Staff Software Engineer In Test

About Us

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is a joint venture between two industry leaders with a clear vision for automotive’s next chapter. From operating systems to zonal controllers to cloud and connectivity solutions, we’re addressing the challenges of electric vehicles through technology that will set the standards for software-defined vehicles around the world.

The road to the future is uncharted. By combining our expertise across connectivity, AI, security and more, we’ll map a new way forward. Working together, we’ll create a future that’s more connected, more intelligent, more sustainable for everyone.

Role Summary

We are looking for the Staff Software Engineer in Test in Serbia to establish and own the entire quality assurance function for our mapping and infotainment testing efforts. You will own end‑to‑end test and automation for Mapping and Infotainment system —from framework design to CI/CD integration, test benches, and on‑vehicle validation—while coordinating closely with site leaders, partner teams on the Belgrade site, and global stakeholders to ensure alignment on priorities, scope, and quality. You are acting as the primary bridge between Belgrade and our teams in North America and other regions.

This foundational role is pivotal for designing and driving end-to-end test automation and quality strategies for our mapping and location-based services, including core functions like map data pipelines, routing, navigation, and location APIs that power our vehicles and mobile applications. You will utilize automation, manual, or semi-automated methods for verification and validation, while also contributing to the development and enhancement of automated tools and infrastructure for scalability. If you are passionately driven to rigorously stress-test and "break" the product before it reaches our customers, and are committed to building scalable quality solutions and delivering high-quality consumer solutions, we invite you to join us in shaping the future of automotive technology.

Responsibilities

• Own test strategy for Mapping & Location Services

  • Define and drive the end-to-end test automation and quality strategy for Mapping and Location-Based Services (including map data pipelines, routing, navigation, and location APIs) across current and future vehicle platforms.

  • Embrace a "shift-left" philosophy to maximize test coverage, balancing manual, exploratory, unit, integration, and system automation for early defect detection.

  • Have a strong sense of ownership of the quality of our products.

• Design and build test automation frameworks

  • Architect, implement, and maintain Python-based automation frameworks and tooling for Mapping and Infotainment system benches and vehicles (e.g., Pytest-based suites, internal tools, log parsers, and dashboards).

  • Integrate automation into CI/CD pipelines (GitLab/Jenkins or similar) to ensure tests are reliable, repeatable, and visible to engineering and leadership.

• Scale system and end-to-end testing

  • Develop automated scenarios that span mobile, cloud, and vehicle for key mapping and navigation flows (e.g., search, routing, guidance, map rendering, traffic, and charging network validation).

  • Leverage test benches, HIL setups, digital vehicle twins (SIL), and real vehicles to validate behavior under realistic conditions (e.g., GNSS, network variation, map data updates).

• Own quality for feature and release cycles

  • Partner with Mapping development, product, and program teams to define test plans, quality metrics, and release exit criteria.

  • Use data from automated and manual runs (KPIs, defect trends) to drive clear release recommendations and continuous improvement of test suites (e.g., flakiness reduction, gap closure).

• Mentor and collaborate across locations

  • Technically mentor and coach future local team members, sharing best practices in test design, coding standards, and debugging of complex, distributed systems.

  • Work closely with cross-functional partners (navigation, mapping, data, UX, cloud, mobile, other infotainment and connectivity teams) across Belgrade, North America, and other locations to align on testability, logging, diagnostics, and lab infrastructure needs.

• Invest in tooling and process

  • Help evolve the Mapping test strategy, metrics, dashboards, and reporting so that quality is transparent and actionable across the organization.

  • Drive continuous improvement in QA processes and tooling, including leveraging AI for test authoring, triage, and regression management.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Education & experience

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Software Engineering , or a related field.

  • 8+ years of hands‑on experience in software test automation or quality engineering, including system‑level testing of complex, distributed or embedded products.

  • Prior experience in automotive, embedded systems, connectivity, or other safety‑critical domains is strongly preferred.

• Technical skills

  • Strong programming skills in Python for test automation and tooling (Pytest or similar), including test frameworks, libraries, and utilities.

  • Experience integrating automated tests into CI/CD (GitLab, Jenkins or similar), including pipelines for benches and vehicles.

  • Solid understanding of hardware‑software integration and test environments (SIL, HIL, benches, vehicle bring‑up, diagnostic tools such as PCAP/Ride/UDS/CAN).

• Collaboration & leadership

  • Proven experience leading test or automation teams , including setting direction, prioritizing work, and coaching engineers across locations.

  • Ability to coordinate with multiple leaders and stakeholders on the Belgrade site (development, product, program, systems, lab) and keep everyone aligned on status, risks, and next steps.

  • Comfortable working with teams across time zones and cultures , building strong relationships with partners in North America and other regions, and keeping communication clear and proactive.

  • Excellent communication skills (verbal and written), able to simplify complex technical topics and drive decisions with data and clear arguments.

  • You are reliable, accountable, and willing to go the extra mile when needed—owning issues end‑to‑end, following through on commitments, and continuously pushing the team and process to the next level.

    Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with:

  • Test data and results visualization (dashboards, metrics for build health and release readiness).

  • AI‑assisted test authoring or prioritization, or large‑scale regression management.

  • Working in globally distributed teams and collaborating across multiple sites and partners.

  • Have embedded development experience on infotainment system, mapping or navigation system is preferred

• Use/build AI tools in testing.

• Establish and Drive Belgrade Automation & Quality Efforts

  • Collaborate with Mapping team leaders in North America to own the product quality of mapping and infotainment.

  • Contribute to daily hands-on quality activities and priorities with local development, product, and site leadership to ensure alignment with global goals.

  • Serve as the primary quality interface and site leader between the Belgrade and global stakeholders in North America and other regions.

Total Rewards

Full-time positions include base salary, eligibility for an annual performance bonus, and eligibility for equity.

In addition to base salary, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies offers benefits tailored to the local market. For more information on the benefits available for full-time employees, check out our Global Benefits Site .

External candidates can apply for this role through the Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies careers site (). If you are a current employee, please apply through our internal job board .

Equal Opportunity

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information or characteristics, physical or mental disability, marital/domestic partner status, age, military/veteran status, medical condition, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are also committed to ensuring compliance with all applicable fair employment practice laws regarding citizenship and immigration status.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies is committed to ensuring that our hiring process is accessible for persons with disabilities. If you have a disability or limitation, such as those covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, that requires accommodations to assist you in the search and application process, please email us at [email protected] .

Candidate Data Privacy

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies” may collect, use and disclose your personal information or personal data (within the meaning of the applicable data protection laws) when you apply for employment and/or participate in our recruitment processes (“Candidate Personal Data”). This data includes contact, demographic, communications, educational, professional, employment, social media/website, network/device, recruiting system usage/interaction, security and preference information. Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use your Candidate Personal Data for the purposes of (i) tracking interactions with our recruiting system; (ii) carrying out, analyzing and improving our application and recruitment process, including assessing you and your application and conducting employment, background and reference checks; (iii) establishing an employment relationship or entering into an employment contract with you; (iv) complying with our legal, regulatory and corporate governance obligations; (v) record keeping; (vi) ensuring network and information security and preventing fraud; and (vii) as otherwise required or permitted by applicable law.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may share your Candidate Personal Data with (i) internal personnel who have a need to know such information in order to perform their duties, including individuals on our People Team, Finance, Legal, and the team(s) with the position(s) for which you are applying; (ii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies affiliates; and (iii) Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies’ service providers, including providers of background checks, staffing services, and cloud services.

Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may transfer or store internationally your Candidate Personal Data, including to or in the United States, Canada, and the European Union and in the cloud, and this data may be subject to the laws and accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of such jurisdictions.

If you provide a mobile telephone number as part of your application or during the recruitment process, Rivian and Volkswagen Group Technologies may use that number to contact you via SMS text message for recruitment-related purposes, including scheduling, logistics, and status updates. Message and data rates may apply. You may opt out of SMS communications at any time by replying STOP to any text message you receive from us. Consent to receive SMS messages is not a condition of applying for or being considered for employment.

Please see our Candidate Data Privacy Notice (English)and Candidate Data Privacy Notice (Serbian) for more information.

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Please note this job posting represents an open, active vacancy. Additionally, we are not currently accepting applications from third party application services.