Senior Software Development Engineer in Test

Zoox; Foster City (CA); Hybrid; USD 205,000 - 245,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights

Amazon RSUs

Health insurance

Paid time off

Job summary

Zoox is seeking a Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to join the Release Management team in Foster City, CA. You will architect large-scale SIL/HIL tests, build automated testing pipelines, and lead root cause analysis for system-level failures to ensure safe, reliable software releases.

The role requires strong Python development, expertise in HIL/SIL, CI tools, and real-time systems knowledge, with mentorship responsibilities for a small engineering group.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or higher degree in Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or a relevant technical field.
• 7+ years of experience with demonstrated ownership of 3+ complex projects
• Good technical communication skills, with the ability to summarize complex test failures and provide clear impact assessments for our tests, tools, and pipelines.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex projects in Python, including AI-based coding for infrastructure development, tooling and automated test writing.
• Deep understanding of HIL and SIL methodologies, including real-time fault injection.
• Ownership from design to implementation and maintenance of automated testing pipelines (e.g., Bamboo, Buildkite, Jenkins) and developing custom automation plugins.
• Practical knowledge of Linux internals and networking protocols used in high-throughput real-time systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development and maintenance of large-scale event-driven SIL/HIL tests and testing frameworks.
• Architect and manage end-to-end CI pipelines to automate regression suites.
• Lead root cause analysis for complex system-level failures and develop log mining scripts and dashboards (Grafana, SQL) to triage failures.
• Perform gap analyses between safety requirements and test implementations, including timing and prioritization patterns.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to a team of engineers.

Skills

Python programming

HIL/SIL methodologies

CI pipelines

Technical communication

Linux internals

Real-time systems

Strong C++

Education

Bachelor's or higher degree in Mechatronics/CS/EE or related field

Tools

Bamboo

Buildkite

Jenkins

Grafana

SQL notebooks

Python tooling

Job description

Zoox is on an ambitious journey to develop a full-stack autonomous mobility solution for cities and safely deploy such a robotaxi solution. We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Software Development Engineer in Test (SDET) to join the Release Management Team. As a Senior Software Development Engineer in Test on the Release Management team at Zoox, you will help accelerate our software release by ensuring that we are shipping the safest and most reliable software possible. As developers build new features, you will be responsible for developing Hardware-In-Loop tests to support our safety case. These efforts are critical to maintaining our code quality and ensuring our service capabilities are operating as intended. Your ability to understand the overall system design and component interaction to help guide test methodology for functional and safety sign-off is crucial to the overall success of Zoox. Accountability and integrity are core to our team. This role is coding-intensive, focused on building solutions for high-fidelity testing, scalable automation frameworks, and sophisticated data analysis tools to ensure successful compliance to requirements and mission success.

In this role, you will:

• Lead the design, development and maintenance of large-scale event-driven software/hardware -in-the-loop (SIL/HIL) tests and testing frameworks, utilizing advanced software patterns to improve modularity and reduce code duplication.
• Architect and manage end-to-end continuous integration (CI) pipelines to automate the execution of regression suites.
• Lead root cause analysis for complex system-level failures, developing log mining scripts and visualization dashboards (e.g., Grafana, SQL-based notebooks) to triage failures and track performance metrics.
• Perform gap analyses between high-level safety requirements and technical test implementations, including the development of intricate timing and prioritization patterns. Lead end-to-end validation and clearance process for safety-critical monitors, such as for collision detection systems.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to a small group of engineers on the team.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's or higher degree in Mechatronics Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or a relevant technical field.
• 7+ years of experience with demonstrated ownership of 3+ complex projects
• Good technical communication skills, with the ability to summarize complex test failures and provide clear impact assessments for our tests, tools, and pipelines.
• Demonstrated experience delivering complex projects in Python, including the use of AI-based coding, such as for infrastructure development, tooling and automated test writing.
• Deep understanding of HIL and SIL methodologies, including real-time fault injection.
• Ownership from design, to implementation and maintenance of automated testing pipelines (e.g., using Bamboo, Buildkite, Jenkins, or similar CI Tools) and developing custom automation plugins.
• Practical knowledge of Linux internals and networking protocols used in high-throughput real-time systems.

Bonus Qualifications:

• Strong C++
• Pytest customization experience
• Background in autonomous systems or safety-critical robotics validation.
• Experience applying Generative AI or Machine Learning tools to code, audit and improve test coverage and documentation.
• Experience with real-time communication protocols (e.g., DDS, I2C, SPI, CAN, GMSL2).

$205,000 - $245,000 a year

Base Salary Range

There are three major components to compensation for this position: salary, Amazon Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), and Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights. A sign-on bonus may be offered as part of the compensation package. The listed range applies only to the base salary. Compensation will vary based on geographic location and level. Leveling, as well as positioning within a level, is determined by a range of factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's relevant years of experience, domain knowledge, and interview performance. The salary range listed in this posting is representative of the range of levels Zoox is considering for this position.

Zoox also offers a comprehensive package of benefits, including paid time off (e.g. sick leave, vacation, bereavement), unpaid time off, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, Amazon RSUs, health insurance, long-term care insurance, long-term and short-term disability insurance, and life insurance.

About Zoox

Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

Accommodations

If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to [e-mail] or your assigned recruiter.

A Final Note:

You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.