Lead Software Test Engineer, Safety Critical Embedded Systems

Forterra; Clarksburg (MD); On-site; USD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Premium Healthcare Benefits

20 days PTO per year

7 weeks parental leave

$9k tuition reimbursement or PD

401(k) with company match up to 4%

Job summary

Forterra is seeking a Lead Software Test Engineer to establish verification and validation for safety-critical embedded software on autonomous ground vehicles. Initially an individual contributor, you will define the test approach, build automation environments, execute work, and maintain evidence for safety reviews.

You will collaborate with software, systems, and safety engineers to identify failures, improve requirements, and grow a small test capability, with potential to lead a test team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• Five+ years of experience testing embedded systems or safety-critical software.
• Strong working knowledge of C/C++ and Python for test automation.
• Experience with requirements management and traceability tools (Jama or DOORS).
• Familiarity with MISRA C/C++ and coverage methods (branch, MC/DC).
• Experience testing software on RTOS such as QNX with embedded targets.
• Ability to isolate hardware, software, and firmware issues in a complex system.
• Willingness to travel up to 25% (remote work possible).

Responsibilities

• Set verification and validation approach for safety-critical embedded software from kickoff to qualification.
• Convert requirements into tests with objective pass/fail criteria.
• Maintain traceability between requirements, tests, results, and anomalies.
• Build and maintain automated test frameworks for embedded software (SIL/HIL).
• Test fault injection, timing, jitter, and stress conditions.
• Use static and dynamic analysis and coverage results to close gaps.
• Prepare test evidence, plans, procedures, and compliance matrices.
• Collaborate with software, systems, and safety engineers for testability reviews.
• Provide technical guidance through plan reviews, design reviews, and mentoring.
• Help establish practices to grow a small software test capability.

Skills

Embedded software testing

C/C++

Python

Requirements tracing

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Remote work & travel

Education

Bachelors in CS/CE/EE or related

Tools

Jama/DOORS

QNX RTOS

Job description

Lead Software Test Engineer, Safety Critical Embedded Systems

About Forterra
At Forterra, we are unleashing autonomy at scale to transform the battlefield. Our mission is to build the foundational platforms that enable an intelligent ecosystem to coordinate, adapt, and execute with speed and precision even in the uncertainty and disruption of modern conflict. In an era marked by rapid technological change and evolving threats, we design for flexibility, survivability, and operational dominance.

Forterra delivers weapons, sensors, and battlefield effects through integrated autonomous networks reaching operational areas faster, safer, and without placing human lives at risk. Our systems operate with distributed control, dynamic routing, and real-time responsiveness, enabling sustained advantage across complex mission environments.

About the role

Forterra is looking for a Lead Software Test Engineer to establish and run verification and validation for the safety critical embedded software used on our autonomous ground vehicles. This is initially an individual contributor role. You will set the software test approach, build the automation and test environments, execute the work, and maintain the evidence needed for customer and safety reviews. You will work closely with software, systems, and safety engineers to find problems early and make sure the software behaves correctly when things go wrong. As the capability grows, the role may develop into a technical lead for a small test team

Someone who can build a practical software test capability from the ground up and is comfortable working directly in the code, test environments, and evidence. This person should be able to work across software, systems, and safety engineering while staying focused on finding meaningful failures and making the product more dependable

What you'll do

• Set the verification and validation approach for safety critical embedded software from kickoff through qualification, including the test plan, test procedures, results, and reports.
• Turn system, software, and safety related requirements into practical tests with objective pass or fail criteria.
• Maintain traceability between requirements, tests, results, and anomalies.
• Build and maintain automated test frameworks for embedded software, including software in the loop and hardware in the loop environments.
• Exercise failure behavior through fault injection, timing and jitter tests, communications failures, memory faults, power and clock faults, negative tests, boundary tests, and stress tests.
• Use static analysis, dynamic analysis, and coverage results to find gaps and help the team close them.
• Prepare and maintain test evidence, including plans, procedures, results, V&V matrices, compliance matrices, anomaly records, tool qualification records, and contributions to the safety case.
• Work with software, systems, and safety engineers to review designs for testability, improve requirements, and support technical reviews and assessments.
• Provide technical guidance through test plan reviews, design reviews, pairing, and mentoring.
• Help establish the practices and infrastructure needed to grow a small software test capability.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. Equivalent experience may be considered.
• Five or more years of experience testing embedded systems or safety critical software.
• Strong working knowledge of C or C++ and Python for test automation.
• Experience working with requirements management and requirements traceability using tools such as Jama or DOORS.
• Familiarity with MISRA C or MISRA C++, static analysis, and structural coverage methods such as branch coverage and MC/DC.
• Experience testing software on an RTOS such as QNX, including work with embedded targets, debuggers, and instrumentation.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and the ability to separate hardware, software, and firmware problems in a complex system.
• A practical, organized approach to managing several priorities and producing clear technical documentation.
• Ability to work remotely with up to 25% travel

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience applying safety critical development and assurance standards such as ISO 26262, IEC 61508,
• DO-178C, MIL-STD-882E, JSSSEH, or JS-SSA-IG.
• Experience with QNX, Linux, NXP S32G, or similar embedded platforms.
• Experience with CAN, CAN-FD, Ethernet, UDS, J1939, or other vehicle networks and diagnostic protocols.
• Understanding of robotics domains such as motion control, planning, perception, fault management, and vehicle interfaces.
• Experience integrating electromechanical systems in automotive, aerospace, medical, industrial, defense, or similar environments.
• Experience providing technical leadership through design reviews, mentoring, or improvements to shared test and development practices.

US Salary Range
$125,000.00.—$150,000.00 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Forterra is an equal‑opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in all personnel practices.Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran and disability status, and criminal history, in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Forterra is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities.