Systems Architect

As the leading transit bus manufacturer in the United States, GILLIG buses play a critical role in the environmental and social initiatives in communities across our nation. GILLIG is on the forefront in the transition to zero‑emission vehicles and has an unmatched reputation in the industry for quality, reliability, durability, service, and support. From initial design through final assembly, each GILLIG bus is designed and built in Livermore, CA.

• Leader in environmentally friendly mobility solutions including battery electric, hybrid electric, near‑zero CNG and clean diesel transit buses
• Renowned for its inclusive team/family‑oriented culture
• Stable, successful, and growing organization – a Bay Area business for over 132 years!
• Flexible schedules (
  * depending on project needs)
• Excellent compensation including company paid medical premiums, generous retirement plan and other comprehensive benefits

GILLIG Engineering is responsible for the development, customization, and configuration of GILLIG's clean technology heavy‑duty transit buses. We are committed to developing the most reliable buses that connect communities, eliminate congestion, and contribute to a greener environment. Our engineers are engaged in designing, analyzing, testing, launching, and problem‑solving across a wide range of technical areas.

Systems Engineering is responsible for defining, integrating, and optimizing vehicle‑level and subsystem requirements, architectures, interfaces, and verification strategies across hardware and software domains. The team works across software architecture, controls development, software processes, cyber security, functional safety, and tool chains to ensure GILLIG buses are reliable, maintainable, secure, and ready to scale with future technology needs. Systems engineers collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, controls, manufacturing, validation, Supply Chain and Customer Care teams to manage technical risk and deliver robust product solutions tailored to heavy‑duty transit buses.

We are looking for a Staff Systems Architect who will be a thought leader in the development, integration, and industrialization of major new content for GILLIG's continuously evolving product line. The Staff Systems Architect will have direct influence over vehicle, system, software, and controls architecture decisions by leading technical trade‑offs in the areas where GILLIG has the greatest need and risk, and which are expected to remain critical into the future.

These areas include software architecture, controls development, software creation and management processes, cyber security, functional safety, and software tools and tool chains. This role provides stronger technical leadership for product‑facing initiatives such as stability teams and diagnostics development, and requires a leader with deep subject matter expertise who combines hands‑on technical depth with process and organizational acumen. The role also requires strong practical mechanical aptitude to connect system decisions to real vehicle integration, serviceability, manufacturability, and field performance.

This is a direct, full‑time position with GILLIG.

This is a hands‑on, on‑site role at our Pleasanton satellite office and reports to the Head of The Zero Emission Product Platform.

You will contribute to the development, integration, and improvement of vehicle software and controls systems that support safe, reliable, and high‑performing heavy‑duty transit buses. This includes helping define control strategies, software behavior, system interfaces, diagnostics, and overall functionality across vehicle features and subsystems. The role requires sound engineering judgment, strong cross‑functional collaboration, and the ability to connect software and controls decisions to vehicle performance, serviceability, manufacturability, and long‑term product support.

• Lead technical evaluation and trade‑off studies across software architecture, controls development, software processes, cyber security, functional safety, tool chains,…