Staff System Architect

About the Company:

World is building a real human network designed to accelerate people in the age of AI. As bots and autonomous agents reshape the internet, people, institutions, and applications need a trusted way to confirm who is a real human while preserving privacy. Our products make this possible: the Orb verifies real people, World ID proves it privately, and World App enables and distributes the new applications made possible by this technology. Together, they form a new layer for AI internet.

We’re one of the fastest-growing networks in tech. More than 17 million people across 160 countries have verified with World ID, and we complete over 350,000 verifications each week. World App is already among the most used wallets globally. Developers are integrating World ID to build safer online experiences and create spaces where real people can participate, earn, and be recognized in ways AI simply can’t replicate.

World was founded in 2019 and launched globally in 2023. We are more than 400 people across hardware, software, AI, cryptography, mobile engineering, and global operations. Our teams come from OpenAI, Tesla, SpaceX, Apple, Google, Stripe, Meta, Coinbase, Palantir and MIT Media Lab. We’re backed by leading investors, including a16z, Khosla Ventures, Bain Capital Crypto, Blockchain Capital, Variant, Tiger Global, and Coinbase Ventures, as well as prominent operators and founders across fintech and AI.

World has been featured on the cover of TIME Magazine, highlighted in Fast Company’s Next 5 in Fintech, and explored in a Bloomberg deep dive. The New York Times, Bankless and TechCrunch have all recognized our progress in identity, cryptography, AI, and global-scale hardware deployment. Our leadership is also named to the Time AI 100. Learn more about the newest product launches from our Unwrapped event.

We are seeking a highly skilled staff level system architect to drive the system development of TFH device programs from concept through product launch. The staff level system architect will own the technical execution of system architecture and integration, working across electrical, mechanical, silicon, firmware, validation, and manufacturing engineering teams. This role balances deep technical engagement with technical project leadership, ensuring that system architecture, features, performance, and quality targets are achieved on schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• System Architecture & Integration

  • Define and guide overall system architecture decisions, ensuring alignment across hardware, firmware, optics, and software domains

  • Drive subsystem tradeoffs and technical decisions to achieve product performance, power, cost, and reliability goals
    

• Technical Leadership

  • Serve as the technical authority and single point of accountability for system-level execution

  • Facilitate and lead technical reviews, coordinate with vendors / contract manufacturers / external partners where applicable.

  • Drive resolution of complex cross-domain issues, and ensure engineering rigor across design phases

  • Identify technical risks and blockers early, partner with engineering domain experts to propose mitigation paths, and drive these to resolution

  • Rapidly respond to changes (architecture changes, schedule shifts, design tradeoffs) and replan accordingly
    

• Program & Project Execution

  • Translate product requirements into system-level engineering plans, deliverables, and validation criteria

  • Own the engineering development schedule, dependencies, and risk assessment with strong technical grounding

  • Drive issue closure by partnering with subsystem owners, escalating only when necessary

  • Partner with TPM to drive Risk, schedule and Cost
    

• Cross-Functional Coordination

  • Lead cross-discipline engineering teams (EE, ME, RF, Camera, Display, Power, SW/FW, Test, Ops) to align priorities

  • Lead design implementation, validation, and system bring-up activities
    

• Manufacturing & Post-Ramp Support

  • Collaborate with operations and supply chain on manufacturability, DFM, and production readiness

  • Support system qualification, mass production ramp, and resolve post-ramp issues including field failures and reliability investigations
    

• Communication & Reporting

  • Provide technical status updates, risks, and mitigation strategies to leadership

  • Clearly articulate system challenges, architecture tradeoffs, and proposed solutions
    

Qualifications

• Master/Diploma degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field

• 10+ years of experience leading system-level hardware projects in consumer electronics or equivalent fields with proven track record

• Strong technical depth in at least one subsystem (e.g. SoC, Power, Thermal, Optics, Sensing, RF), with broad understanding of system integration

• Experience with Qualcomm SOC based system architecture.

• Demonstrated success driving complex technical programs from concept through mass production

• Excellent problem-solving skills with ability to dive into technical details and lead root-cause analysis

• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills; able to lead cross-functional engineering teams without formal authority

By submitting your application, you consent to the processing and internal sharing of your CV within the company, in compliance with the GDPR

Pay transparency statement (for CA and NY based roles):

The reasonably estimated salary for this role at TFH ranges from $270,000 - $300,000, plus a competitive long term incentive package. Actual compensation is based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience. In addition, TFH offers a wide range of best in class, comprehensive and inclusive employee benefits for this role including healthcare, dental, vision, a 401(k) plan and match, life insurance, flexible time off, commuter benefits, professional development stipend and much more!