Staff Software Developer – IVI Test Infrastructure

Ford • Palo Alto, CA

3d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are the movers of the world and the makers of the future. We get up every day, roll up our sleeves and build a better world -- together. At Ford, we’re all a part of something bigger than ourselves. Are you ready to change the way the world moves?

Ford’s Electric Vehicles, Digital and Design (EVDD) team is charged with delivering the company’s vision of a fully electric transportation future. EVDD is customer-obsessed, entrepreneurial, and data-driven and is dedicated to delivering industry-leading customer experience for electric vehicle buyers and owners. You’ll join an agile team of doers pioneering our EV future by working collaboratively, staying focused on only what matters, and delivering excellence day in and day out. Join us to make positive change by helping build a better world where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams.

In this position...
Ford is seeking a highly skilled and dedicated QA Automation Engineer to join our In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for contributing to and maintaining robust automation frameworks and test suites for our Ford Advanced EV IVI systems. These systems leverage Linux and Android to provide the next generation user experience, integrating various communication protocols including CAN, Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth.
You will play a critical role in ensuring the quality and reliability of both hardware and software components, utilizing a comprehensive set of tools such as Appium, Pytest, Testrail, Jenkins, GitHub, and jFrog. This is a hands-on position where your expertise will directly contribute to delivering high-quality, cutting-edge in-vehicle experiences.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
• 6+ years of experience in QA Automation, Software Development Engineering in Test (SDET), or a similar role, with a strong focus on applications, embedded systems or automotive electronics.
• Demonstrated expertise in Python, specifically for developing test automation scripts with Pytest.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Appium for automating tests of Android applications, particularly within a virtualized environment.
• Proven experience with image comparison tools and techniques for effective UI automation and validation.
• Strong understanding and practical experience with Linux operating systems and command-line tools.
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD pipelines, specifically integrating and orchestrating automation jobs with Jenkins and GitHub Actions.
• Proficiency in test case management, test execution, and reporting using Testrail, Allure, or similar tools.
• Familiarity with artifact management tools such as jFrog.
• In-depth understanding and experience testing systems that utilize key communication protocols: CAN (Controller Area Network), Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and debugging skills, with an ability to diagnose complex hardware-software integration issues.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Direct experience in the automotive industry, specifically with In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) systems development or testing.
• Knowledge of other automotive communication protocols (e.g., LIN, CAN) or diagnostic protocols (e.g., UDS).
• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) or software-in-the-loop (SIL) testing methodologies.
• Familiarity with automotive industry standards and processes
• Experience with performance testing, stress testing, and security testing of embedded systems.

Responsibilities

• Contribute, improve, and maintain robust automation frameworks and test scripts for in-vehicle infotainment systems, encompassing both hardware and software aspects.
• Implement and execute automated tests across various layers, including UI validation and application logic
• Develop and extend automated test suites using Python and Pytest for functional, integration, and system-level testing.
• Integrate automation scripts into CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins and GitHub Actions to enable continuous testing and provide rapid feedback to development teams.
• Create test cases, test plans, and test execution within Testrail, ensuring comprehensive test coverage and traceability.
• Collaborate closely with development, hardware, and software teams to understand requirements, identify test gaps, and troubleshoot complex issues.
• Develop and maintain sophisticated test environments, including hardware setups and software configurations necessary for IVI testing.
• Analyze test results, report defects with clear, reproducible steps, and provide detailed logs to support the debugging process.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of QA processes, automation strategies, and overall product quality for Ford's IVI systems.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees