilities.
How do you become a system design specialist?
Start with a bachelor's degree in systems engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a closely related discipline. Build hands-on experience through roles in systems integration, test, or requirements analysis, and develop fluency in at least one MBSE tool. Pursuing an INCOSE certification and working toward a domain-specific standard, such as those used in aerospace or medical devices, strengthens your candidacy for specialist-level roles.
Can you get hired as a system design specialist without direct experience?
Yes, entry-level system design specialist positions exist, particularly at defense contractors and aerospace companies with structured new-graduate programs. Candidates coming from adjacent roles in software engineering, electrical engineering, or test and verification can transition by emphasizing any work involving requirements, interfaces, or integration. A capstone project, internship, or personal project that demonstrates system-level thinking, even without the title, helps close the experience gap.
What does the system design specialist interview process look like?
Most interview processes for system design specialist roles include a recruiter screen, a technical phone or video interview focused on systems engineering fundamentals, and an onsite or virtual panel with engineers and a hiring manager. Expect questions about requirements decomposition, interface definition, trade studies, and verification approaches. Some employers add a design exercise where you work through a system problem in real time, so practicing verbal walk-throughs of past design decisions helps considerably.
Where can I find and apply to system design specialist jobs?
You can find and apply to system design specialist jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Find the roles that fit your experience, domain background, and location preferences, then apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 168+ System Design Specialist Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find System Design Specialist Jobs