Staff Design Release Engineer – AV Networking, Connectivity & Compute

Motional; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 144,000 - 191,250; Full time

Job summary

Motional, located in Pittsburgh, is looking for a Staff Engineer to lead the design release and integration of our autonomous vehicle hardware. This role involves managing the complete product lifecycle, from concept to production, ensuring robust execution and alignment across teams.

Qualified candidates should have over 8 years of automotive hardware experience, including knowledge of high-performance compute systems, and a degree in engineering. The position offers a salary range of $144,000 to $191,250 USD.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in automotive hardware design and release engineering.
• Deep technical understanding of compute architectures and connectivity standards.
• Familiarity with validation processes including DVP&R, DFMEA, and PFMEA.

Responsibilities

• Own the design release of high-performance compute hardware.
• Drive technical execution for the full product lifecycle.
• Lead the Engineering Change (ECN) process for hardware.

Skills

Automotive hardware design

Design release engineering

Domain Controllers

High-performance compute

Telematics units

Validation documentation

Cross-functional team management

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Engineering

Tools

CAD systems (e.g., NX, CATIA)

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)

Job description

Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Mission Summary:

Our newly formed Design Release Engineering team, within the Vehicle Platform Engineering group, is seeking a highly motivated Staff Engineer to own the design release and integration of our autonomous vehicle’s compute and connectivity subsystem. This role serves as the primary technical authority for the end-to-end design, release, validation, and production readiness of our high‑performance compute hardware and associated controllers. You will ensure robust technical execution, manage supplier and cross‑functional alignment, and drive hardware delivery that meets all performance, cost, and timing objectives.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Own the complete design release of the high‑performance compute and connectivity hardware, including the mechanical mounting, alignment, thermal management, electrical interface, and vehicle network integration.
• Drive technical execution for the full product lifecycle, from concept and architecture definition to sustaining engineering and continuous improvement.
• Oversee the generation and release of all engineering documentation, including models and drawings, Bills of Material (BOM), specifications, and test reports, ensuring alignment with vehicle‑level design.
• Define and maintain the Design Verification Plan & Report (DVP&R), ensuring successful validation against system performance targets.
• Lead the Engineering Change (ECN) process for compute and connectivity hardware, ensuring traceability, cost impact analysis, version control, and full cross‑functional buy‑in.
• Act as the primary technical and program interface to suppliers (Tier 1 and Tier 2), tracking part maturity through DV, PV, and PPAP phases to ensure tooling and delivery readiness.
• Build strong partnerships across the Systems Engineering, Autonomy, Software Infrastructure, Quality, and Vehicle Integration teams to ensure seamless hardware integration and manufacturability (DFM/DFA).
• Lead technical program reviews and design readiness assessments, proactively developing risk mitigation plans to ensure compute hardware maturity aligns with program milestones and build events.
• Provide regular, concise updates to technical leadership on design maturity, validation progress, open issues, and timely closure metrics.

What We’re Looking For:

• 8+ years of experience in automotive hardware design and release engineering, with direct ownership of Domain Controllers, HPCs, or Telematics units.
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Computer, or Systems Engineering (or a related field).
• Deep technical understanding of compute architectures, high‑speed data buses, and wireless connectivity standards.
• Fundamental knowledge of validation documentation and processes, including DVP&R, DFMEA, and PFMEA.
• Expert‑level experience with the manufacturing BOM and ECN processes, and a proven ability to manage technical discussions with external suppliers.
• Familiarity with CAD systems (e.g., NX, CATIA), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems (including requirement management tools such as Polarion), and engineering release workflows.
• Strong understanding of vehicle integration, packaging, and functional safety standards (ISO 26262).
• Proven ability to lead complex initiatives, manage cross‑functional teams, and execute to aggressive program timelines with minimal oversight.

Bonus Points:

• Experience with advanced in‑vehicle prototypes and benchtop systems.
• Proven track record of driving goal‑level impact across multiple teams or subsystems.
• Prior experience in a fast‑growing autonomous vehicle or robotics company.

This role is based in our Pittsburgh office and requires in‑office days each week.

Salary Range: $144,000 USD - $191,250 USD

Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E‑Verify. All newly‑hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.