Principal Charging Software Engineer

Valid8 Financial, Inc.; North Carolina; On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision.

401(k) and paid holidays.

Job summary

Valid8 Financial, Inc. is seeking a Principal Charging Software Engineer to own and lead software architecture and development for chargers. This full-time role requires collaboration with various teams to ensure product success and technical quality.

Ideal candidates will have over 8 years of experience in software or embedded systems engineering and a solid command of EV charging protocols. Join us in revolutionizing the electric mobility landscape!

Qualifications

• A minimum of 8 years in software or embedded-systems engineering, including leadership.
• Proven experience in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) with a vendor.
• Deep technical understanding of EV charging protocols.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and technical direction for charger software.
• Maintain the charging-software roadmap aligned with vendor’s roadmap.
• Drive predictable, on-time software deliveries from the vendor.

Skills

Software or embedded-systems engineering

Leadership

EV charging protocols (OCPP, ISO 15118)

Agile/Scrum

Modern release management

Exceptional communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Job description

Reports to Chief Engineer - Charging Hardware.

This role requires a full-time onsite presence in Durham, NC.

We are only able to consider candidates who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (green card holders) and who do not require current or future visa sponsorship of any sort.

About IONNA

Welcome to IONNA, the joint venture founded by eight global automotive leaders: BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes‑Benz, Stellantis, and Toyota. IONNA is revolutionizing the EV charging landscape in North America by creating a high‑powered charging network set to redefine the way we drive.

Our Mission: Make EV charging reliable, accessible, and convenient. With a commitment to deploying a minimum of 30,000 chargers across North America, we are reshaping the future of electric mobility, exceeding industry standards and leading the charge toward a sustainable, zero‑emission tomorrow.

Position Summary

The Principal Charging Software Engineer owns charger software end-to-end: firmware quality, the charging‑software roadmap, cross‑cutting software architecture, and the full software development lifecycle (SDLC) with our charger vendor. As the charger portfolio grows and on‑board software becomes increasingly complex, this role ensures software stops being the constraint on reliability, directly defending the uptime and first‑plug‑success metrics that drivers, OEMs, and third‑party raters judge us on.

Key Responsibilities

Charging Software Architecture & Roadmap

• Own the architecture and technical direction for charger software and firmware across the EVSE portfolio, including functional safety, software FMEA, APIs, and state‑machine design.
• Define and maintain the charging‑software roadmap and align it with the vendor’s roadmap; lead gap analysis to sequence features, quality improvements, and platform changes against IONNA’s KPI targets.
• Ensure the charger software is fully interoperable across the broader IONNA ecosystem, embedding the V2G communications and OCPP stack to integrate seamlessly with IONNA's CPMS, payment systems, and Plug & Charge, keeping the stack scalable, maintainable, and reliable as the portfolio expands.
• Lead the full charger software development lifecycle: requirements, design reviews, release planning, acceptance criteria, quality gates, and release notes and documentation.
• Drive predictable, on‑time software deliveries from the vendor; hold release governance and improve delivery cadence and quality.
• Serve as the primary technical owner of the charger software relationship, partnering with the Charging Hardware Lead on combined HW/SW releases.
• Maintain and manage a comprehensive set of charging‑software requirements and acceptance criteria.

Quality, Reliability & Release Governance

• Own charger software/firmware quality outcomes, driving regressions and escaped defects toward zero and protecting uptime and first‑attempt success.
• Partner with the Testing & Technology Evaluation team to gate releases, validate firmware, and ensure testability is designed in from the start.
• Lead root‑cause analysis on software‑driven field issues and support Tier‑3 obligations to resolution.
• Make major contributions to go/no‑go release decisions and shape pilot strategy; manage, measure, and continuously improve software‑related KPIs for the charging systems.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Hardware, Testing, Product, Program Management, and Operations to align charger software with the broader roadmap and deployment plans.
• Translate technical software findings into clear, actionable insights for engineering, product, and executive stakeholders.
• Stay current with the EV charging landscape and evolving standards, driving vehicle interoperability and proactively adapting the software roadmap and architecture.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 8 years in software or embedded‑systems engineering, including technical or team leadership.
• Proven experience owning the software development lifecycle (SDLC) with a hardware or firmware vendor: requirements, releases, and quality gates.
• Demonstrated ability to lead software/firmware architecture for connected hardware (chargers, embedded devices, or comparable systems).
• Deep technical understanding of EV charging protocols: OCPP, ISO 15118, and DIN 70121.
• Detailed understanding of the current public fast‑charging landscape.
• Strong command of Agile/Scrum, modern release management, and CI/CD practices.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• Exceptional communication and program‑management skills to progress discussions with vendors and senior stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience in public DC fast charging at a charging network operator.
• Hands‑on experience managing an EVSE/charger vendor’s software relationship.
• Familiarity with firmware quality, OTA update systems, and charger field reliability.
• Familiarity with V2G communications, Plug‑and‑Charge, PKI, OCPP and relevant standards (e.g. ISO 15118).
• Experience partnering with automotive OEMs on vehicle‑to‑charger interoperability.

Compensation

IONNA is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices through a competitive base salary, as well as offering bonus programs, comprehensive benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, 401(k), and paid holidays. Actual base salaries are based on several factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, experience, certifications, and specific work location.

Why Join IONNA

• Pioneering Spirit: Be part of a groundbreaking joint venture that is changing the driving experience in North America.
• Innovation Hub: Immerse yourself in cutting‑edge technology and redefine the future of EVs.
• Sustainability Focus: Contribute to a greener planet by powering our stations exclusively with renewable energy.
• Dynamic Culture: Join a passionate team committed to shaping the landscape of electric mobility.
• Endless Opportunities: Grow professionally in an industry that is reshaping the automotive world.

Equal Opportunity Employer

IONNA is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status, or any legally protected status. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse team.