Principal Systems Engineer – AV Sensor Design
About The Position
General Motors is developing hands-off and eyes-off autonomous driving systems for broad deployment across consumer vehicles. The Principal Systems Engineer will join the AV Sensing Design team and lead the technical direction of lidar technology, from system-level decisions within multimodality sensing suites through evaluation of production paths. As a lidar authority, this role will guide optical path, signal processing, calibration, and failure-mode decisions, and shape how lidar integrates with autonomy products to achieve performance and cost-effective programs. The engineer will collaborate with component, perception, localization, simulation, and vehicle teams to realize sensor performance on consumer vehicles. The role owns lidar technical strategy for current and future autonomy programs, defines performance requirements for next-generation capabilities across broad operational design domains (ODDs), leads trade studies, and evaluates prototype and production data products for improvement opportunities. It also involves working with production teams and vendors to bring lidar technology into production designs. This position is categorized as hybrid. The selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least three times per week, or at another frequency set by their manager. Relocation benefits are available to candidates who qualify under company policy.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field.
- 13 or more years of experience in remote sensing, lidar development, photonic system development, or a related area, with most experience focused on lidar.
- Demonstrated experience as a recognized lidar authority on a program or within an organization, with decision-making authority over lidar technology development.
- Direct experience developing lidar hardware and signal processing, calibration methodology, and data consumption or analysis.
- Experience with lidar productionization challenges and related trade-offs.
- Deep command of lidar fundamentals and practical design impacts, including optical link budget analysis, target phenomenology, detector physics, noise, laser safety, optical path design, window optics, spectrum selection, and signal-processing techniques.
- Experience developing robust solutions for weather and environmental effects.
- Experience developing lidar for autonomy products.
- Significant experience with SPAD lidars.
- Hands-on proficiency with data analysis and ability to lead root-cause analysis and analytical efforts.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate technical strategy effectively to audiences with varied backgrounds.
Nice To Haves
- PhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field.
- Patents, publications, or recognized industry contributions in lidar or electro-optical sensing.
- Experience working on L4 or equivalent autonomous vehicle programs and understanding autonomy behaviors.
- Experience developing or supporting simulation models.
- Knowledge of lidar perception models and sensor-fusion consumption of lidar data, including how point-cloud characteristics affect machine-learning model performance.
- Experience with extrinsic calibration techniques, localization, or related topics.
- Experience designing validation and test plans.
Responsibilities
- Own the technical strategy for lidar development within current and future autonomy-program multimodality sensing suites.
- Work with sensor and perception technical experts to define autonomy products.
- Lead trade studies accounting for performance, cost, and integration to influence next-generation lidar development.
- Evaluate data products from prototype and production platforms to identify opportunities for improvement.
- Work with production teams and vendors to bring lidar technology into production designs.
- Define lidar performance requirements for next-generation autonomy capabilities, with robustness across broad ODDs.
- Drive technical direction relating to lidar optical paths, signal processing, calibration, failure modes, and integration with autonomy products.
- Collaborate with component, perception, localization, simulation, and vehicle teams to realize sensor performance on consumer vehicles.
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits.
- Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Accounts.
- Retirement savings plan.
- Sickness and accident benefits.
- Life insurance.
- Paid vacation and holidays.
- Tuition assistance programs.
- Employee assistance program.
- GM vehicle discounts.
- Incentive pay program with payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.
- Relocation benefits for candidates who qualify under company policy.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Principal
