Principal Engineer, Autonomy Systems Engineering, ODD Definition & Risk

The Principal Engineer will lead driverless readiness evaluations, helping determine whether autonomous driving systems are ready for safe and reliable real-world deployment. This role sits at the intersection of systems engineering, software validation, operational risk assessment, and autonomy development. You will evaluate results from commercial-grade software builds, reconcile findings across different testing methods, and identify risks that could affect system performance and operational readiness. Working closely with Safety, Autonomy, Vehicle Platform, Engineering, and Operations teams, you will help define appropriate mitigations and communicate critical findings to stakeholders and leadership. You will also influence autonomy development priorities by translating test insights into actionable roadmap recommendations, supporting both performance improvements within existing Operational Design Domains (ODDs) and expansion into new environments. This is a highly collaborative technical leadership opportunity involving complex datasets, evolving testing processes, and tooling that supports the continued development of driverless technology.

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical discipline. A Master's degree is preferred.

• At least 7 years of engineering experience, ideally including work with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) or autonomous driving technologies.

• Strong understanding of modern software development principles, engineering workflows, and production best practices.

• Experience querying and analyzing databases and presenting insights through tools such as SQL and Looker.

• Experience with agentic-based software development and data analysis.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, particularly in complex system performance evaluation, large-scale data analysis, and identifying inconsistencies or operational risks.

• Proficiency with Git and standard version control workflows.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to explain technical findings and concepts to engineers, product managers, and senior leadership.

• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.

• Strong attention to detail and commitment to data quality, accuracy, and rigorous testing practices.

• Comfort working in a fast-paced, agile environment that uses continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) practices.

• Willingness to travel up to 20%, typically for 1–2 weeks each quarter, to visit testing sites, primarily in Las Vegas and other domestic locations as business needs require.

• Ability to meet the physical demands of the role, which may include extended periods of sitting, occasional prolonged standing and walking, handling equipment, reaching, and occasionally lifting or moving up to 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be available.

• Ability to work in an environment involving mechanical and computer equipment, occasional exposure to fumes or airborne particles, and low-to-moderate noise levels.