Ecosystem Integration Engineering Manager

Location: Cardiff, UK / Krakow, Poland

As Ecosystem Integration Engineering Manager, you will lead a new multi‑disciplinary engineering team — spanning hardware, firmware, middleware, apps, and cloud services — dedicated to the integration of IDT Reader BU products into broader RFID identification ecosystems. The team will undertake the engineering activities required to deliver holistic end‑to‑end system solutions to IDT customers and their end‑users. The scope extends well beyond reader product development and encompasses all the technical work needed for IDT Reader BU products to operate as part of comprehensive RFID‑based identification systems.

The ecosystems addressed by the team will fall into three broad categories:

• ecosystems or products originating from other Business Units or Business Areas within HID Global (for example, HID PACS 2.0 and next‑generation card credential technologies);
• emerging industry standards (for example, Aliro under the Connectivity Standards Alliance);
• ecosystems that have yet to be defined or created.

This role requires a leader who understands the full breadth of the RFID identification ecosystem — not only readers or credentials, but the full set of components that together deliver an end‑to‑end identification solution. The team's objective will be to establish the technical framework, leveraging shared platforms across hardware, firmware, middleware, apps, and cloud services, that supports the integration of IDT Reader BU products into specific RFID identification ecosystems.

You will work in close collaboration with a dedicated Product Manager for Ecosystem Strategy and Portfolio Management. The Product Management Team will define the product roadmap and portfolio direction to feed into the selected ecosystems. Under your leadership, the team will design the integration architecture required either to fit IDT Reader BU products into existing ecosystems or to support the creation of new ones, and will then deliver the technical execution required to implement the strategy.

You will also partner with the BU's product‑line engineering managers, Cloud Services, Credential Management, and adjacent Product Management functions, with the objective of establishing integration as a recognised discipline within the Reader BU. This role reports directly to the VP of Engineering, IDT, and will be based in Cardiff or Krakow.

Responsibilities

• Integration Architecture and Engineering Execution
  • Translate the ecosystem roadmap defined by Product Management into engineering plans, integration architectures, and delivery commitments.
  • Establish reusable engineering frameworks and shared platforms across hardware, firmware, middleware, apps, and cloud services that support integration into specific RFID identification ecosystems.
  • Define reference architectures and integration patterns for use by the wider Reader BU and by the partner ecosystem.
  • Incorporate integration considerations into product design from the outset, ensuring that integration requirements inform hardware, firmware, middleware, apps, and cloud architecture decisions early in the development lifecycle.
• Cross‑Disciplinary Technical Leadership
  • Provide technical guidance across the team's five disciplines, covering hardware integration validation and reference designs; firmware integration of credentials, secure elements, and ecosystem protocols; middleware components that connect reader‑side firmware to higher‑level services; client and partner applications that consume the integration capability; and cloud services for key management, issuance, and data exchange.
  • Lead design reviews and trade‑off discussions that span the full end‑to‑end system, from reader hardware through to cloud services.
  • Maintain a working knowledge of relevant standards, including ISO 14443/15693, OSDP v2, FIDO2, CSA Aliro, mobile credential standards (NFC, BLE, UWB, Apple Wallet, Google Wallet), ISO/IEC 18013‑5 (mDL), and applicable IAM standards (OAuth, OIDC, SAML).
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration
  • Collaborate closely with the Product Manager for Ecosystem Strategy and Portfolio Management.
  • Maintain strong alignment with the IDT Reader BU's architects and with architects across other HID Global Business Areas.
  • Partner with peer Engineering Managers across the Reader BU, Credential Management, Cloud Services, and adjacent Product Management functions to align roadmaps and integration commitments.
  • Represent the perspective of customer integrators within Engineering.
• Delivery, Quality, and Compliance
  • Implement a predictable delivery cadence aligned with the Reader BU's broader operating rhythm.
  • Comply with the Product Development tools and processes facilitated by HID's APMO (Agile Program Management Office).
  • Define and report on the metrics relevant to an integration team, including partner certification velocity, integration defect escape rate, time to onboard a new ecosystem partner, and reference‑architecture adoption.
  • Ensure that the team's deliverables meet HID's quality, security, and compliance standards across all disciplines.
  • Define the integration testing strategy, including end‑to‑end test environments, reference customer deployments, and continuous validation against partner platforms.
  • Partner with QA and Security teams on threat modelling and certification activities for ecosystem‑facing components.
• Team Establishment, Leadership, and Capability Transfer
  • Define the structure, remit, and operating model of the new engineering team within the IDT Reader BU.
  • Recruit, develop, and retain engineers across the team's five disciplines (hardware, firmware, middleware, apps, and cloud services).
  • Recognise that part of the team may be cross‑allocated with other Business Units or Business Areas within HID Global, and put in place working practices that accommodate this shared resourcing.
  • Establish team practices that support accountability, continuous learning, and engineering excellence.
  • Mentor and develop the team, with ongoing focus on capability growth across all five disciplines.
  • Plan and execute the gradual transfer of mature integration capabilities to the relevant business segment engineering teams as each ecosystem stabilises.

Experience and Background

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 10+ years of professional engineering experience across the broader product stack, including at least 3+ years managing or leading multi‑disciplinary engineering teams.
• Demonstrated experience building or significantly growing a new engineering team, including defining its structure, recruiting its engineers, and establishing its working practices.
• Demonstrated breadth across the RFID identification ecosystem.
• Direct delivery experience spanning multiple of the team's disciplines is highly valued.
• Demonstrated experience in system or solution architecture responsibilities for projects implementing smartcard, NFC, or RFID technologies.
• Strong working knowledge of identification, access control, RFID, or adjacent IoT domains.
• Familiarity with relevant industry standards and with the HID Credentials product portfolio is a significant advantage.
• Hands‑on familiarity with one or more contemporary credentialing ecosystems, such as physical access control, mobile credentials, or mobile identification, is a significant advantage.
• Demonstrated track record of defining reference architectures and integration patterns adopted by other engineering teams or external partners.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and rewards package.
• Competitive benefits and annual leave offering, allowing for work‑life balance.
• A vibrant, welcoming & inclusive culture.
• Extensive career development opportunities and resources to maximize your potential.
• To be a part of a global organization that is pioneering the hardware, software and services that allow people to confidently navigate the physical and digital worlds.

HID is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce that reflects the global communities we serve. As an equal‑opportunity employer, we welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. We evaluate applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic. If you have a disability and require assistance or accommodation to participate in the application process or to perform essential job functions, please contact accommodations-ext@hidglobal.com.