Senior Staff Software Engineer, System Experience & Apps

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 Senior Staff Software Engineer, System Experience & Applications, is a key technical expert responsible for architecting and contributing to the high-level design of the Volkswagen Group's Software-Defined Vehicle Platform. This role includes supporting the integration of Android OS, core services, System UI, and applications, ensuring the architecture supports scalability, performance, and maintainability. The Sr Staff Software Engineer will create high-performance, scalable, and secure software systems, ensuring data consistency and reliability, and perform security assessments. Additionally, the Sr Staff Software Engineer will define engineering fundamentals, including coding guidelines and infrastructure decisions for continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD). They will conduct system-critical design reviews, gather feedback, and incorporate lessons learned to enhance future designs.

We are seeking high achievers who thrive on exploring uncharted territories, challenging the status quo, and championing new ideas. As a member of CARIAD’s senior technical team, you will also interface with multiple stakeholders of VW Group’s technical team members.

Qualified candidates will be a Subject Matter Expert in one or more of the following domains:

• Android – Android System UI
• Android – Application development
• Embedded SW – Infotainment
• Automotive Cloud SW – Cloud-to-Vehicle

Role Responsibilities:

Architect the software stack

• Assist in the Design and Architecture
• Contribute to the system architecture and high-level design of software projects.
• Support the overall architecture of the SDV platform, including how Android OS, core services, System UI, and applications will integrate and interact with each other.
• Ensure that the architecture supports scalability, performance, and maintainability of the entire platform.

Create high-performance, scalable, and safe software system

• Ensure data consistency and reliability through guaranteed message deliver and implements access control mechanisms to secure message flows.
• Provide insight into system performance and health, enabling pro-active scaling based on real-time metrics and trends.
• Perform vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify and mitigate security risks.

Define the engineering fundamentals

• Confirm the fundamentals work together to create a well-defined software development process, leading to higher quality, more maintainable software, and faster delivery cycles.
• Make infrastructure decisions that support continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) processes.
• Verify that different modules or services work together as expected.

Conduct system-critical design

• Present detailed aspects of the design, covering software architecture, major components, data flow, and control flow.
• Gather feedback on review process and identify areas of improvement.
• Incorporate lessons learned into future design reviews to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency.

General Skills:

• Ability to approach problems from a platform/framework mindset and design for scaling software across multiple brands and vehicle programs.
• Outstanding documentation, profiling and debugging skills.
• Excellent strategic thinking, negotiation, and communication skills.

Required Specialized Skills:

• Understanding of how to structure software into layers. Design and implement microservices of modular, scalable, and maintainable systems.
• Designing systems to handle large volumes of data and traffic efficiently.
• Expertise in designing and managing microservices or service-oriented architectures.
• Proficiency in Agile and DevOps methodologies to enhance collaboration, integration, and deployment processes.
• Expertise in integrating software with various automotive hardware components and communication protocols.
• Conducting code reviews to ensure high standards of code quality and best practices
• Leading architecture and design reviews, ensuring alignment with business goals and technical strategy
• Designing and integrating complex systems that involve multiple components and services
• Collaborating effectively with interdisciplinary teams, including software engineers, hardware engineers, and product managers
• Adapting to chaining technologies, methodologies, and business requirements
• Approaching complex problems with a strategic and analytical mindset
• Deep expertise in customizing and extending Android Automotive OS for in-car applications

Desired Skills:

• Expertise in various programming languages and frameworks.
• Passion for creating user-centric software experiences.
• Knowledge of encryption, authentication, and access control mechanisms.

Workplace Flexibility:

• Occasional international and domestic travel to provide on-site support and planning/integration workshops with our internal and external stakeholders.

Years of Relevant Experience:

• 10+ years of experience in high-performance object-oriented software design and/or Android application development
• 5+ years of experience as a tech lead, significantly contributing to overarching system design and SW architecture matters.
• 5+ years of experience with different (embedded) operating systems: Android, Linux, etc.
• 5+ years of professional experience in delivering complex software products to the end customer.

Required Education:

• BSc in computer science, robotics, physics, engineering, numerical modeling or a related subject with outstanding grades or equivalent work experience

Desired Education:

• MSc or PhD and relevant publications and/or patents

Compensation

Salary range is dependent on factors such as geographical differentials, credentials or certifications, industry-based experience, qualification and training. In the city of Mountain View, California, the salary range for this position is $132,400 - 202,000.

CARIAD, Inc. provides performance based merits and annual bonus along with a competitive benefits package. 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.

CARIAD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds, and do not discriminate based on race, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, color, gender identity/expression, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable laws.

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