Autonomous Vehicle Test Engineer

General Motors; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 98,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement savings plan

GM vehicle discounts

Job summary

General Motors is seeking an Autonomous Vehicle Test Engineer in Sunnyvale, CA to plan, execute, and report on AV testing across defined scenarios. You will work closely with AV Test Lead, Systems Engineering, and software teams to perform scenario testing, regression testing, and system validation under guidance from senior staff.

The role emphasizes hands-on execution with limited leadership responsibilities, focusing on test quality, data accuracy, and collaboration across multiple

Qualifications

• 2-4 years automotive, consumer, or AV engineering experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or related field) or equivalent practical experience.

Responsibilities

• Execute defined AV test scenarios on vehicles, following safety procedures and ensuring data accuracy.
• Triage and diagnose basic software and hardware issues, escalating complex findings for root-cause analysis.
• Analyze vehicle and autonomy data, transforming logs into observations for validation reports and defect tracking.
• Assist with setup and use of test tools and logging systems (Vector, Intrepid, INCA, d-Space, etc.).
• Support cross-functional test pipelines—tracking requests and progress in collaboration with software engineering and systems engineering.
• Maintain test documentation in Jira, Confluence, and other test management platforms.
• Execute verification tasks for new builds and validate integration points across the autonomy stack.
• Identify opportunities to improve test coverage, automation, data workflows, and operational efficiency.

Skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Test planning

SDLC knowledge

Data analysis

Jira/Confluence

Vehicle networking basics

Debugging

Logging tools knowledge

Software/hardware integration

Programming basics (Python/Java/C++)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Vector

Intrepid

INCA

d-Space

Job description

Overview

The Autonomous Vehicle Test Engineer (AVTE) is responsible for planning, executing, and reporting on autonomous vehicle testing activities across established and evolving test scenarios. The AVTE works closely with the AV Test Lead, Systems Engineering, vehicle integration engineers, software engineering, and cross-functional teams to perform AV scenario testing, regression testing, and system validation. This role contributes technical support and hands-on execution under the guidance of senior engineers and leads and is not expected to serve as a technical lead or mentor.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute defined AV test scenarios on vehicles, following safety procedures and ensuring data accuracy and alignment with program test objectives.
• Triage and diagnose basic software and hardware issues, reproducing issues and escalating complex findings to developers, systems engineering, and vehicle integration for root‑cause analysis.
• Analyze vehicle and autonomy data at a foundational level, transforming logs into clear observations and contributing to validation reports, defect tracking, and release-readiness assessments.
• Support the setup and use of test tools and logging systems, including Vector, Intrepid, INCA, d-Space, and other measurement/automation platforms.
• Assist with cross-functional test pipelines—tracking requests, test execution status, and progress updates in collaboration with software engineering, operations, and systems engineering.
• Ensure test quality and documentation completeness by maintaining accurate test cases, results, and traceability in tools such as Jira, Confluence, and other test management platforms.
• Execute verification tasks for new builds, validate integration points across the autonomy stack, and confirm performance against acceptance criteria with guidance from senior team members.
• Contribute to continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance test coverage, automation, data workflows, and operational efficiency, and by adopting best practices and standards.

Recommended Skills & Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Solid cross-functional collaboration skills; able to work effectively with software and hardware teams.
• Ability to follow and help develop detailed test plans and procedures; familiarity with writing test cases.
• Working knowledge of integration processes, validation methods, and the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• Fundamental troubleshooting, data analysis, and test result reporting skills.
• Familiarity with test management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence, Slack).
• Foundational understanding of automotive networks and protocols (CAN, Ethernet, LIN).
• Basic understanding of vehicle/autonomy data and integration testing; ability to learn new tools and methods quickly.
• Exposure to software integration and logging tools (Vector, Intrepid, INCA, dSpace) is preferred; willingness to upskill is expected.
• Ability to assist in debugging software stacks and to partner with developers on issue resolution.
• Knowledge of hardware/software interfaces and the autonomy software stack for assigned systems (introductory to intermediate level).
• Familiarity with software release tools and environments (e.g., Jenkins, Artifactory, SPR, Linux).
• Experience contributing to development from early build through launch (coursework, internships, or prior roles).

Preferred Qualifications

• testing AV systems/robotics (or equivalent internships/co-op/project experience)
• Internship or project experience in vehicle or subsystem integration.
• Exposure to software-defined vehicle platforms.
• Level 2 driving certification or ability to obtain.
• Desired: Introductory programming skills in Python, Java, C++, or TypeScript/JavaScript.
• Desired: Basic understanding of system software concepts (drivers, filesystems, sockets) on Linux and/or QNX.

Required

• 2-4 years overall in automotive, consumer, or AV engineering experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, or related field) or equivalent practical experience.

Professional Skills

• Strong organization and prioritization for managing assigned test tasks and requests.
• Clear, concise communication and effective collaboration with engineering, operations, and technician teams.
• Proactive problem-solving mindset and willingness to learn in evolving test scenarios.
• High attention to detail and adherence to safety and compliance requirements.
• Ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with guidance from senior staff.

Compensation

Compensation: The compensation information is a good faith estimate only. It is based on what a successful applicant might be paid in accordance with applicable state laws. The compensation may not be representative for positions located outside of New York, Colorado, California, or Washington. The salary range for this role is $98,300 to $150,200. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position. Bonus potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.

Benefits

Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your wellbeing‑at work and at home‑so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

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