Staff Engineer, OBD

CalAmp; Carlsbad (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

CalAmp seeks a Staff Engineer to lead OBD-focused initiatives in Carlsbad, CA. You will design and optimize vehicle parameter data, build models and simulations, and collaborate across teams to validate changes in real-world vehicle systems.

You will work with CAN data, reverse-engineer ECUs, and develop automation tooling to streamline data processing, while maintaining scalable databases for engineering records.

Qualifications

• Must have a degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Computer Engineering or related field.
• 5–10+ years of automotive engineering, embedded systems, or related domains.
• Strong experience with vehicle communication protocols (CAN, LIN, ISO-Kline, J1850).

Responsibilities

• Analyze and optimize vehicle parameters across subsystems (powertrain, chassis, gateways).
• Develop models and simulations to evaluate device performance and behavior.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to validate parameter changes and system integration.
• Interpret CAN data to support end customers.
• Reverse engineer vehicle systems, ECUs, and communication protocols.
• Develop tools/methodologies for decoding OEM vehicle data.
• Document findings and translate into engineering improvements.
• Design and maintain scalable databases for vehicle data and records.
• Develop automation scripts and pipelines for data ingestion, transformation, and analysis.
• Integrate automation into testing, validation, and reporting processes.
• Identify opportunities to reduce manual effort and improve efficiency.

Skills

Python

C/C++

C#

CAN/LIN/ISO-Kline/J1850

Analytical thinking

Independent work

Education

Bachelors or Masters in Electrical/Mechanical/Computer Engineering or related field

Tools

Vector Canalyzer/Canoe/Candela

Job description

We are CalAmp, a connected intelligence company that gives people the ability to track, monitor, and recover their vital assets with real-time visibility and insights. We are seeking a Staff Engineer, OBD based in Carlsbad, CA. Equal Employment Opportunity CalAmp is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

MUST HAVES

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field
• 5–10+ years of experience in automotive engineering, embedded systems, or related domains
• Strong experience with vehicle communication protocols (e.g., CAN, LIN, ISO-Kline, J1850)
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, C/C++, and C#
• Experience with vehicle simulation tools (e.g., Vector Canalyzer/Canoe/Candela)
• Solid understanding of database systems (SQL/NoSQL, data modeling) Knowledge of machine learning applications in vehicle data analysis Experience with automation frameworks and scripting Proficiency with database manipulation using SQL (Select, Insert, Update, Inner/Outer Joins, etc.), Stored procedures, Triggers

STRONG PLUSES

• Experience with automotive cybersecurity or ECU firmware analysis Knowledge of AI LLM environments

KEY SKILLS

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Attention to detail with a systems-level mindset
• Ability to work independently and lead technical initiatives
• Excellent documentation and communication skills

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Vehicle Parameter Data Engineering
• Analyze, define, and optimize vehicle parameters across various subsystems (powertrain, chassis, gateways, etc.)
• Develop models and simulations to evaluate device performance and behavior
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to validate parameter changes and ensure system integration
• Interpret vehicle data (CAN data) to support end customers
• Reverse Engineering: Perform reverse engineering of vehicle systems, ECUs, and communication protocols
• Develop tools and methodologies for decoding OEM vehicle
• Document findings and translate them into actionable engineering improvements
• Database Management:
  • Design, implement, and maintain scalable databases for vehicle data and engineering records
  • Review existing databases for consistency across vehicle types
• Automation & Tool Development:
  • Develop automation scripts and tools to streamline engineering workflows and data processing
  • Build pipelines for data ingestion, transformation, and analysis
  • Integrate automation into testing, validation, and reporting processes
• Continuously identify opportunities to reduce manual effort and improve efficiency