Automotive Firmware Validation Engineer

ALTEN Technology USA • Foster City, CA

13h • $130,000 - $150,000 • Onsite

About The Position

ALTEN Technology USA is seeking a hands-on Automotive Firmware Validation Engineer for its Firmware - Connectivity and Audio team. This validation-first role focuses on manual feature testing, expanding test content, closing coverage gaps, root-causing defects, and triaging field problems across in-cabin connected experiences. The engineer owns day-to-day test execution and defect quality for assigned feature tracks.

The role is on-site five days per week in Foster City, California. The stated salary range is $130,000–$150,000; the actual offer depends on factors including location and job-related knowledge, qualifications, skills, education, training, and experience. Selected candidates must successfully complete a pre-employment drug screening.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
• At least 8 years of hands-on validation or QA engineering experience with firmware or embedded products.
• Demonstrated experience writing and executing test plans and cases, identifying and closing coverage gaps, and managing defects through the full lifecycle.
• Hands-on validation experience in at least one connectivity domain: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular (LTE/5G), GNSS, or vehicle networking.
• Strong log-triage and debugging skills, with familiarity using Wireshark, DLT, ADB, and similar tools.
• Experience reproducing and isolating defects reported from production or field environments.
• Python scripting skills sufficient to automate repetitive checks and parse logs; comfort working on Linux/Ubuntu.
• Strong defect-tracking discipline using JIRA/Confluence and experience with agile release cycles.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience with in-cabin entertainment and/or media casting frameworks.
• Bluetooth stack validation experience, including pairing, A2DP/HFP/AVRCP, and interoperability.
• Background and experience in wireless connectivity technologies.
• Prior exposure to autonomous-vehicle or robotaxi fleet environments.

Responsibilities

• Execute functional, integration, regression, and exploratory testing for audio and streaming features on a bench and in vehicles.
• Author new test cases, expand existing test suites, and maintain test documentation as features evolve.
• Identify untested or under-tested paths, systematically add coverage, and track coverage health for each feature track.
• Reproduce defects; capture and analyze logs using Wireshark, DLT, ADB, HCI/Bluetooth traces, and vehicle logs; isolate root causes before handing off to firmware owners.
• Own first-line triage of fleet issues involving audio and streaming features by reproducing issues in the lab, narrowing scope, and driving closure with fleet support, diagnostics, and firmware teams.
• Manage defects end-to-end in JIRA, including reproduction steps, logs, severity rationale, fix verification, and regression follow-up.
• Maintain test benches, in-vehicle rigs, and diagnostic setups in release-ready condition.
• Partner with firmware leads, product managers, and integration partners to align on feature readiness and defect priority.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior