Software Architect, Infotainment (W2 Contract)

Cariad, Inc.•Mountain View, CA

1d•$78 - $102

About The Position

We are CARIAD, an automotive software development team with the Volkswagen Group. Our mission is to make the automotive experience safer, more sustainable, more comfortable, more digital, and more fun. To achieve that we are building the leading tech stack for the automotive industry and creating a unified software platform for over 10 million new vehicles per year. We’re looking for talented, digital minds like you to help us create code that moves the world. Together with you, we’ll build outstanding digital experiences and products for all Volkswagen Group brands that will transform mobility. Join us as we shape the future of the car and everyone around it. Role Summary The Software Architect, IIX Systems, is a senior technical leader responsible for shaping, validating, and guiding the detailed architecture and system integration of infotainment and digital experience solutions within the Interior, Infotainment & Digital Experience (IIX) domain. This role focuses deeply on the design and optimization of the in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) platform, encompassing audio, graphic, connectivity, vehicle communication, diagnostic, FOTA, and application frameworks that define the customer’s digital experience inside the vehicle. As a senior individual contributor, the Software Architect ensures that complex infotainment systems are designed for scalability, performance, and interoperability across brands within the Volkswagen Group. This role bridges conceptual architecture with implementation, translating system requirements and platform principles into tangible, production-ready designs. The Sr. Staff Architect collaborates closely with Principal Architects, Delivery Units, and brand engineering teams to drive cross-domain alignment, ensuring that infotainment solutions meet technical, regulatory, and experiential standards at global scale.

Requirements

Minimum 10 years of professional experience in software and system architecture design, ideally in in infotainment, embedded systems, or consumer electronics domains.
Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Engineering, or a related field
Strong leadership and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to drive initiatives and influence change across the organization
Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization
Collaborate and work with multiple and cross functional teams (product teams, engineering systems and validation teams, hardware teams) across geographies and time zones
Excellent problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and mitigate complex architectural and system-level risks, including those related to security, safety, and performance
Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment
Proven experience architecting and delivering Android-based IVI or digital cockpit solutions in production vehicles.
Strong technical expertise in Android Automotive, Linux, and/or QNX platforms, including OS internals, middleware layers, and system integration.
Deep understanding of hypervisor technology, system decomposition, interface design, and inter-process communication (e.g., Binder, D-Bus).
Hands-on experience resolving cross-system performance, stability, and reliability challenges.
Solid understanding of infotainment domains such as Application Frameworks, Connectivity, Audio/Video pipelines, Graphic, Carplay & Android Auto.
Familiarity with safety, security, and diagnostics standards in automotive systems.
Ability to influence technical decisions across diverse engineering and supplier teams.

Nice To Haves

Master’s or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
Experience working with Volkswagen’s E/E architecture (E3 1.1/1.2) or comparable OEM platform.
Knowledge of vehicle communication protocols (Ethernet, CAN, LIN).
Exposure to OTA update mechanisms, diagnostics frameworks, and ISO 26262 safety design principles.
Prior experience with cloud connectivity or mobile app integration within in-car experiences.
Strong collaboration skills and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments across brands and suppliers.
German language proficiency or experience working within German-based engineering organizations.

Responsibilities

Translate the architectural vision and platform principles into system and software architecture design specifications and integration blueprints.
Define and maintain system decomposition, component responsibilities, and inter-process communication interfaces.
Drive the evaluation and adoption of technologies that support modularity, reusability, and scalability.
Serve as the technical lead for complex design and integration challenges across software, hardware, and vehicle network layers.
Review and validate design proposals from development teams for technical soundness and architectural alignment.
Lead technical deep dives and design reviews across functional areas such as Applications, SW platform and Hardware.
Ensure seamless interaction and data exchange between IIX subsystems and adjacent vehicle domains.
Collaborate with Systems Engineering and Delivery Units to align architecture deliverables with project milestones.
Support integration readiness by identifying dependencies, risks, and optimization opportunities early in the lifecycle.
Provide hands-on guidance during system bring-up, debugging, and performance tuning phases.
Partner with cross-functional teams including Brand Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Security to align technical decisions with product and compliance goals.
Engage with Tier 1 suppliers and technology vendors to ensure interoperability and adherence to interface specifications.
Contribute to cross-brand forums and architecture working groups to promote standardization and knowledge sharing.
Serve as a mentor and technical resource for engineers and architects, fostering growth within the architecture team.
Support the definition and enforcement of architecture review processes, design quality gates, and compliance checklists.
Identify and mitigate technical risks related to performance, scalability, safety, and maintainability.
Ensure solutions comply with relevant safety and regulatory standards (ISO 26262, UNECE R155/R156).
Contribute to maintaining architectural traceability from requirements to implementation and validation.
Monitor emerging technologies in embedded systems, Android OS, and connected car ecosystems.
Propose improvements to architecture methodologies, tools, and documentation standards.
Contribute to capability-building efforts by developing reusable design assets and best practices.
Foster a culture of technical excellence and innovation within the architecture and engineering community.