Sr Manager, Base & Test Software

Cariad, Inc. • Mountain View, CA

4h • $214,240 - $310,030

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 Sr Manager, Base & Test Software, leads teams responsible for delivering embedded base software and automated test systems supporting CARIAD hardware platforms. This role combines people management, technical leadership, and delivery accountability across base software, board bring-up, hardware–software integration, and test automation infrastructure. Serving as the solid-line leader for engineers, the Sr Manager fosters engagement, development, and performance while partnering closely with Tech Leads who provide technical direction.
This role ensures high-quality, scalable, and production-ready software while developing team capabilities, aligning roadmaps with platform milestones, and collaborating closely with hardware, systems, validation, manufacturing, and product stakeholders across CARIAD and the Volkswagen Group.
The Sr Manager, Base & Test Software ensures the build-up of an extended team in India (as assigned by CARIAD), including solid-line people leadership for assigned resources, task assignment, resource planning, provisioning of hardware and tools, and budget management for value-added contributions. This supports CARIAD’s strategy to scale global engineering capacity through staff augmentation while maintaining delivery quality and team integration.

Requirements

• Deep understanding of embedded base software architectures (BSP, MCAL, bootloaders, OS/RTOS services)
• Experience with ECU and HPC bring-up, silicon validation, and production readiness
• Strong knowledge of automotive EE architectures and development processes
• Working knowledge of ISO 26262 functional safety concepts and implementation in software
• Experience designing and deploying test systems, automation frameworks, and CI pipelines
• Proficiency in C/C++, scripting languages, and embedded debugging tools
• Experience managing vendor and third-party software integrations
• Proficiency in managing teams, including staffing, performance management, skill development, and fostering a positive work environment
• Proficiency in aligning budgets and staffing needs with organizational goals, while ensuring efficient resource allocation
• Minimum 12+ years of experience in embedded software, base software (BSW), or test systems development, with 4+ years in people management and technical leadership roles within automotive, embedded, or related technology industries.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline

Nice To Haves

• Experience with infotainment, ADAS, or connected vehicle platforms
• Familiarity with manufacturing, end-of-line, and factory test environments
• Exposure to Volkswagen Group platforms, tools, or processes
• Master’s Degree in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related discipline

Responsibilities

• Serve as the solid-line people leader for base software and test automation engineers, fostering engagement, development, and performance.
• Lead, mentor, and develop engineers and technical leaders, partnering closely with Tech Leads who provide day-to-day technical direction.
• Set clear objectives, priorities, and performance expectations aligned with platform roadmaps
• Drive a culture of accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement
• Support hiring, onboarding, performance management, and succession planning
• Establish and scale an engineering team in India as an extended workbench
• Assign and manage team tasks in BOTs
• Ensure delivery meets quality, timing, and integration expectations aligned with CARIAD standards.
• Manage operational aspects including purchase orders, invoicing, vendor coordination, and resource balancing.
• Own delivery of base software components including BSP, MCAL, bootloaders, HALs, and OS services
• Guide board bring-up, early silicon validation, and low-level driver integration
• Review and influence software architecture, design, and quality decisions
• Act as an escalation point for complex hardware–software interaction issues
• Lead development of automated test frameworks and infrastructure for bring-up, validation, and manufacturing
• Define test standards, coverage expectations, and best practices
• Drive shift-left testing, diagnostics, fault injection, and observability
• Improve test efficiency, reliability, and cycle time through tooling and process improvements
• Partner with hardware, systems, safety, security, validation, and product teams
• Align base software and test roadmaps with vehicle program milestones
• Manage third-party vendors and external partners for software stacks and test solutions
• Identify risks early and drive cross-functional mitigation plans
• Contribute to budget planning and resource forecasting
• Optimize allocation of people, tools, and vendor resources
• Ensure cost-effective execution while maintaining quality and safety standards

Benefits

• Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401k with employer match and defined contribution plan, short and long term disability, basic life and AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, tuition reimbursement and student loan repayment plans, maternity and non-primary caregiver leave, adoption assistance, employee referral program and vacation and paid holidays.
• We also offer a unique vehicle lease program that covers registration and insurance fees.

What This Job Offers

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