What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Test Engineer - Autonomy Behavior position at Motional?
Mission Summary
We are seeking a highly driven and technically adept Senior Test Engineer in our Test Strategy team to lead the development and execution of vehicle-level test strategies focused on validating the scenario-based performance of our autonomous vehicles (AVs). This role bridges the gap between Systems Engineering and Test Engineering, ensuring that complex AV behaviors are rigorously validated under real-world and simulated conditions.
As a Senior Test Engineer, you will be at the forefront of validating AV decision-making in real-world scenarios, leading on-vehicle behavior testing efforts, supporting continuous development cycles, and providing proactive feedback to shape AV behaviors and performance. You will work cross-functionally with Systems Engineering, Test Engineering and Autonomy teams to ensure the end-to-end performance of our AV system meets functional and safety expectations.
What you will be doing:
Design and own vehicle-level test strategies for evaluating AV behavior, decision-making, and scenario-level performance across a range of operating conditions.
Collaborate closely with Systems Engineering to align AV behavioral testing and V&V efforts with system requirements, and verification goals.
Establish proactive testing workflows to identify gaps in AV behaviors, provide targeted feedback, and influence development roadmaps.
Translate system-level requirements and behavioral expectations into measurable test cases and success criteria.
Author test plans and work directly with test engineers, test operators to ensure execution fidelity and test quality.
Design and conduct scenario-based tests in simulation environments to inform and enhance real-world test strategies and execution.
Analyze test results to uncover system-level issues, behavioral inconsistencies, and regressions; collaborate with development and systems teams to drive resolution.
Support readiness reviews and milestone gates by presenting validation evidence and testing outcomes to leadership and stakeholders.
What we're looking for:
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, or a related STEM field.
5+ years of experience in system-level testing and validation of autonomous vehicles or ADAS features.
Strong understanding of AV system architecture, scenario-based testing, and V-model verification and validation frameworks.
Proficiency in developing test plans based on system requirements and safety goals.
Hands-on experience with closed course, on-road and simulation testing.
Experience in data analysis and dashboard generation using tools such as Python, MATLAB, SQL, or equivalent for post-test analysis.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to work in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
Additional duties as assigned.
Bonus Points (not required):
Experience in operating structured closed-course testing tools such as AB Dynamics GST, LaunchPad or Humanetics UFO.
Experience in CAN bus communication and networking using tools such as Vector CANoe, dSPACE, or NI hardware.
Familiarity with safety standards like SOTIF and ISO 26262.
Experience using issue tracking and configuration management tools (E.g: Atlassian Confluence, Jira, Bitbucket, Git.)
Salary : $116,000 - $175,000
