Lead Platform Software V&V Engineer
Ford Motor CompanyAbout the role
We are seeking a Lead Platform Software V&V Engineer that architecturally drives and executes the safety, performance, and deterministic reliability strategies for next-generation automotive electronic control units (ECUs). In this role, you will lead hands-on post-silicon bench testing on microcontrollers, validating Real-Time Drivers (RTD), the System Timer Module (STM), integrated automotive Ethernet chipsets, and bootloaders.
You will own the end-to-end definition and execution of test methodologies designed to comply with ISO 26262 ASIL functional safety requirements while optimizing real-time network stack throughput. You will architect automated test frameworks primarily controlled via Python frameworks, with flexibility to develop target-side test code in C, C++, or Rust. You will provide unified technical leadership across regional sites, and directly mentor both local and offshore engineers. Your expertise in embedded systems and automotive industry knowledge will help ensure the quality and reliability of our software solutions.
What you’ll do...
- Technical Leadership & Distributed Team Collaboration
- Define the validation & verification roadmap, test strategies, and architectural design for physical post-silicon bench testing and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments.
- Mentor and guide offshore engineers and distributed validation teams across different regional US offices, establishing unified best practices for code quality, safety-critical testing, and test engineering excellence.
- Coordinate cross-site execution to ensure continuous testing alignment, smooth handoffs, and consistent test artifact generation between global engineering groups.
- Interface directly with cross-functional teams (Systems, Silicon, Firmware, Safety) to align verification plans with hardware-software interface definitions (HSI).
- Post-Silicon Bench Testing & Hardware Validation
- Execute bench-level validation on physical silicon evaluation boards and custom automotive ECUs.
- Configure and validate hardware peripherals, specifically focusing on the System Timer Module (STM), memory protection units, and interrupt controllers.
- Integrate and verify PHY/switch drivers, validating high-speed automotive Ethernet transceiver performance under varied environmental conditions.
- Bootloader & Flash Validation: Architect and execute test strategies for primary/secondary bootloaders, validating secure boot sequences (cryptographic signature verification), flashing routines via UDS (ISO 14229) over CAN/Ethernet, and dual-bank OTA roll-back mechanisms on microcontrollers.
- Driver & Performance Verification
- Validate Real-Time Drivers (RTD) for bare-metal and AUTOSAR runtime environments.
- Benchmark network stack throughput and latency using network testing utilities like iperf, CANoe, and hardware packet generators.
- Analyze complex communication layers including TCP/IP, SOME/IP, and DoIP over automotive Ethernet interfaces.
- Functional Safety & Test Automation
- Design, implement, and maintain automated regression test frameworks controlled via Python scripts.
- Develop target-side test applications in C, C++, or Rust when bare-metal deterministic execution or strict memory safety verification is required.
- Author V&V test specifications mapped directly to safety goals to ensure compliance across various safety levels (ASIL B to ASIL D) in alignment with ISO 26262 Part 6.
- Utilize advanced lab instrumentation (digital oscilloscopes, logic analyzers) and debuggers to capture signals and isolate physical-layer anomalies.
You'll have...
- Education: B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field.
- Processor Expertise: Hands-on experience debugging and validating microcontrollers (ie. ESP32, ARM Cortex-M, etc.).
- Automotive Communication: Deep understanding of automotive networking protocols, including Automotive Ethernet (100BASE-T1/1000BASE-T1), CAN FD, LIN, and Unified Diagnostic Services (UDS / ISO 14229) for flashing configurations.
- Silicon Ecosystems: Proven familiarity with Realtek Ethernet transceivers/switches and configuring low-level peripheral timers like the STM.
- Functional Safety Standards: Comprehensive understanding of ISO 26262 processes, hardware-software interface definitions (HSI), and safety-critical testing techniques.
- Software Toolkit: Strong programming fluency in Python for building bench automation frameworks, alongside C for low-level embedded software inspection.
Even better, you may have...
- Automotive Network & Traffic Generation Tools
- Experience using dedicated automotive
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