Senior Controls Test & Automation Engineer

Rivian and VW Group Technology • Irvine, CA

6h

About The Position

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.
The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

We are seeking a highly capable and proactive Senor Controls Software Engineer, Test & Automation to join our dynamic Energy, Storage & Distribution team. This role will be critical in the testing and integration of control software for significant vehicle features, including high- and low-voltage battery and thermal management systems. The ideal candidate will possess a solid understanding of computer or electrical engineering principles, with a strong focus on embedded software and a proven ability to deliver high-quality test solutions. This position requires a strong commitment to software quality, the ability to independently contribute to root cause analysis (RCA), participate in defining solutions and assessing risks for over-the-air (OTA) updates, and actively drive improvements in test coverage and efficiency. This is a domain-oriented position that plays a key role in validating the performance and reliability of our energy control and distribution software.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master's degree in computer science, computer engineering, electrical engineering, or software engineering and 3-5 years of related experience.
• 4+ years of demonstrable experience in an automated test development environment with a strong understanding of system interactions (hardware and software).
• Proven expertise in Python and developing and maintaining sophisticated software test automation using frameworks like Google Test and Pytest.
• Solid proficiency in embedded programming languages C, C++, and a working knowledge of modern languages like Rust/Golang.
• Experience in contributing to and understanding software release and build processes (git/svn, Bazel/scons, gcc).
• Experience in deploying and troubleshooting embedded systems on target platforms (Linux, yocto, buildroot, docker, bitbake).
• Working knowledge of advanced 32-bit multi-core microcontrollers.
• Experience with debugging and analyzing communication interfaces like CAN, LIN, UDS, and DoIP.
• Experience working with and testing in Real-Time Operating Systems (RTOS) environments.
• Ability to proficiently use electronic test equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) for effective hardware-level debugging.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a focus on identifying root causes and implementing effective solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively within and across teams.
• Strong proficiency with software revision management control software like Git (local and cloud-hosted systems like GitLab or GitHub), including branching and merging strategies.

Nice To Haves

• Good understanding of high voltage battery systems and their control strategies is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, development, and execution of software qualification tests for assigned features or subsystems at hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) levels. This includes:
• Designing, developing, and maintaining efficient and scalable automated test scripts using established automation toolsets, contributing to the evolution of team standards.
• Proactively tracking, analyzing, and reporting on software quality gaps for assigned areas, providing clear metrics per OTA release.
• Conducting in-depth investigations into new failures with developers to understand technical aspects and actively contribute to defining effective resolution timelines.
• Taking ownership of and contributing to the sign-off process for the quality of embedded software at SIL/HIL levels for their areas of responsibility.
• Independently leading the effort to fix complex test scripts and thoroughly address root causes of new failures, including those resulting from developer errors.
• Technically investigating failures, collaborating effectively with developers to identify root causes, and actively proposing opportunities for continuous test process and software design optimization within their domain.
• Presenting clear software quality status updates and progress on testing efforts for their assigned features to the team and potentially stakeholders.
• Contributing to the expansion of automated test coverage across SIL, HIL, and other automated test assets, providing guidance and support to junior engineers.

Benefits

• Total compensation packages for this position include base salary, eligibility for an annual performance bonus, and eligibility for equity.
• In addition, our benefits package has been designed to support the health and wellness of our employees. Benefit offerings include Flex Time Off, retirement savings plans as well as medical, vision and dental coverage.

What This Job Offers

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