Vehicle Network and Diagnostics Validation Engineer

Slate; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 109,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k

Job summary

Slate is seeking a Vehicle Network and Diagnostics Validation Engineer to validate serial communication and diagnostics across bench, HIL, and vehicle levels. You will develop test plans, build test setups, and verify CAN/UDS content to ensure high-quality software release.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in automotive network validation, CAPL/Python scripting, and experience with Vector tools, CANoe/CANalyzer, and CI/CD integration. Travel up to 20% may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering or related field; Master’s preferred.
• 5+ years validating vehicle network architectures and diagnostics integration.
• Hands-on testing automotive CAN, UDS, ISO standards; End-to-End communication protection.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute test plans, tests, and validation strategies for vehicle communication.
• Build bench, HIL, and vehicle-level test setups and fault injection configurations.
• Validate CAN databases (.DBC) and diagnostic content (.CDD) against matrices and ECU implementations.
• Support validation traceability, defect triage, and risk communications to stakeholders.
• Develop automated regression scripts and integrate into CI pipelines.

Skills

CAN/UDS testing

CAPL scripting

Python scripting

CI/CD integration

Electrical engineering

Communications protocol

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Vector CANoe/CANalyzer/vTESTstudio

Vehicle Spy

ETAS

Wireshark

Job description

ABOUT SLATE

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them.

ABOUT SLATE

Slate’s Electrical Engineering group is seeking a passionate and dynamic Vehicle Network and Diagnostics Validation Engineer to join our growing team. The Vehicle Network and Diagnostics Validation Engineer will work within the vehicle software team, validating serial communication and diagnostics solutions across the bench, HIL, and vehicle. This position will be responsible for working with teams across the organization to ensure the software communication content for the company is verified to a high standard of quality before release.

WHAT YOU GET TO DO

• Develop and execute test plans, test cases, and validation strategies for vehicle communication and diagnostic requirements, and maintain traceability from requirement to test result.
• Build and maintain bench, HIL, and vehicle-level test setups, including residual bus simulation, fault injection, and restbus configurations.
• Validate CAN vehicle communication database (.DBC) files and diagnostic content (.CDD) files against the vehicle communication matrix and ECU implementations as a core responsibility of the role.
• Support communication requirements review, homologation testing, and validation traceability.
• Validate the fault code management strategy, including DTC setting and clearing conditions, aging and healing, snapshot records.
• Verify UDS diagnostic services for all CAN based modules against development, manufacturing, and service tools, and confirm correct positive and negative response handling.
• Develop and maintain automated regression test scripts (CAPL, Python, or vendor tooling) and support their integration into continuous integration pipelines.
• Document, triage, and track defects to closure, reproduce field and manufacturing issues, and communicate validation status and risk to program stakeholders.
• Support manufacturing, end-of-line (EOL), and test bench tool validation, and handle large ECU extract and serial communication database files (.DBC and .LDF).

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TEAM

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related field. Master’s degree is preferred.
• 5+ years of experience validating vehicle network architectures, ECU communication strategies, and diagnostics integration, with hands‑on experience testing automotive communication and diagnostic protocols (CAN, UDS, XCP), associated ISO standards (ISO 14229, ISO 15765, ISO 11898), and End-to-End (E2E) communication protection.
• 5+ years of experience validating automotive embedded software for ECU diagnostics, bootloaders, software flashing, FOTA updates, and cybersecurity, including UDS, Secure Boot, Flash Bootloader, and ECU cybersecurity features.
• 5+ years of experience using automotive development, diagnostics, and validation tools, such as Vector tools (CANoe, CANalyzer, vTESTstudio), Vehicle Spy, ETAS, Wireshark, and software end‑of‑line (EOL) test platforms.
• 5+ years of experience testing diagnostic services, device control functions, fault management, calibration, and software update solutions for automotive ECUs.
• 5+ years of experience in systems engineering and test management activities, including requirements management, test case authoring, traceability, defect tracking, verification, and validation, using tools such as DOORS, Polarion, JIRA, Bitbucket, RTC, or similar platforms.
• Experience with test automation and scripting using CAPL, Python, or equivalent, including automated regression execution and reporting.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.
• Highly adaptable and proactive, excelling in fast‑paced start‑up and new model launch environments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with HIL platforms (dSPACE, NI, Vector VT System) and bench build‑up, including harness, load box, and fault injection unit design.
• Experienced in automotive diagnostics validation using Vector CANoe Option.DiVa for automated test generation, J1979-3 compliance testing, UDS / OBD diagnostics verification, and ECU diagnostic validation across vehicle networks.
• Strong CAN and CAN FD protocol knowledge, including arbitration, error handling, error counters, and bus‑off detection and recovery, with hands‑on CAN fault injection and physical layer validation (bus shorts and opens, missing nodes, babbling idiot, bit timing, baud rate tolerance, termination, and bus load analysis).
• Experience integrating automated tests into CI / CD pipelines and generating automated validation reports and dashboards.
• Experience with in‑vehicle data logging, bus load and timing analysis, and root cause analysis of intermittent network faults.
• Experience supporting manufacturing and service tool validation, including EOL testers and aftersales diagnostic applications.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must have the ability to travel (up to 20%).
• Must have the ability to lift up to 35 pounds.
• Must have the ability to stand, walk, and perform repetitive tasks for extended periods.

SALARY RANGE

The compensation for this position is the range Slate reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including job‑related knowledge; skillset; experience, education and training; certifications; work location; and other relevant business and organizational factors.

Annual Base Pay Range: $108,877 to $163,316 USD

ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Slate offers a wide range of competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, disability insurance, vacation, and 401k. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in the equity program and/or a discretionary annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing such programs.

WORK AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENT

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. We are unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

WHY JOIN TEAM SLATE?

At Slate, we’re fueled by grit, determination, and attention to detail. The start‑up spirit of ingenuity and resourcefulness move our business forward. Team Slate fosters a culture of excellence, innovation, and mutual respect, and is motivated by shared principles.

• Safety First
• Delight Customers
• One Team
• Relentless Improvement
• Fast, Frugal, and Scrappy
• Respectful Collaboration
• Positive Legacy

WE WANT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE THAT REFLECT THE COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE.

Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affinitive Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason.

Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [e-mail].