Senior System Development Engineer, Camera Architect, Ring Camera Technology Team

As a System Development Engineer for camera architecture you'll design complete camera solutions from sensor selection, optics, illumination and ISP integration that defines what Ring cameras image quality.
You will be Camera Architect of the imaging systems that make neighborhood safer and protect millions of homes worldwide.
Work is not just component selection, it's design of complex camera systems where optics, electronics, reliability, thermal management and image processing converge. You'll balance conflicting requirements from industrial design, cost, performance and manufacturability.

You are at the center of Ring's imaging excellence surrounded by experts in optics, sensors, ISP, firmware and AI who can rapidly prototype and validate ideas. The role offers genuine technical leadership at our team. You'll own complex architectural initiatives, decompose system level problems for parallel execution, set engineering standards, and mentor others while staying hands-on with the most challenging technical problems.





Key job responsibilities
As a System Development Engineer focused on Camera Architecture, you'll operate as a technical lead driving both system design and execution.
- Own end-to-end camera system design.
- Sensor selection, lens architecture, IR/visible illumination, ambient light sensing, ISP integration and thermal management.
- Define key performance specifications balancing image quality, cost, power, and manufacturability across diverse lighting conditions
- Drive component selection through simulations, rigorous testing, vendor evaluation and data driven decision making
- Create IQ Architecture documents that serve as master references for all imaging aspects of products
- Partner with firmware engineers on ISP tuning, camera control algorithms and power optimization
- Collaborate with IQ teams on tuning validation, test protocol development, and failure investigation
- Work with hardware engineers on module integration, PCB design, environmental testing and manufacturing
- Engage with product management to translate customer requirements into technical specifications

A day in the life
You will have architecture review with cross functional teams. The industrial design team proposes a form factor change that would need changes for the camera system. You will organize optical simulations to assess impact on field of view and image quality and end up an alternative lens architecture that achieves the ID goals while maintaining optical performance.
You have a call with your lens vendor to review the requirements for a custom lens design. You walk through the optical requirement, field of view, aperture, MTF targets, thermal performance and discuss manufacturing tolerances and cost implications.
You are mentoring a junior engineer with sensor selection criteria. You walk through your understanding of the full system requirements, identifying key performance parameters, designing characterization tests, analyzing trade-offs, and making data-driven decisions. You're not just solving today's problems you are building the team's architectural thinking capabilities.

About the team
The Camera Team is Ring's center of excellence for camera technology. Our 50+ person team includes Camera Architects, IR/WLED and ALS Designers, IQ TPMs, IQ QA Engineers, and IQ Firmware Engineers.
We work on 30+ camera designs annually creating solutions across Ring's product portfolio from entry to signature devices.

Basic Qualifications

- MSc, BSc or equivalent in relevant technical field (Optics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computer Science)
- Deep understanding of camera systems including optics, image sensors, ISP pipelines and illumination
- Experience with camera component selection and characterization (sensors, lenses, IR LEDs, ALS)
- Working knowledge of optical design principles, sensor technologies and image processing
- Experience with vendor management and component qualification processes
- Strong analytical skills using Python or MATLAB for data analysis and system modeling
- Understanding of manufacturing processes, tolerances, and design for manufacturability
- Demonstrated ability to solve complex technical problems at team level with limited guidance
- Track record of leading technical projects and influencing cross-functional teams

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with optical design tools (Zemax, Code V) and simulation
- Knowledge of image sensor technologies (CIS architectures, pixel designs, readout schemes)
- Familiarity with ISP architectures and camera control algorithms (AE, AWB, AF)
- Experience with thermal analysis and management for camera systems
- Understanding of manufacturing processes (active alignment, calibration, testing)
- Experience working with offshore manufa