AV Test Engineer

Motional•Las Vegas, NV

13d

About The Position

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 an 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. Motional is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior/Mid-Level AV Test Engineer to join our AV Test Engineering team . You will play a lead role in validating the safety, functionality, and performance of our self-driving technology through rigorous, system-level testing across virtual, closed-course, and public road environments, with a direct focus on commercial readiness of our robotaxi service. This role requires a proven technical leader who can guide test development, drive continuous improvements to our infrastructure, and ensure high standards for release readiness and safety assurance as we move towards mass deployment .

Requirements

5+ years in software QA or system testing, specifically within AV, ADAS, robotics, or safety-critical systems .
Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Robotics, ECE, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
Technical Expertise: Demonstrated expertise in test strategy, automation, and end-to-end testing for complex mechatronic/autonomous systems.
Strong proficiency in AV simulation platforms and scenario-based validation .
Deep familiarity with CAN-based tools (CANalyzer/CANoe) and logging/debugging techniques.
Working knowledge of industry safety standards ( ISO26262, SOTIF ).
Experience with CI/CD pipelines and integrating quality gates for production-grade software releases in a ride-hailing/fleet context .
Proven ability to lead technical efforts, mentor , operate with minimal oversight, and drive cross-functional alignment with teams like Fleet Operations and Product.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a relevant field.
Familiarity with AV safety case development or safety validation workflows.
Experience with robotaxi service features (e.g., in-cabin HMI testing, rider support systems).
Experience with ROS, cloud telemetry systems, or AV data pipelines .
Experience in a cross-site or global engineering organization.

Responsibilities

Own the planning, design, and execution of comprehensive validation campaigns across Perception, Planning, and Control systems using simulation, SIL, HIL, and on-vehicle environments, specifically targeting scenarios critical for robotaxi service reliability and rider experience .
Drive test execution and documentation to meet the highest standards, ensuring system compliance with safety-critical standards ( ISO26262, ISO21448 (SOTIF) ), with an emphasis on Operational Design Domain (ODD) limits and safe fallback behavior .
Develop, maintain, and enhance robust, scalable test infrastructure and automation frameworks using Python, Shell , and relevant platforms to support high-volume, fleet-wide software rollouts .
Serve as a technical lead for scenario-based testing (using tools like Applied Intuition) and AV capability campaigns, focusing on testing for end-to-end mission performance and service uptime .
Service Readiness Validation: Design and execute testing for non-driving features critical to the commercial service, including rider interactions, remote assistance handoffs, fleet operations protocols, and over-the-air (OTA) update verification .
Define and track Service Quality Indicators (SQI) and KPIs related to rider experience and operational efficiency during validation.
Conduct detailed log analysis, support root-cause investigations across AV software and hardware, and utilize CAN-based tools for subsystem verification, particularly diagnosing issues impacting fleet efficiency and customer satisfaction .
Lead QA review cycles, define release readiness gates for commercial software , represent Test Engineering in cross-functional forums, and mentor junior engineers .