Autonomous Vehicle Test Engineer

What you'll do

• Lead onsite closed-course testing by translating engineering objectives into executable plans, procedures, and schedules.
• Plan and execute repeatable software regression, feature validation, calibration, and structured scenario tests.
• Coordinate daily test sequencing, track reservations, vehicle assignments, and safety reviews with remote stakeholders.
• Direct and brief operations personnel on task assignments, vehicle preparation, track setup, and run sequencing.
• Perform first-line technical triage to troubleshoot AV software, sensors, localization, and vehicle network issues.
• Own the assigned test fleet by managing vehicle configurations, software deployments, and daily readiness checks.
• Capture and communicate high-quality test results, logs, and evidence to remote engineering teams for release decisions.
• Develop and maintain onsite documentation for troubleshooting, safety controls, and winter-readiness contingency plans.

What we're looking for

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, electrical, automotive, systems, computer, robotics, aerospace engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in autonomous vehicles, automotive engineering, robotics, aerospace, vehicle testing, systems integration, or test engineering.
• Experience planning and executing vehicle, robotics, or complex electro-mechanical system tests in a laboratory, proving-ground, or field environment.
• Experience troubleshooting software-enabled hardware systems using diagnostic information, logs, measurements, observations, and structured problem-solving methods.
• Ability to read and apply test procedures, requirements, acceptance criteria, operating instructions, and safety controls.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, establish priorities, and maintain ownership in an environment with limited onsite support.
• Ability to provide clear technical direction to operators, coordinators, or contractors during test execution without formal people-management responsibility.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including concise technical reporting and remote collaboration across time zones and functions.
• Ability to work outdoors in a proving-ground environment with exposure to heat, cold, dust, wind, sun, noise, and vehicle traffic.
• Ability to perform hands-on vehicle readiness and troubleshooting activities, including inspecting vehicles and handling test equipment or data media.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet GM driver-training, vehicle-qualification, site-access, and safety requirements for closed-course vehicle testing.
• Ability to work onsite at GM Desert Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona, and travel approximately 10% as needed.
• Direct experience testing autonomous vehicles, advanced driver-assistance systems, mobile robots, or other safety-critical autonomous systems (preferred).
• Experience with closed-course test execution, proving-ground operations, scripted scenario testing, release regression, feature validation, or calibration support (preferred).
• Experience owning a small test fleet, including vehicle readiness, configuration management, downtime recovery, and maintenance coordination (preferred).
• Working knowledge of software-defined vehicle concepts, SDV 2.0 architecture, vehicle compute, ECUs, and over-the-air or branch-based software deployment (preferred).
• Experience with automotive diagnostics, CAN or Ethernet-based vehicle networks, sensors, localization, calibration, and AV system health monitoring (preferred).
• Familiarity with AV and vehicle tools such as Xray, INCA, Vehicle Spy, Notelogger, SC3 Debug App, Jumpstart, Launchpad, Starfleet, HAT, Drives, Webviz, Netradyne, Grafana, or Looker (preferred).
• Experience using Linux, command-line tools, Python, SQL, or spreadsheets to inspect logs, automate analysis, or improve test and fleet reporting (preferred).
• Experience directing small operational teams or contractors in a safety-critical, field, laboratory, or proving-ground environment (preferred).
• Experience working at a proving ground with limited onsite technical support (preferred).
• Familiarity with formal issue-management, root-cause, change-control, safety-case, or corrective-action processes (preferred).
• Experience testing in variable weather, winter conditions, or desert conditions where facility and vehicle readiness affect test capacity (preferred).