Principal Software Engineer - Vehicle AI

General Motors is building the future of intelligent in-cabin experiences, and we are looking for a Principal Software Engineer to serve as a technical leader and authority for our next-generation In-Vehicle AI Assistant platform. Focused on cabin intelligence, voice interaction, and conversational AI, this role bridges the entire edge-to-cloud spectrum—spanning the Android Automotive OS (AAOS) client application layer, cloud AI orchestration pipelines, and backend service integration.

In this high-impact role based out of our Mountain View, CA or Seattle, WA offices, you will shape the multi-year technical vision for our in-cabin assistant platform. You will work extensively across cross-functional boundaries—aligning Cloud AI/ML, In-Cabin UX, Vehicle Platform, Security, and Infrastructure teams to build a cohesive, scalable ecosystem. If you excel at driving technical strategy across complex distributed systems and bringing clarity to large-scale engineering initiatives, this role offers an unmatched opportunity to define the assistant experience for millions of vehicles worldwide.

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  Define and own the end-to-end architecture for GM’s In-Vehicle AI Assistant platform across both the Android client application layer and cloud backend integration services.

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  Drive cross-functional technical strategy, collaborating with Cloud AI/ML, In-Cabin UX, Product Management, Security, and Data Engineering teams to align system boundaries and interface contracts.

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  Architect the hybrid edge-cloud orchestration layer, optimizing trade-offs between on-device latency, network bandwidth, cloud compute cost, and offline reliability.

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  Establish engineering standards and API protocols for high-performance, real-time client-server communication using gRPC and streaming audio/text interfaces.

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  Evaluate and integrate emerging Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI/ML) agent frameworks, large language model orchestrators, and tool execution engines into the in-cabin assistant ecosystem.

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  Unblock critical architectural dependencies across multiple engineering pods, resolving complex trade-offs in system reliability, privacy, and data streaming.

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  Drive platform-wide testing, evaluation pipelines, and telemetry standards to measure end-to-end voice latency, response accuracy, and system health.

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  Mentor and grow Staff and Senior engineers across client and backend disciplines, fostering a culture of technical rigor and architectural excellence.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.

• 12+ years of professional software development experience, with a proven track record of designing large-scale distributed systems spanning client applications and cloud microservices.

• Broad technical depth across client-side Android architecture (Kotlin/Java) and backend cloud integration (microservices, REST, gRPC, streaming APIs).

• Demonstrated history of cross-functional (XFN) technical leadership, driving architectural alignment and consensus across multiple engineering organizations.

• Deep expertise in client-server interaction patterns, state synchronization, and low-latency network communication protocols.

• Proven ability to define multi-year technical roadmaps and translate high-level product vision into concrete, scalable platform architectures.

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

• Technical domain expertise in conversational AI architectures, voice assistant frameworks, or agentic LLM orchestration layers.

• Familiarity with Android Automotive OS (AAOS) applications or in-cabin system constraints.

• Background in edge-cloud hybrid computing, including client-side machine learning execution and server-side model streaming.

• Exceptional technical communication skills, with a track record of articulating complex architectural trade-offs to senior leadership and non-technical stakeholders.

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws. 

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

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