Senior Class 8 AV Test Operator - On-Road & Closed-Course

NGV Talent; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Equity awards

Paid parental, medical, and familycare

Job summary

Top Echelon Software, LLC seeks a senior Test Operator in Phoenix to lead autonomous vehicle testing on closed courses and public roads. You will run both autonomous and manual Class 8 vehicles, validating platforms, performing release testing, and documenting outcomes with high precision.

You will certify operators, develop procedures, and ensure DOT/CVSA compliance while training teams across sites. Strong driving safety, reporting, and hands-on testing experience are required.

Qualifications

• Valid CDL Class A
• Current Medical Examiner's Certificate
• 8+ years of experience as a Vehicle Operator, commercial test driver, or in a technically equivalent Class 8 operations role
• At least 4 years of experience operating autonomous or ADAS-equipped vehicles
• Strong technical aptitude with autonomous vehicle platforms
• Strong written communication and technical reporting skills
• Ability to travel to operational sites and partner proving grounds
• Knowledge of FMCSA and DOT requirements for Class 8 test and development vehicles
• Ability to translate in-cab observations into reports that engineering, operations, and safety teams can act on

Responsibilities

• Operate Class 8 autonomous and manual vehicles on closed courses and public roads
• Execute platform validation and verification testing
• Test safety assurance limits, driver override response, supervised autonomy stability, and fault conditions
• Produce detailed written evaluations of vehicle and system behavior
• Distinguish baseline behavior from new or unexpected behavior and determine whether issues are reproducible
• Execute vehicle dynamics and characterization testing, including tire evaluation, trailer stability, and axle-weight verification
• Support offsite testing at partner proving grounds
• Administer operator knowledge and proficiency checks
• Evaluate and certify operators on new vehicle platforms
• Author and maintain platform-specific operating procedures and documentation
• Support DOT and CVSA compliance evaluations for new platforms
• Train operators on new platforms and support knowledge transfer between sites
• Escalate safety-related findings and stop testing when vehicle or equipment conditions warrant itDocument the technical and safety basis for testing decisions

Skills

Autonomous vehicle platforms

Technical reporting

Written communication

Safety procedure knowledge

Vehicle operation experience

Education

CDL Class A

Medical Examiner's Certificate

Job description

Top Echelon Software, LLC seeks a senior Test Operator in Phoenix to lead autonomous vehicle testing on closed courses and public roads. You will run both autonomous and manual Class 8 vehicles, validating platforms, performing release testing, and documenting outcomes with high precision.

You will certify operators, develop procedures, and ensure DOT/CVSA compliance while training teams across sites. Strong driving safety, reporting, and hands-on testing experience are required.