Senior Sensor Validation Engineer

General Motors; Washington; Hybrid; USD 153,000 - 234,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & wellbeing benefits

GM vehicle discounts

Relocation assistance

Job summary

General Motors seeks a Senior Sensor Validation Engineer to bridge hardware performance and vehicle integration, developing sensor characterization plans and on-vehicle validation campaigns across camera, lidar, and radar systems.

You will evaluate metrics like SNR, dynamic range, optical distortion, and point cloud density, and coordinate with perception and hardware teams to ensure robust autonomous sensing and validation across multiple programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Work equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of dedicated experience in sensor validation, characterization, or test engineering across optical, lidar, or radar systems.
• Demonstrated ability to design vehicle level validation tests.
• Experience with L4 autonomous vehicles and associated behaviors, challenges, and validation needs.
• Strong domain knowledge of sensor physics principles (optics, electromagnetics, wave propagation, photonics, and signal processing).
• Experience using component-level test equipment and lab facilities (darkrooms, collimators, anechoic chambers, etc.).
• Hands-on experience conducting benchtop characterization and on-vehicle validation, including data collection and integration constraints.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive characterization plans for camera, lidar, and radar with quantitative evaluation.
• Develop vehicle validation tests for performance and safety across autonomous driving environments.
• Plan and execute on-vehicle data collection campaigns on closed courses and public roads.
• Evaluate sensor performance metrics (SNR, dynamic range, optical distortion, point cloud density, RCS).
• Translate validated sensor modules from bench to vehicle platforms, analyzing FOV, KOZ, and integration constraints.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with perception and hardware design to root cause system-level anomalies.

Skills

Sensor validation

On-vehicle tests

Sensor physics

Python/MATLAB

Vehicle-level tests

Lidar/radar/camera

PTP timing

Cross-functional

Lab equipment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Optical/Computer Engineering

Tools

Anechoic chambers

Collimators

Target boards

Darkrooms

Job description

General Motors is developing hands-off and eyes-off autonomous driving systems intended for broad deployment across consumer vehicles. As part of this effort, GM is investing in sensors and architectures that can be integrated, validated, and operated reliably at scale across diverse vehicle programs and operating environments.

We are seeking a Senior Sensor Validation Engineer with deep expertise in sensor physics and hands-on validation methodologies. In this role, you will bridge the gap between low-level hardware performance and high-level vehicle integration. You will develop sensor characterization plans to assess detailed characteristics of sensors, evaluate sensor response, and drive on-vehicle validation campaigns to ensure robust perception across all driving modalities. You’ll have the opportunity to work cross-functionally with hardware, vehicle, perception, simulation, and other stakeholders to develop, execute, and analyze validation campaigns. This includes the development of vehicle level campaigns to ensure performance and functionality is meeting stakeholder and product needs. Benchtop setups, specialized test labs, and data-collection vehicles at our Detroit and Milford locations, with travel to external testing facilities as needed.

What You’ll Do

• Develop comprehensive characterization plans to inform the next generation of sensors, including camera, lidar, and radars with quantitative evaluation
• Develop vehicle validation tests to ensure performance and safety across autonomous driving environments and behaviors
• Plan and execute on-vehicle data collection campaigns on closed courses and public roads to evaluate sensor integration and performance
• Evaluate low-level sensor performance metrics, including signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), dynamic range, optical distortion, point cloud density, and radar cross-section (RCS) accuracy
• Transition validated sensor modules from bench setups to vehicle platforms, analyzing physical placement, field-of-view (FOV) overlap, keep-out zone (KOZ) constraints, and other metrics
• Partner cross-functionally with perception, and hardware design teams to root cause system-level anomalies

Your Skills & Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline. Work equivalent experience
• 5+ years of dedicated experience in sensor validation, characterization, or test engineering across optical, lidar, or radar systems
• Demonstrated ability to design vehicle level validation tests
• Experience with L4 (or equivalent) autonomous vehicles and associated behaviors, challenges, and validation needs
• Strong domain knowledge of sensor physics principles (e.g., optics, electromagnetics, wave propagation, photonics, and signal processing)
• Experience using a component-level test equipment and lab facilities, such as darkrooms, collimators, target boards, anechoic chambers, target generators or other related equipment
• Hands-on experience conducting both benchtop characterization and on-vehicle validation, including data collection and physical integration constraints (FOV, KOZ, ISP tuning)
• Understanding of sensor calibration, time synchronization (PTP/gPTP), and sensor fusion concepts
• Proficiency in data analysis and programming languages (e.g., Python, MATLAB) for processing sensor data and evaluating metrics

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

• Advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) specializing in Optics, Electromagnetics, Physics, or Sensing Technologies
• Experience with automated test bench design, darkroom setup, or customized sensor validation rigs
• Knowledge of ISP development pipelines, radar signal processing algorithms, or lidar point cloud generation techniques
• Experience supporting L4 autonomous driving sensor suites and perception stack integrations

Compensation

• The salary range for this role is 153,200 to 234,100. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position.
• Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.

Benefits

• Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week (or other frequency dictated by their manager). Relocation benefits are available for candidates who qualify under company policy. The position is subject to export control restrictions and requires the successful candidate to be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, asylee or refugee).

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