Software Quality Assurance Engineer

Aptiv; Walnut Creek (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Wind River is seeking a Senior Member of the Technical Staff to join the Engineering Quality Solutions group and lead software quality across our safety-critical product portfolio, including VxWorks and Helix platforms.

You will plan, execute, and govern SQA activities, collaborating with Architects, Certification Office, and Product Management to embed quality, safety, and security practices early in the development lifecycle. Strong leadership and cross-functional communication are essential.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience in Software Quality Assurance for safety- and security-critical systems.
• In-depth knowledge of DO-178C and solid working expertise in ASPICE, ISO 26262, ISO 9001 QMS and IEC 61508.
• Proven ability to perform audits, reviews, and inspections of software lifecycle artifacts.
• Strong understanding of SDLC processes, configuration management, change control, and traceability.
• Experience supporting certification, assessments, and external audits with customers or regulatory bodies.
• Ability to work effectively across cross-functional and distributed teams.
• Excellent analytical, documentation, and communication skills.
• Domain experience in aviation, drone systems, automotive, humanoid robotics, or industrial platforms is highly desirable.
• Self-driven, detail-oriented, and capable of influencing without direct authority.
• Knowledge and experience with software development tools such as Git, GitLab, Jenkins, JIRA, Polarion, DOORS.
• Software engineering experience with the full development lifecycle and processes, Agile.

Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and manage SQA activities across assigned projects in alignment with defined SDLC processes.
• Perform audits, reviews, and inspections of software lifecycle artifacts to ensure compliance with applicable standards.
• Ensure timely creation, review, approval, and baselining of SQA deliverables required for certification and customer releases.
• Collaborate with Product Engineering, Architects, Certification Office, and Product Management to embed quality, safety, and security practices early in the development lifecycle.
• Provide governance and oversight of software quality processes across multiple product lines, including VxWorks and Helix Virtualization Platform.
• Supports safety-critical and security-critical programs across Aviation/Drone, Automotive, Humanoid Robotics, and Industrial domains, based on assignment.
• Identify quality risks, gaps, and noncompliances, and drive corrective and preventive actions to closure.
• Support certification and assessment activities, including internal and external audits, customer reviews, and regulatory engagements.
• Maintain and improve SQA processes, checklists, templates, and work instructions to align with evolving standards and business needs.
• Participate in cross-site and distributed team engagements, ensuring consistent application of quality standards across global teams.
• Provide guidance, mentoring, and support to engineering teams on software quality, safety, and compliance best practices.
• Track and report SQA metrics, issues, and status to stakeholders and leadership as required.
• Continuously improve quality practices by incorporating lessons learned and industry best practices.

Skills

Senior Technical Staff

Software Quality Assurance

SDLC

Cross-functional leadership

Tools

Git

GitLab

Jenkins

JIRA

Polarion

DOORS

Job description

ABOUT WIND RIVER

Wind River is a global leader in delivering software for mission-critical intelligent systems. For more than four decades, the company has been an innovator and pioneer, powering billions of systems that require the highest levels of security, safety, and reliability.

Wind River helps customers across automotive, aerospace, defense, industrial, medical, and telecommunications industries solve complex technology challenges on their journey toward the new intelligent machine economy. Our software powers generation after generation of the safest, most secure systems in the world-from NASA's Artemis I and the James Webb Space Telescope to the world's largest Open RAN networks.

We've earned global recognition for our technology innovation and workplace culture, including Great Place to Work certification and being named a "Top Workplace" for ten consecutive years. If you want to be part of a unique culture built on growth mindset, customer focus, and diversity, equity, inclusion & belonging, come join us and help advance the future software-defined world.

YOUR ROLE

Wind River Systems isseekingahighperformingSenior Member of the Technical Staffto join theEngineering Quality Solutions (EQS)group and help grow ourSoftware Quality Assurance (SQA)team.

The successful candidate will join ahighimpactEngineering Quality Solutions team responsible for the governance of software quality, safety, and security across Wind River's product portfolio.You will collaborate closely across the Product Engineering organizationand Certification officeto drive effective and compliant software quality assurance programs.

As a Senior Member of Technical Staff - Engineering Quality Solutions, you will work with a skilled SQA team to plan, execute, and driveprojectlevelSQA activities and standards processes, followingwelldefinedSoftware DevelopmentLife Cycle (SDLC) practices. You will partnercrossfunctionallywith Architects, Technologists, Product Managers,CertificationTeam,distributed development teams, andcustomerfacingorganizations.

This role supports Wind River's flagship products, including VxWorks and Helix Virtualization Platform, and may involve assignments across Automotive, Aviation/Drone, Humanoid Robotics, and Industrial programs, depending on business needs.

The role is focused on deliveringhighquality, secure, andsafetycriticalsoftwarethat meets stringent regulatory and customer requirements, enabling successful certification and deployment formissioncriticalcustomer applications.

In your daily job you will:

• Plan, execute, and manageSoftware Quality Assurance (SQA)activities across assigned projects in alignment with definedSDLC processes.

• Performaudits, reviews, and inspectionsof software lifecycle artifacts to ensure compliance with applicable standards (e.g., DO178C, ASPICE, ISO 26262, IEC 61508. ISO 9001QMS).

• Ensuretimelycreation, review, approval, andbaseliningofSQA deliverablesrequiredfor certification and customer releases.

• Collaborate closely withProduct Engineering, Architects,Certification Office, and Product Managementto embed quality, safety, and security practices early in thedevelopmentlifecycle.

• Providegovernance and oversightof software quality processes across multiple product lines, including VxWorks and Helix Virtualization Platform.

• Supportsafetycriticalandsecuritycriticalprogramsacross Aviation/Drone, Automotive, Humanoid Robotics, and Industrial domains, based on assignment.

• Identifyquality risks, gaps, andnoncompliances, anddrive corrective and preventive actionsto closure.

• Supportcertification and assessment activities, including internal and external audits, customer reviews, and regulatory engagements.

• Maintain and improveSQA processes, checklists, templates, and work instructionsto align with evolving standards and business needs.

• Participate incrosssiteand distributed team engagements, ensuring consistent application of quality standards across global teams.

• Provide guidance, mentoring, and support to engineering teams onsoftware quality, safety, and compliance best practices.

• Track and report SQA metrics, issues, and status to stakeholders and leadership asrequired.

• Continuously improve quality practices by incorporatinglessons learnedand industry best practices.

HOW YOU WILL CONTRIBUTE

Keyskills and competenciesfor succeeding in this role are:

• Stronghandsonexperience inSoftware Quality Assurancefor safetyandsecuritycriticalsystems.

• Indepthknowledge ofDO178Cand solid workingexpertiseinASPICE, ISO 26262, ISO 9001 QMS and IEC 61508.

• Proven ability to performaudits, reviews, and inspectionsof software lifecycle artifacts.

• Strong understanding ofSDLC processes, configuration management, change control, and traceability.

• Experience supportingcertification, assessments, and external auditswith customers or regulatory bodies.

• Ability to work effectively acrosscrossfunctionaland distributed teams.

• Excellent analytical, documentation, and communication skills.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to managemultiple priorities and programssimultaneously.

• Domain experience inaviation, drone systems, automotive, humanoid robotics, or industrial platformsis highly desirable.

• Selfdriven,detailoriented, and capable of influencing without direct authority.

• Knowledge and experience with software development tools such as Git, GitLab, Jen, JIRA,Polarion. Doors

• Software engineering experience with the full development lifecycle and processes, Agile