Senior AV Test Engineer

<div> <p><strong>Primary Purpose:</strong><strong> </strong></p> <p>The Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Test Engineering team at Motional is responsible for validating the safety, functionality, and performance of our self-driving technology through rigorous, system-level testing. As a Senior AV Test Engineer, you will take a lead role in the strategy, planning, and execution of comprehensive test campaigns that span perception, planning, and control systems across virtual, closed-course, and public road environments.</p> <br> <p>In this role, you will guide test development efforts across multiple AV subsystems, mentor junior engineers, and drive improvements to our tooling, test infrastructure, and methodologies. You will lead cross-functional initiatives that directly impact release readiness and safety assurance, translating high-level engineering requirements into scalable test plans and measurable quality outcomes. Your work will contribute to iterative development, fault injection analysis, and validation of safety-critical systems that meet the highest standards for reliability and compliance.</p> <br> <p><strong>Essential Duties:</strong></p> <p><strong>Technical Leadership & Validation</strong></p> <ul> <li>Lead the planning, design, and execution of validation testing across simulation, SIL, HIL, and on-vehicle environments, with a focus on perception, planning, and control systems.</li> <li>Serve as the technical lead for scenario-based testing, utilizing platforms like Applied Intuition or equivalents for synthetic and resimulation use cases.</li> <li>Own the creation and execution of test plans for complex mechatronic and software systems, including drive-by-wire (DBW), braking, steering, and system integrations.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Test Infrastructure & Analysis</strong></p> <ul> <li>Develop and maintain robust test infrastructure using Python, Shell, and automation frameworks, ensuring modular, reusable, and scalable test architecture.</li> <li>Conduct detailed analysis of logs and system behavior, supporting root-cause investigations across AV software and hardware components.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Quality Assurance & Compliance</strong></p> <ul> <li>Participate in and lead QA review cycles, helping to define entry/exit criteria, regression coverage, and release readiness gates.</li> <li>Ensure traceability and compliance by documenting procedures, results, and outcomes using Jira, GitLab, and Confluence.</li> <li>Contribute to compliance with safety-critical standards such as ISO26262, ISO21448 (SOTIF), and ISO9001.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Collaboration & Mentorship</strong></p> <ul> <li>Represent the Test Engineering function in cross-functional planning meetings, collaborating closely with perception, planning, controls, and safety teams.</li> <li>Mentor and support junior Test Engineers, providing technical guidance and fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Strategic Adaptation & Support</strong></p> <ul> <li>Continuously adapt and optimize test strategies in response to evolving product requirements, architectural shifts, and real-world findings.</li> <li>Support after-hours testing or incident triage as needed by fleet or field operations.</li> <li>Travel domestically on occasion to support on-site testing or operational deployments.</li> <li>Perform additional duties as assigned.</li> </ul> <br> <p><strong>Required Qualifications:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor's degree or higher in Engineering, Robotics, ECE, Computer Science, or a related technical field.</li> <li>5+ years of experience in software QA or system testing, including AV, ADAS, robotics, or safety-critical systems.</li> <li>Demonstrated expertise in test strategy, test case development, test execution, and automation for complex mechatronic or autonomous systems.</li> <li>Experience leading end-to-end testing across software stacks and physical systems, including SIL, HIL, and real-world deployments.</li> <li>Strong analytical skills with proficiency in debugging, log parsing, and root cause analysis.</li> <li>Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to drive cross-functional alignment and effectively report technical findings.</li> <li>Proven ability to lead technical efforts, mentor junior engineers, and operate with minimal oversight.</li> <li>High level of initiative, ownership, and accountability in a fast-paced, startup-style engineering environment.</li> <li>Flexible schedule and willingness to support late meetings, night shifts, or urgent test activities as required.</li> </ul> <br> <p><strong>Preferred:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Master’s degree in a relevant field.</li> <li>Deep familiarity with CAN-based tools (CANalyzer, CANoe) for fault injection, bus analysis, and subsystem verification.</li> <li>Working knowledge of industry standards for safety-critical systems such as ISO26262, ISO21448 (SOTIF), and ISO9001.</li> <li>Familiarity with AV safety case development or safety validation workflows.</li> <li>Experience with robotic middleware (e.g., ROS), cloud telemetry systems, or AV data pipelines.</li> <li>Experience in a cross-site or global engineering organization.<br><br></li> </ul> <p&