Staff Software Engineer – Embedded Software Platform

Jobtailor; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor seeks a senior architect to shape and scale embedded software platforms for software-defined vehicles. You will own architecture, roadmaps, and execution, leading multiple teams from problem definition to deployment and operationalization.

You will drive reusable patterns, quality controls, and developer experiences across embedded, real-time, cloud, and testing environments while aligning stakeholders and mentoring engineers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field or equivalent practical experience.
• 15+ years of experience in software development, integration, deployment, or validation.
• Deep understanding of embedded and real-time software architecture.
• Experience delivering safety-critical or mission-critical products.
• Proven track record leading complex multi-team initiatives.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, communication, and prioritization skills.
• Production experience with engineering tools and systems.
• Proficiency in Python and at least one additional language.
• Experience in virtualization, CI infrastructure, or build-system modernization.
• Experience with Linux, Git, containers, CI/CD, cloud, IaC, test automation, and data/API platforms.
• Familiarity with automotive, aerospace, defense, or safety-critical environments.
• Knowledge of functional safety, ISO 26262, cybersecurity, ASPICE, MISRA, AUTOSAR, or related practices.
• Experience with system-level testing tools and platforms.

Responsibilities

• Shape and scale engineering platforms for embedded software for software-defined vehicles.
• Own architecture, technical roadmaps, and execution strategies for platform capabilities.
• Lead multi-team technical efforts from problem definition through adoption and operationalization.
• Establish reusable patterns, standards, quality controls, and developer experiences.
• Make architectural decisions across embedded, real-time, cloud, simulation, test, and release environments.
• Use engineering data and signals to prioritize reliability, feedback-time, quality, and productivity.
• Align engineering, validation, cybersecurity, cloud, quality, program, and supplier stakeholders.
• Provide hands-on technical leadership, coaching, mentoring, documentation, and enablement.
• Communicate tradeoffs, risks, progress, and recommendations to senior engineering and program leaders.
• Define target-state architecture, phased roadmaps, and implementation priorities.
• Lead architecture reviews, technical working sessions, design decisions, and cross-functional alignment.
• Identify handoffs, late integration points, and systemic sources of delay or quality escapes.
• Deliver production-quality software, automation, platform components, and integrations.
• Create standards and reusable patterns for product teams and suppliers.
• Establish ownership, entry/exit criteria, operational expectations, and exception-management practices.
• Instrument platforms, identify root causes, guide investment, and demonstrate measurable improvement.
• Partner with embedded software, vehicle integration, validation, developer experience, cloud, and cybersecurity teams.
• Coach senior engineers and grow technical leadership across the organization.

Skills

Embedded and real-time architecture

Python

Leadership / Technical leadership

Safety-critical / mission-critical

Problem solving

Communication

CI/CD

Linux

Git

Containers

Cloud platforms

Infrastructure as code

Test automation

Data and API platforms

Kubernetes

Terraform

GitHub Enterprise

Databricks

Bazel

System testing

Automotive industry

Functional safety

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science

Advanced Degree in Related Technical Field

Tools

Kubernetes

Terraform

Bazel

GitHub Enterprise

Databricks

Job description

• Shape and scale engineering platforms for building, testing, integrating, validating, and delivering embedded software for software-defined vehicles


• Own architecture, technical roadmaps, and execution strategies for significant platform capabilities


• Lead multi-team technical efforts from problem definition through adoption and operationalization


• Establish reusable patterns, standards, quality controls, and developer experiences


• Make architectural decisions across embedded, real-time, cloud, simulation, test, and release environments


• Use engineering data and operational signals to prioritize reliability, feedback-time, quality, and developer-productivity improvements


• Align engineering, validation, cybersecurity, cloud, quality, program, and supplier stakeholders


• Provide hands-on technical leadership, coaching, mentoring, documentation, and enablement


• Communicate tradeoffs, risks, progress, and recommendations to senior engineering and program leaders


• Define target-state architecture, phased roadmaps, and implementation priorities


• Lead architecture reviews, technical working sessions, design decisions, and cross-functional alignment


• Identify manual handoffs, duplicated work, late integration points, unreliable signals, and systemic sources of delay or quality escapes


• Deliver or guide production-quality software, automation, platform components, and integrations


• Create standards and reusable patterns for product teams and suppliers


• Establish ownership, entry and exit criteria, operational expectations, and exception-management practices


• Instrument platforms, identify root causes, guide investment, and demonstrate measurable improvement


• Partner with embedded software, vehicle integration, validation, developer experience, cloud, cybersecurity, artifact management, and program-delivery teams


• Coach senior engineers and grow technical leadership across the organization

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, systems engineering, or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience


• Typically 15 or more years of experience developing, integrating, deploying, or validating software systems


• Deep understanding of embedded and real-time software architecture


• Experience delivering high-quality safety-critical or mission-critical products


• Demonstrated success leading complex technical initiatives across multiple teams or organizations


• Strong problem-solving, analytical, communication, and prioritization skills


• Production experience with engineering tools and systems


• Proficiency in Python and at least one additional software or engineering-tooling language


• Experience in at least one specialization area: virtualization and CI infrastructure, continuous integration and quality gating, test-system modernization, or build-system modernization


• Experience with relevant technologies such as Linux, Git, containers, CI/CD, cloud platforms, infrastructure as code, test automation, artifact repositories, or data and API platforms


• Virtualization specialization: CI/CD platforms, Kubernetes, Terraform or comparable infrastructure as code, production cloud environments, and vECUs, SIL, FMU, or SSP workflows


• Continuous integration specialization: end-to-end CI/CD and quality-gating workflows, GitHub Enterprise or comparable platforms, artifact repositories, automated test evidence, embedded and vehicle-system integration, and validation controls


• Test-system modernization specialization: embedded test automation, build-to-test pipelines, configuration and variation management, change-impact analysis, risk-based regression testing, test-result modeling, APIs, analytics platforms such as Databricks, diagnostics, or issue-management workflows


• Build-system modernization specialization: Python and another engineering-tooling language, automotive or embedded environments, migration from Make or shell orchestration to Bazel or comparable build systems, embedded cross-compilation, toolchains, generated code, firmware, build reproducibility, or CI/CD integration


• Preferred: experience in automotive, aerospace, defense, industrial, regulated, or safety-critical environments


• Preferred: knowledge of functional safety, ISO 26262, cybersecurity engineering, ASPICE, MISRA, AUTOSAR, or related practices


• Preferred: experience with SIL, CoSIM, vECU, HIL, benches, or system-level testing


• Preferred: experience establishing platform products, reusable templates, developer self-service, engineering standards, or reliability objectives


• Preferred: advanced degree in a related technical field

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in embedded and real-time software architecture, with a strong focus on delivering high-quality safety-critical products. Proven ability to lead complex technical initiatives, establish engineering standards, and enhance developer productivity through effective collaboration and communication.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Embedded And Real-Time Software Architecture


• Python Programming


• Continuous Integration And Quality Gating


• Technical Leadership And Mentoring


• Automotive Or Safety-Critical Experience

Hard Skills

• Software Development


• Software Integration


• Software Validation


• Test Automation


• Configuration Management


• Change-Impact Analysis


• Risk-Based Regression Testing


• Build Reproducibility


• Data And API Platforms


• Virtualization Specialization

Soft Skills

• Problem-Solving


• Analytical Skills


• Communication Skills


• Prioritization Skills

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree In Computer Science


• Advanced Degree In Related Technical Field

Industry Keywords

• Automotive


• Aerospace


• Defense


• Regulated Environments


• Functional Safety


• ISO 26262


• Cybersecurity Engineering


• ASPICE


• MISRA


• AUTOSAR

Tools & Technologies

• Linux


• Git


• Containers


• CI/CD


• Cloud Platforms


• Terraform


• Kubernetes


• GitHub Enterprise


• Databricks


• Bazel