Senior Embedded Software Engineer: Virtual ECU Platforms

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 137,000 - 182,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in RSUs

Annual performance bonus

Comprehensive benefits package

Health coverage and retirement plans

Job summary

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies seeks a Staff Embedded Software Engineer to turn ECU firmware into high-performance virtual devices that run on workstations and cloud servers. You will bridge hardware and software, enabling full vehicle subsystems to boot and communicate in software.

You will collaborate with core hardware and software teams to craft virtualization layers, extend HIL test suites, and drive rapid iteration and robust engineering across the vehicle stack.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of embedded firmware experience in RTOS-based systems.
• Advanced degree in CS/EE or related field.
• Expert in C, C++, and Python with production-quality skills.
• Strong understanding of RTOS concepts and POSIX mapping.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and evolve user-space runtime for production firmware on host machines.
• Hook ECU firmware to stubbed libraries (GPIO, CAN, LIN, PWM, etc.) so code runs unmodified on workstations and in the cloud.
• Implement functional device models in C or Python when hardware isn’t available.
• Own build scripts and cross-compile tool-chains for host and MCU images.
• Extend HIL Pytest suites for virtual configurations and fault injection.
• Track down discrepancies between firmware assumptions and host behavior; use GDB.
• Work with middleware/OS engineers and hardware teams to align abstractions and unblock integration.
• Lead design reviews and mentor on real-time pitfalls and maintainable C/C++/Python practices.

Skills

C

C++

Python

RTOS

GDB

POSIX

Multi-threading

CAN/LIN/Ethernet

QEMU/Renode

Bazel

Education

B.S./M.S./Ph.D. in CS/EE

Tools

GCC cross-compiler

Bazel

QEMU

Renode

SocketCAN

Job description

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies seeks a Staff Embedded Software Engineer to turn ECU firmware into high-performance virtual devices that run on workstations and cloud servers. You will bridge hardware and software, enabling full vehicle subsystems to boot and communicate in software.

You will collaborate with core hardware and software teams to craft virtualization layers, extend HIL test suites, and drive rapid iteration and robust engineering across the vehicle stack.