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Camera System Architect Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Meta

Camera Architect

Redmond, WA · On-site

$173K/yr

Define and defend the camera subsystem architecture -- whether a single camera or a multi-camera system -- driving how sensors, lenses, actuators, and modules integrate into a coherent imaging ...

Meta

Camera Architect

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$173K/yr

Define and defend the camera subsystem architecture -- whether a single camera or a multi-camera system -- driving how sensors, lenses, actuators, and modules integrate into a coherent imaging ...

Apple

Camera System Integration Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$150K - $225K/yr

... camera system architecture, including optical components, system integration, image/depth sensor and image signal processing Knowledge of failure analysis techniques including optical microscopy ...

Apple Inc.

$150K - $225K/yr

Understanding of camera system architecture, including optical components, system integration, image/depth sensor and image signal processing * Knowledge of failure analysis techniques including ...

Meta

Camera System Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$144K/yr

We own our modules end-to-end, from architecture and requirements through design, qualification ... Camera System Engineer Responsibilities: * Technical leadership and ownership, serving as the ...

Socket.dev

Camera System Integration Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$206K/yr

Understanding of camera system architecture, including optical components, system integration, image/depth sensor and image signal processing * Knowledge of failure analysis techniques including ...

Apple

Camera System Integration Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$206K/yr

... camera system architecture, including optical components, system integration, image/depth sensor and image signal processing Knowledge of failure analysis techniques including optical microscopy ...

Meta

Camera System Engineer

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$144K - $204K/yr

We own our modules end-to-end, from architecture and requirements through design, qualification ... camera modules, depth modules, ToF, structured light, stereo, active illumination systems) for ...

Booz Allen Hamilton

System Architect

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$86K - $198K/yr

System Architect The Opportunity: Create, integrate, and apply interdisciplinary digital models of ... You are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take ...

Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc.

System Architect

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$86K - $198K/yr

System Architect The Opportunity: Create, integrate, and apply interdisciplinary digital models of ... You are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take ...

Planet

Senior Camera Systems Engineer

San Francisco, CA · Hybrid

$123K - $168K/yr

... system architect and technical lead for our next-generation satellite camera modules. In this role, you will bridge the gap between mission-level imaging goals and hardware implementation ...

Planet

Senior Camera Systems Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$123K - $168K/yr

... system architect and technical lead for our next-generation satellite camera modules. In this role, you will bridge the gap between mission-level imaging goals and hardware implementation ...

HP Inc

Camera System Software Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$137K - $202K/yr

Camera System Software Engineer Description - HP Poly is seeking a Camera System Software ... architecture discussions. Our ideal candidate is a team player with can-do attitude, who is ...

Apple

Mac Display System Architect

Austin, TX

$240K/yr

Mac System Architecture team seeks an outstanding Display systems or technology architect to ... cameras and sensors. Able to create, review and approve engineering requirement specification ...

Hp

Camera System Software Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$137K - $202K/yr

Camera System Software Engineer Description - HP Poly is seeking aCamera System Software Engineerto ... architecture discussions. Our ideal candidate is a team player with can-do attitude, who is ...

Booz Allen Hamilton

System Architect SME

Fayetteville, NC · On-site

$99K - $225K/yr

System Architect SME The Opportunity: Are you looking for an opportunity to combine your technical ... You are expected to be on camera during interviews and assessments. We reserve the right to take ...

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All JobsCamera System Architect Jobs

Camera System Architect information

See salary details

$86.5K

$224.3K

$243.5K

How much do camera system architect jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for camera system architect in the United States is $224,334.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $243,000.00 and $243,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a camera system architect do?

A Camera System Architect is responsible for designing and overseeing the development of camera systems, which can include hardware, software, and image processing components. They work closely with engineers and product teams to define system requirements, select sensors and lenses, and optimize image quality and performance. Their work is crucial in industries such as smartphones, automotive, security, and medical devices where advanced camera technologies are needed. They also ensure that the camera system integrates seamlessly with other system components and meets regulatory or market standards.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a camera system architect?

To thrive as a Camera System Architect, you need deep expertise in imaging systems, optics, sensor technologies, and embedded system design, often backed by a degree in electrical engineering or a related field. Familiarity with tools such as MATLAB, CAD software, image processing libraries, and industry standards like MIPI or USB is typically required. Strong problem-solving abilities, project management, and effective cross-functional communication are standout soft skills for this role. These competencies ensure innovative, reliable camera solutions that meet technical requirements and seamlessly integrate with broader product ecosystems.

What are the primary challenges a camera system architect faces when integrating new camera technologies into existing products?

A Camera System Architect often encounters challenges such as ensuring compatibility between new camera modules and legacy hardware, managing power consumption, and optimizing image processing pipelines for performance and quality. Balancing the trade-offs between sensor capabilities, processing power, and thermal constraints is common, especially in devices with strict size or battery requirements. Collaboration with cross-functional teams—including hardware, software, and product design—is essential to address these challenges and deliver a seamless user experience.

What is the difference between Camera System Architect vs Camera Engineer?

AspectCamera System ArchitectCamera Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's or higher in Engineering, relevant certificationsBachelor's or higher in Engineering, specialized training in camera systems
Work EnvironmentDesign and planning of camera systems, collaboration with teamsInstallation, testing, and maintenance of camera hardware and software
Industry UsageUsed in security, surveillance, and multimedia industries for system designHands-on hardware and software development in similar industries

The main difference is that a Camera System Architect focuses on designing and planning camera systems, while a Camera Engineer handles the implementation, testing, and maintenance of these systems. Both roles require technical expertise, but the architect is more involved in conceptualization and system integration, whereas the engineer works on the technical execution.

What are popular job titles related to Camera System Architect jobs?

For Camera System Architect jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Camera System Architect job openings in the United States as of September 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 82% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $224,334 per year, or $107.9 per hour.

Camera Architect

Redmond, WA • On-site

Meta
Internet and IT • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Metaexternal

$173K/yr

Full-time

Posted 23 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Define and own the end-to-end imaging architecture of camera subsystems for Meta's AR and VR products.

  • Drive hardware trade-off decisions, establish camera-level requirements, and develop system-level choices to integrate components into a coherent imaging solution.

  • Translate product features and workload requirements into hardware specifications and collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure camera subsystem performance.

Meta rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 45 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

As a Camera Architect you will define and own the end-to-end imaging architecture of camera subsystems — single-camera or multi-camera — for Meta's AR and VR product lines, serving photography, computer vision, and contextual-AI feature pipelines. Working alongside dedicated sensor, lens, and module design teams, you will drive the foundational HW trade-off decisions about how these elements come together into a coherent imaging solution — defining camera-level requirements, performance targets, and the system-level choices (focus/stabilization strategy, spatial layout, calibration approach, power budgets, imaging KPIs) that shape how individual components integrate to deliver product features. You will maintain a strong line-of-sight to the end-to-end imaging and AI-feature pipelines so that architecture decisions directly enable day-0 commitments for both capture quality and on-device intelligence.
Camera Architect Responsibilities:
  • Define and defend the camera subsystem architecture — whether a single camera or a multi-camera system — driving how sensors, lenses, actuators, and modules integrate into a coherent imaging solution. This includes focus strategy (fixed-focus vs. AF), image stabilization approach (OIS, EIS-friendly design, hybrid), camera placement geometry, and calibration methodology. The architecture must serve photography use cases
  • computer vision workloads and contextual-AI features
  • Distill a broad, often competing set of requirements — from product, system, software, and feature teams — into the smallest option space the team can realistically execute - finding the minimal camera system that satisfies the feature set while resisting HW complexity beyond what the features actually require
  • Drive sensor-level and imaging-performance trade studies (resolution, pixel size, sensitivity/SNR, dynamic range, frame rate, power, size, cost
  • fixed-focus depth-of-field vs. AF complexity
  • rolling vs. global shutter
  • Define the metrics and figures of merit that connect product features and user experiences to underlying camera HW performance. Establish quantitative linkage between feature KPIs (e.g., photo quality, video stabilization, ML model accuracy, tracking robustness, passthrough latency) and camera HW specs (MTF, SNR, dynamic range, frame sync, motion blur, FoV), and build the data-driven case for recommended camera selections and generational improvements
  • Translate product features across those workload classes into component- and module-level HW specifications — optical performance, module thermal envelope, power budget, data rates, interfaces, multi-camera synchronization/timestamping, and calibration tolerances that support factory-scale manufacturing
  • Partner with silicon architecture teams on ISP and sensor-companion-chip requirements, influencing HW/FW partitioning decisions that affect camera subsystem performance, power, and feature enablement (3A, actuator control, frame timing, AI pre-processing)
  • Communicate technical details, risks, and pathways to success across a product stack and with cross-functional teams
  • Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 10%

Minimum Qualifications:
  • MS or PhD in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline (or BS + equivalent depth of experience)
  • 8+ years in camera/imaging system architecture or design, with direct ownership of HW specification, trade-off analysis, and architecture decisions at the camera-system level
  • Experience architecting complete imaging systems from first-principles physics, optics, and sensor science — making defensible trade-offs and reasoning to the theoretical upper bound of what is achievable, even without deep specialization in any one component technology
  • Experience driving architecture-level trade-offs across image sensor technology (CMOS, BSI/stacked, global shutter, HDR) and camera module design (lens, AF/OIS actuator systems, packaging, active alignment) in partnership with specialist teams
  • Experience building the quantitative, data-driven case for camera architecture decisions — defining metrics and figures of merit that link camera HW performance to feature quality across photography, computer vision and AI/ML

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Working understanding of signal processing and computational photography principles — enough to identify where HW innovation hits diminishing returns and SW/algorithm optimization is more cost-effective
  • Experience modeling camera image quality end-to-end from hardware modules through ISP and S/W pipelines to analyze key performance indicators and inform architectural decisions based on trade-offs
  • Experience co-defining camera HW requirements with ISP, ML/AI and CV teams
  • Experience with product managers and industrial design teams in translating product vision into requirements through multiple product cycles
  • Track record of proactively shaping product roadmaps through technical foresight and analysis into actionable recommendations for leadership
  • Experience influencing key partners, internal and external, on roadmap and technology development

About Meta:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
$173,000/year to $245,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.

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