Staff Controls Software, Test & Automation

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 186,000 - 233,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading automotive technology company is looking for a Software Controls Test & Automation Lead to enhance the quality of electric vehicle control software. This role involves strategic planning, execution, and mentoring within a dynamic team focused on innovative solutions for electric vehicles. The ideal candidate will have a strong engineering background and experience in automated testing environments, contributing to the safety and performance of cutting-edge energy control systems.

Benefits

Medical/Rx insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Qualifications

• 5+ years in embedded software testing, automation, or controls systems.
• 6+ years in automated test development with hardware/software interaction.

Responsibilities

• Lead software qualification at HIL and SIL levels.
• Establish test automation processes and track software quality metrics.
• Mentor a team of test automation engineers.

Skills

Python

C

C++

Rust

Golang

Analytical Skills

Problem Solving

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Bachelor’s or Master's degree in computer science

Bachelor’s or Master's degree in electrical engineering

Bachelor’s or Master's degree in software engineering

Tools

Google Test

Pytest

Git

Job description

About Us

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary

We are seeking a dedicated and innovative Software Controls Test & Automation Lead to join our software development team. This lead role is central to the testing and integration of control software for critical vehicle features, including high- and low-voltage battery and thermal control. As a Staff Test and Automation Software Engineer Lead, you will be instrumental in ensuring the safety and performance of our cutting-edge energy storage and distribution systems, directly impacting the success of our electric vehicle control software. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in computer or electrical engineering, with a focus on embedded software, preferably in automotive or aerospace control systems. This role requires a quality-focused mindset aligned with software development best practices. Emphasis should be placed on insights into software quality, including in-depth root cause analysis (RCA) and effectively addressing failures, thorough solution and risk assessments per over-the-air (OTA) updates, and comprehensive test coverage metrics. This is a domain-oriented position critical for elevating software quality, reducing field issues, and offering data-driven assurance to leadership on the performance, reliability, and safety of energy control and distribution software.

Responsibilities

Lead the strategic planning, development, and execution reporting for software qualification at hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) levels. This includes:

• Establishing efficient and scalable test automation processes using built-in automation toolsets and aligning the roadmap with leadership and company vision.
• Systematically tracking and driving the resolution of software quality gaps, providing clear and actionable metrics per OTA release.
• Conducting thorough deep dives into new failures with developers to understand technical aspects and collaboratively define robust resolution timelines.
• Providing key input and contributing to the sign-off process for the quality of embedded software at SIL/HIL levels, ensuring adherence to quality standards.
• Taking ownership of the effort to develop or fix test scripts and address root causes of new failures, including those resulting from developer errors, to improve test stability and effectiveness.
• Technically investigating failures and collaborating with developers to identify root causes and propose opportunities for continuous improvement in test efficiency and software robustness.
• Presenting clear and concise software quality status updates, progress on roadmap items, and potential risks to leadership for every firmware OTA sign-off.
• Leading and mentoring a team of test automation engineers to strategically distribute and optimize automated test coverage across SIL, HIL, and other automated test assets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or software engineering and 5+ years of related experience in embedded software testing, automation, or controls systems.
• 6+ years of proven experience in a sophisticated automated test development environment with a strong understanding of the interaction between hardware and software components in complex systems.
• Expertise in Python and architecting robust software test automation frameworks utilizing industry-standard tools like Google Test and Pytest.
• Strong proficiency in embedded programming languages C, C++, and familiarity with modern languages like Rust/Golang.
• Experience architecting and managing software release and build processes (git/svn, Bazel/scons, gcc) within a dynamic development environment.
• Experience in the end-to-end deployment of embedded systems to diverse target platforms (Linux, yocto, buildroot, docker, bitbake), including troubleshooting.
• Experience with advanced 32-bit multi-core microcontrollers and a solid understanding of their architecture.
• Experience in diagnosing and resolving issues related to CAN, LIN, UDS, and DoIP communication interfaces.
• Experience developing and testing software within Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) environments.
• Proficiency in using advanced electronic test equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) for intricate hardware-level debugging and root cause analysis.
• Proficiency with sophisticated software revision management control software like Git (local and cloud-hosted systems like GitLab or GitHub), including branching strategies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on root cause determination.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across teams.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams in embedded software test and automation environments.
• Strongly preferred: Domain knowledge of high voltage battery systems and their control strategies.

Pay Disclosure

Salary Range/Hourly Rate for Irvine, California Based Applicants: $171,100 to $213,900 USD (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

Salary Range/Hourly Rate for Palo Alto, California Based Applicants: $186,000 to $232,500 USD (actual compensation will be determined based on experience, location, and other factors permitted by law).

Benefits Summary: Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies provides robust medical/Rx, dental and vision insurance packages for full-time employees, their spouse or domestic partner, and children up to age 26. Coverage is effective on the first day of employment.

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us [e-mail].

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian and VW Group Technologies (“Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies”) may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) recordkeeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English) andCandidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian)for more information.

Please note that we are currently not accepting applications from third party application services.