Validation Engineer, Factory Firmware, Vehicle Software

The Factory Firmware Team (FFT) is seeking a Software Validation Engineer in Fremont, CA. This is a hybrid position requiring both system-level automation & validation with a focus on integrating vehicle firmware into manufacturing environments. The primary responsibility of this role is to oversee and expand offline vehicle testing to ensure the quality of change control (firmware, hardware, etc.) by leveraging our validation tools, analyzing data trends, collaborating with R&D engineers to provide feedback, and working with Validation teams to enhance automation pipelines. Additionally, you will execute regression testing at the component, subsystem, and vehicle levels to validate changes before they are implemented in manufacturing. The scope of this role includes software development, hands-on design of HIL and SIL systems, attention to detail, and ensuring safe and quality firmware to support manufacturing requirements.

The Factory Firmware Team operates as the eyes and ears of the Firmware organization within the factory and often has last say on the deployment of new firmware to manufacturing - providing valuable insight and feedback to accelerate the development and launch of exciting new hardware and software features. We take the role seriously to ensure our Tesla cars are safe and of good software quality.

• Design, develop, and maintain automated testing framework and tools to validate embedded systems, including Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing
• Create and execute automated regression test suites to ensure thorough and accurate testing of firmware on controllers, interfacing of controllers, and entire vehicle systems
• Continuously analyze and improve test coverage, identifying areas for improvement and implementing new features to ensure comprehensive testing
• Own the validation release process for customer releases, including test strategy, scoping, test execution, and sign-off
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Development, QA, and Product Management, to ensure testing aligns with product requirements and supports multiple variants

• Minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in software development or test automation
• Degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent experience
• Excellent proficiency in Python and good understanding of C/C++
• Strong understanding of software development principles, including version control (Git) and continuous integration
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to coordinate with team members and stakeholders
• Knowledge and experience with automation and build tools, such as Jenkins and Docker, preferred
• Previous experience in the auto-industry or validating embedded systems, preferred
• Experience with testing frameworks and tools, such as Pytest or Unittest, preferred
• Knowledge of automotive protocols and standards, such as CAN or LIN, preferred
• Experience with communication protocols, such as I2C, SPI, preferred

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time Tesla employee, you are eligible for the following benefits at day 1 of hire:

• Medical plans > plan options with $0 payroll deduction
• Family-building, fertility, adoption and surrogacy benefits
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plans, both have options with a $0 paycheck contribution
• Company Paid (Health Savings Accounts) HSA Contribution when enrolled in the High-Deductible medical plan with HSA
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with employer match, Employee Stock Purchase Plans, and other financial benefits
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance (90 day waiting period)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time (Flex time for salary positions, Accrued hours for Hourly positions), and Paid Holidays
• Back-up childcare and parenting support resources
• Voluntary benefits to include: critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, theft & legal services, and pet insurance
• Weight Loss and Tobacco Cessation Programs
• Tesla Babies program
• Commuter benefits
• Employee discounts and perks program