Senior Software Engineer
About this role
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is hiring a Senior Software Engineer, full-time, on-site in Palo Alto, California, in the EV sector.
About Us
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.
The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.
Role Summary
We are seeking a Senior Software Engineer in Test to join our Consumer Applications Test Team and own testing strategy, execution, and quality outcomes for consumer app products and platforms. This role builds on the existing scope of owning testing for new features, test infrastructure, internal tooling, CI/CD, and automation across Consumer Applications, while adding senior-level expectations for technical leadership, strategy, and domain ownership.
As a senior member of the team, you will define test strategy, lead and mentor junior engineers, and act as a force multiplier across the organization. You will be expected to bring strong technical depth in one or more key product domains such as vehicle access, mapping, mobile applications, or cloud services, and to take end-to-end ownership for the quality of products released to customers.
Responsibilities
Testing leadership and product ownership
Own product quality and release confidence for your assigned domain, ensuring high-quality releases are delivered on schedule through effective manual and automated testing.
Define and drive end-to-end test strategy for new features, systems, and releases, including risk assessment, coverage planning, release-readiness criteria, and quality signals.
Act with a customer-centric mindset to proactively identify, break, and resolve issues before products ship.
Take clear ownership of the products and test outcomes that release from your domain, driving accountability across the full development lifecycle.
Senior technical execution
Design, implement, and evolve scalable test infrastructure, automation frameworks, runners, lab or bench tooling, and execution services used by the broader test organization.
Build reliable services, libraries, and internal tools that make it easy for engineers to create, run, debug, and scale automated testing.
Own and improve CI/CD pipelines for unit, SIL, HIL, integration, system, and end-to-end test coverage across mobile, cloud, infotainment, vehicle access systems, and related services.
Lead technical decisions for test architecture, test selection, parallelization, flakiness reduction, reporting, and reliability improvements.
Apply deep domain expertise in areas such as vehicle access, mapping, mobile app, or cloud to drive high-quality test coverage and infrastructure.
Team leadership and multiplier impact
Lead junior team members through technical guidance, mentoring, reviews, and day-to-day collaboration.
Raise the effectiveness of the broader team by standardizing best practices, improving tooling, removing blockers, and sharing expertise broadly.
Be a multiplier for the organization by improving systems and processes in ways that enable other engineers to move faster with higher quality.
Continuous improvement and operational excellence
Own monitoring, alerting, and service-level expectations for key test infrastructure and pipelines.
Analyze test results and pipeline behavior to identify bottlenecks, flaky areas, coverage gaps, and high-value automation investments.
Continuously improve the reliability and stability of test assets supporting both manual and automated testing across teams.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
5+ years in software test engineering, including automation, test infrastructure, and CI/CD systems.
Proven ability to develop and execute test strategies across unit, integration, SIL, HIL, and end-to-end layers.
Experience leading projects or mentoring junior engineers to improve team effectiveness.
Proficiency in Python, C/C++, Java, Shell, or Rust for building backend services and automation.
Expertise in CI/CD (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Buildkite) and modern build systems.
Background in designing automation frameworks for cloud, mobile, or embedded environments.
Strong knowledge of testing best practices, including the test pyramid, mocking, and test data management.
Experience with HIL, SIL, or lab bench setups is preferred.
Proficient in Linux, Git, and standard developer workflows.
Excellent cross-functional communication and collaboration skills.
Self-motivated with an ownership mindset and a focus on continuous improvement.
Total Rewards
We build the exceptional — and we believe the people doing that work should be rewarded accordingly. In addition to a competitive base salary, full-time positions may be is eligible to participate in our annual company performance bonus program.
Payments are discretionary and not guaranteed; actual amounts depend on company results and the terms of the plan in effect, and require active employment at the time of payout. This role is also eligible for equity in the form of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), subject to board approval and the terms of our equity incentive plans, including applicable vesting requirements.
In addition to our compensation programs, we invest in our people with a comprehensive benefits package designed to support the health, wellbeing, and financial future for full-time employees — including health coverage, retirement savings, time off, and family planning programs. Offerings vary by country. Learn more about our global benefit programs .
External candidates can apply for this role through the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers site ( https://rivianvw.tech/#careers ). If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board .
Equal Opportunity
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at candidateaccommodations@rivian.com.
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About Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies
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