Lead Platform Software V&V Engineer

Ford; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,200 - 283,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Parental leave and family care support

Vehicle discount program

Tuition assistance

Paid time off and holidays

Job summary

Ford seeks a Lead Platform Software V&V Engineer to architect and drive safety, performance, and reliability strategies for next-gen automotive ECUs. You will lead hands-on post-silicon bench testing of microcontrollers, RTD, STM, automotive Ethernet, and bootloaders, while building automated test frameworks in Python and C/C++/Rust.

You will mentor offshore engineers, coordinate cross-site validation, and ensure alignment with HSIs and ISO 26262 safety goals across ASIL B‑D.

Qualifications

• Requires a BS or MS in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related STEM field.
• Hands-on experience with embedded software, RTOS, and microcontrollers (ESP32, ARM Cortex-M).
• Deep knowledge of ISO 26262 functional safety and HSIs; experience across ASIL B-D.

Responsibilities

• Define validation roadmap, strategies, and hardware-in-the-loop architectures.
• Mentor offshore teams and coordinate cross-site validation activities.
• Execute post-silicon bench testing on ECUs and test peripherals.
• Develop automated regression tests in Python and target-side code in C/C++/Rust.
• Ensure compliance with ISO 26262 across safety goals and artifacts.
• Benchmark and optimize network stack throughput and latency using iperf, CANoe, etc.

Skills

Embedded systems

Python

C/C++

AUTOSAR

ISO 26262

HIL testing

Education

B.S. Electrical/Electrical Engineering

M.S. preferred

Tools

Lauterbach Trace32

dSPACE ControlDesk

Vector VT System

CANoe

RD-Gigastar / VN5610A

Scapy (Python)

Job description

We are seeking a Lead Platform Software V&V Engineer that architecturally drives and executes the safety, performance, and deterministic reliability strategies for next-generation automotive electronic control units (ECUs). In this role, you will lead hands-on post-silicon bench testing on microcontrollers, validating Real-Time Drivers (RTD), the System Timer Module (STM), integrated automotive Ethernet chipsets, and bootloaders.

You will own the end-to-end definition and execution of test methodologies designed to comply with ISO 26262 ASIL functional safety requirements while optimizing real‑time network stack throughput. You will architect automated test frameworks primarily controlled via Python frameworks, with flexibility to develop target‑side test code in C, C++, or Rust. You will provide unified technical leadership across regional sites, and directly mentor both local and offshore engineers. Your expertise in embedded systems and automotive industry knowledge will help ensure the quality and reliability of our software solutions.

What you’ll do...

• Technical Leadership & Distributed Team Collaboration
  • Define the validation & verification roadmap, test strategies, and architectural design for physical post‑silicon bench testing and hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) environments.
  • Mentor and guide offshore engineers and distributed validation teams across different regional US offices, establishing unified best practices for code quality, safety‑critical testing, and test engineering excellence.
  • Coordinate cross‑site execution to ensure continuous testing alignment, smooth handoffs, and consistent test artifact generation between global engineering groups.
  • Interface directly with cross‑functional teams (Systems, Silicon, Firmware, Safety) to align verification plans with hardware‑software interface definitions (HSI).

• Post‑Silicon Bench Testing & Hardware Validation
  • Execute bench‑level validation on physical silicon evaluation boards and custom automotive ECUs.
  • Configure and validate hardware peripherals, specifically focusing on the System Timer Module (STM), memory protection units, and interrupt controllers.
  • Integrate and verify PHY/switch drivers, validating high‑speed automotive Ethernet transceiver performance under varied environmental conditions.
  • Bootloader & Flash Validation: Architect and execute test strategies for primary/secondary bootloaders, validating secure boot sequences (cryptographic signature verification), flashing routines via UDS (ISO 14229) over CAN/Ethernet, and dual‑bank OTA roll‑back mechanisms on microcontrollers.

• Driver & Performance Verification
  • Validate Real‑Time Drivers (RTD) for bare‑metal and AUTOSAR runtime environments.
  • Benchmark network stack throughput and latency using network testing utilities like iperf, CANoe, and hardware packet generators.
  • Analyze complex communication layers including TCP/IP, SOME/IP, and DoIP over automotive Ethernet interfaces.

• Functional Safety & Test Automation
  • Design, implement, and maintain automated regression test frameworks controlled via Python scripts.
  • Develop target‑side test applications in C, C++, or Rust when bare‑metal deterministic execution or strict memory safety verification is required.
  • Author V&V test specifications mapped directly to safety goals to ensure compliance across various safety levels (ASIL B to ASIL D) in alignment with ISO 26262 Part 6.
  • Utilize advanced lab instrumentation (digital oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) and debuggers to capture signals and isolate physical‑layer anomalies.

You'll have...

• Education: B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field.
• Processor Expertise: Hands‑on experience debugging and validating microcontrollers (ie. ESP32, ARM Cortex‑M, etc.).
• Automotive Communication: Deep understanding of automotive networking protocols, including Automotive Ethernet (100BASE‑T1/1000BASE‑T1), CAN FD, LIN, and Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS / ISO 14229) for flashing configurations.
• Silicon Ecosystems: Proven familiarity with Realtek Ethernet transceivers/switches and configuring low‑level peripheral timers like the STM.
• Functional Safety Standards: Comprehensive understanding of ISO 26262 processes, hardware‑software interface definitions (HSI), and safety‑critical testing techniques.
• Software Toolkit: Strong programming fluency in Python for building bench automation frameworks, alongside C for low‑level embedded software inspection.
  

Even better, you may have...

• Automotive Network & Traffic Generation Tools
  • Experience using dedicated automotive hardware interfaces and packet injection tools such as Intrepid Control Systems RAD‑Gigastar, Vector VN5610A/VN5640, or other media converters.
  • Familiarity with enterprise Layer 2/3 traffic emulation suites such as Keysight IxNetwork or Spirent TestCenter to validate switch latency and throughput boundaries.
  • Hands‑on knowledge of network script automation using open‑source packet manipulation libraries like Scapy via Python.

• Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HIL) & Debug Environments
  • Advanced proficiency in automated debugging and memory trace extraction utilizing a Lauterbach Trace32 debugger or other vendor‑specific debuggers.
  • Experience using bench automation and instrumentation platforms such as dSPACE (ControlDesk/ConfigurationDesk) or Vector VT System for modular I/O and fault‑injection testing.
  • Proficiency configuring low‑level registers, clocks, and peripheral drivers via vendor‑specific configuration tools.

• ISO 26262 Code Compliance & Dynamic Analysis
  • Experience with target‑based software testing and code coverage frameworks like QA Systems Cantata or Parasoft C/C++test to enforce structural safety standards.
  • Familiarity with static analysis and MISRA C/C++ compliance checkers such as QA‑MISRA, Helix QAC, or Synopsys Coverity.
    

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp‑up programs, subsidized back‑up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a leadership level 6 and ranges from $150,200-$283,500.
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid. Candidates who are in commuting distance to a Ford hub location may be required to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

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