Principal Software Engineer, BSW

Principal Software Engineer, BSW

Location: Mountain View, CA/Austin, TX (Onsite 4 days/week)

Direct Hire/ Fulltime Role Bonuses: 18% Annual Bonus based on performance last 12 months -9% Long-term Bonus based on last 3 years with company -Up to 27% total bonus - Merit/Bonuses paid out in April/May timeframe

Interview Process (3 to 4 rounds): 1) Technical Video interview with Ravi which includes Realtime coding exercises - 45min -- MUST practice coding beforehand 2) Possible 2nd round technical coding session / screening 3) In person in Mountainview -- will be flown to CA if pass technical round(s) In person round: 1)Will need to create and bring presentation on a difficult project in past and go over it. 2) Then 45min coding exercise - could be whiteboarding with board in the room 3) Followed by 45min Hardware discussion 4) If Pradip (VP of HW) onsite, meet with him in person 2-3 Days after the onsite interview there will be a final behavioral / mindset Video interview round

Notes

• HW Bring-Up & Board Support
• BSP / OS Expertise (Linux and QNX)
• Automotive-Specific System Knowledge
  • CAN / LIN / Ethernet basics, Watchdogs, Bootloaders, OTA
• Peripheral Bring-Up
  • Audio: ALSA / ASoC, I2S / TDM, Codec bring-up (routing, clocks, pop-noise issues)
  • Display / Camera: MIPI-DSI / HDMI / DP, MIPI-CSI, SerDes (FPD-Link, GMSL), Panel timing, backlight, camera pipelines
  • Connectivity: BT/Wi-Fi bring-up, Firmware loading, calibration (NVM), Coexistence issues
  • USB: Host vs Device, Power roles, enumeration failures
  • Radio: AM/FM / DAB / SDR, Tuner bring-up, antenna diagnostics
  • Power & Thermal: Suspend/Resume, Thermal zones, Low-power modes (vehicle sleep/wake)
• Testing
  • DV, EOL, HIL & Manufacturing Support
• Support Hardware team
  • Reviewing schematics, Signal integrity, Power rails
• Good to have (not must)
  • Prior Qualcomm automotive experience
  • Hypervisors, Safety Island, Secure Boot etc.

We are CARIAD, an automotive software development team with the Volkswagen Group. Our mission is to make the automotive experience safer, more sustainable, more comfortable, more digital, and more fun. To achieve that we are building the leading tech stack for the automotive industry and creating a unified software platform for over 10 million new vehicles per year. We're looking for talented, digital minds like you to help us create code that moves the world. Together with you, we'll build outstanding digital experiences and products for all Volkswagen Group brands that will transform mobility. Join us as we shape the future of the car and everyone around it.

Role Summary

The Principal Software Engineer, BSW will design, develop, and deliver embedded software for high-performance computing platforms at CARIAD and the Volkswagen Group. This role focuses on building reliable base software, leading system bring-up, integrating core components, and solving complex hardware–software interaction issues. The engineer will also drive improvements in testing, diagnostics, and software quality, while collaborating with cross-functional teams and external partners to ensure robust, secure, and production-ready solutions. As a senior member of the technical team, this position provides hands-on expertise and mentorship to strengthen CARIAD's in-house software development capabilities.

Role Responsibilities

• Embedded Software Development
  • Design and implement base software components including BSP, MCAL, bootloaders, and OS services
  • Lead board bring-up, hardware abstraction layer (HAL) integration, and low-level driver development
  • Support hardware teams with component selection, schematics review, and debugging
  • Contribute to software diagnostics, test hooks, and fault injection mechanisms
  • Interface with third-party vendors for BSW stack integration and tuning
  • Collaborate with internal teams on software requirements, especially in safety and security domains
  • Develop and maintain continuous integration and automated testing environments
  • Ensure quality through static/dynamic code analysis and validation tools
  • Drive prototyping of Client BSW features, accelerating early-stage platform evaluations
  • Provide expert technical guidance to ensure efficient delivery of critical features to engineering teams, mentoring less experienced engineers, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.
  • Lead discussions on technology stack selection, balancing scalability, performance, and maintainability.
  • Guides the creation of strategic launch and release plans with cross-functional teams while maintaining best practices in coding, documentation, and code reviews.
• Operational Management
  • Coordinate with manufacturing and validation teams for ECU bring-up, flashing, and test software
  • Proactively identify risks in software/hardware interaction and drive mitigations
  • Ensure compliance with relevant automotive standards and development processes utilizing advanced design patterns for iterative and scalable development

General Skills

Attention to detail and a high level of accuracy in all work Critical thinking skills Thoughtful problem solving Strong communication – verbal and written Time management

Required Specialized Skills

Deep understanding of software platform development and corresponding software. Knowledge of typical vehicle EE architectures and automotive development processes. Knowledge of functional safety concept (ISO26262) and implementation of same in software. Deep Knowledge of embedded system software architecture, real-time operating systems, and web framework components and its interfaces Knowledge of connected HPC software components and its peripherals Knowledge of connected vehicle infotainment and communication software systems. Experienced with introduction into mass production of the same. Exhibit mastery of multiple programming languages and script languages C, C++, Java, HTML5 Knowledgeable of best practices to align with the latest technology and software design principles, influencing architectural decisions through insights into trade-offs.

Desired Skills

Consumer electronics SW design architecture Rapid prototyping and validation Approaches for cloud oriented mobile internet applications Connected navigation and driver assistance system technologies

Workplace Flexibility

Occasional travel may be required, less than 15%

Years of Relevant Experience

15+ years of software development experience with BSW

Required Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Desired Education

Master's Degree in Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, Computer Science, or related field