---
title: 'Senior AV Test Engineer at Motional'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-av-test-engineer-motional-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-9cm1ww7bjgwc'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-06'
---

# Senior AV Test Engineer at Motional

- **Company:** Motional
- **Location:** Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
- **Compensation:** $125k–$167k
- **Posted:** 2026-08-31
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-06
- **Apply:** https://motional.com/open-positions/?gh_jid=7981976003#/7981976003

## Job description

Mission Summary:

The Autonomous Vehicle (AV) Test Engineering team is responsible for validating the safety, functionality, and performance of self-driving technology through rigorous, system-level testing. As a Senior AV Test Engineer leading Commercialization Release, you will take primary technical ownership of end-to-end release readiness, release risk assessments, and deployment verification for commercial AV software builds and feature releases across virtual, closed-course, and public road environments.

In this role, you will act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to influence product architecture early (Shift-Left), establish hard release quality gates in CI/CD pipelines, lead systemic Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for complex failures, and drive cross-functional sign-off governance across Software, Safety, Systems, and Fleet Operations. You will also mentor junior engineers and design formal test frameworks and SOPs that scale test operations for commercial deployment.

Essential Duties:

- Commercialization & Release Governance: Own the commercialization release candidate validation lifecycle; define, enforce, and maintain release readiness criteria, entry/exit gates, and safety verification protocols for commercial fleet deployments.
- System Integration & Commercial Bundle Validation: Own integration and validation of the commercial software release bundle—passenger displays, Uber API, command center (fleet monitoring), and associated software components—ensuring interface compatibility, end-to-end workflows, and release-candidate readiness for commercial fleet deployment.
- Quality Gate Implementation: Design, deploy, and enforce automated quality gates within CI/CD and testing pipelines to measurably prevent critical software and hardware bugs from reaching pre-production or deployment builds.
- Technical Leadership & Validation: Lead the strategy, planning, and execution of validation testing across simulation, SIL, HIL, and on-vehicle environments, with a focus on end-to-end performance across perception, planning, and control subsystems.
- Systemic RCA & Defect Prevention: Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for complex or systemic platform failures; drive permanent architectural, code, or operational changes across cross-functional teams to prevent issue recurrence.
- Architectural Influence (Shift-Left): Serve as the Testing SME in cross-functional design reviews with Development, Systems, and Product teams, embedding testability and safety verification requirements into early feature architecture.
- Test Infrastructure & Automation: Design, build, and maintain scalable test frameworks and automation tools using Python, Shell, and scenario-based simulation platforms (e.g., Applied Intuition) to increase test coverage and reduce validation cycle times.
- Process Efficiency: Continuously identify and resolve bottlenecks in test execution, data parsing, and fault triage workflows to accelerate release velocity without compromising safety or reliability standards.
- Inter-Team Coordination & Alignment: Act as the primary technical point of contact for software release synchronization, aligning testing schedules, dependency tracking, and risk trade-offs with Safety, Systems, Software, and Fleet Operations.
- Formal Mentorship & Training: Mentor junior and mid-level test engineers; create and deliver formal training programs, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and documentation to standardize technical testing practices.
- Compliance & Traceability: Ensure testing procedures and verification evidence comply with industry safety standards (ISO 26262, ISO 21448 / SOTIF, UL 4600, ISO 9001) using Jira, GitLab, and Confluence for full traceability.
- Field Support: Support after-hours testing, urgent release deployment verification, or incident triage as required by commercial fleet operations. Travel domestically on occasion to support on-site testing and track deployments.

Qualifications:

- Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Robotics, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related technical field (Master's preferred).
- Experience: 5+ years of experience in software QA, systems testing, or release engineering within AV, ADAS, robotics, or safety-critical automotive systems.
- Commercialization & Release Expertise:
- Proven track record leading software/systems release sign-off and defining release readiness frameworks for commercial-grade safety-critical products.
- Hands-on experience establishing automated release gates, CI/CD verification workflows, and release risk management strategies.
- Technical & Domain Skills:
- Advanced proficiency in Linux environments and scripting/programming languages (Python, Bash/Shell, C++).
- Deep experience in end-to-end testing across SIL, HIL, simulation (e.g., Applied Intuition, CARLA, IPG Carmaker), and track/on-vehicle environments.
- Working knowledge of ISO 26262, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), UL 4600 and AV safety case development workflows.
- Leadership & Problem Solving:
- Strong technical leadership skills with a proven track record of mentoring junior engineers and influencing cross-functional technical decisions.
- Superior analytical skills in systemic RCA, log parsing, and root-cause determination across complex hardware-software interactions.

Physical Demands:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, talk, or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and at times for long periods; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and move up to 50 pounds.

Working Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here represent those a team member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the team member is regularly exposed to outside weather conditions, road conditions, and pedestrian traffic. The team member is regularly exposed to mechanical and computer parts. The team member is occasionally exposed to fumes and airborne particles. The noise level in the environment is low to moderate.

Motional AD LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, and we welcome all qualified applicants. All applicants will receive impartial consideration regarding race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or another legally protected status. Motional AD LLC is a Drug-free workplace.

This role is based in our Pittsburgh office and will require in office days.

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors including but not limited to specific skills, experience and expertise, role location, certifications, licenses, and business needs. The estimated compensation range listed in this job posting reflects base salary only. This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

Candidates for certain positions are eligible to participate in Motional’s benefits program. Motional’s benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401k with a company match, health saving accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more.

Salary Range $125,000—$167,000 USD

Motional is a driverless technology company making autonomous vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality. We’re driven by something more.

Our journey is always people first.

We aren't just developing driverless cars; we're creating safer roadways, more equitable transportation options, and making our communities better places to live, work, and connect. Our team is made up of engineers, researchers, innovators, dreamers and doers, who are creating a technology with the potential to transform the way we move.

Higher purpose, greater impact.

We’re creating first-of-its-kind technology that will transform transportation. To do so successfully, we must design for everyone in our cities and on our roads. We believe in building a great place to work through a progressive, global culture that is diverse, inclusive, and ensures people feel valued at every level of the organization. Diversity helps us to see the world differently; it’s not only good for our business, it’s the right thing to do.

Scale up, not starting up.

Our team is behind some of the industry's largest leaps forward, including the first fully-autonomous cross-country drive in the U.S, the launch of the world's first robotaxi pilot, and operation of the world's longest-standing public robotaxi fleet. We’re driven to scale; we’re moving towards commercialization of our technology, and we need team members who are ready to embrace change and challenges.

Formed as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional is fundamentally changing how people move through their lives. Headquartered in Boston, Motional has operations in the U.S and Asia. For more information, visit  [www.Motional.com](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3300142-1&h=1642745316&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D3253528-1%26h%3D3781125006%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fc212.net%252Fc%252Flink%252F%253Ft%253D0%2526l%253Den%2526o%253D3089636-1%2526h%253D3468778127%2526u%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fc212.net%25252Fc%25252Flink%25252F%25253Ft%25253D0%252526l%25253Den%252526o%25253D2881693-1%252526h%25253D646020682%252526u%25253Dhttps%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Furldefense.com%2525252Fv3%2525252F__http%2525253A%2525252Fwww.motional.com%2525252F__%2525253B!!KT8c38mO!j78LjnhAm2VK7Fu23VO6KlwqDXvVTQFMzmyzieKQqZDQksh2tpWEseK4to8eKzwsEwI%25252524%252526a%25253Dwww.Motional.com%2526a%253Dwww.Motional.com%26a%3Dwww.Motional.com&a=www.Motional.com) and follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/motionaldrive), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/67123512/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/motionaldrive/) and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr__mGPkBb-KMoYWbSGuA9w).

Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E-Verify. All newly-hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.

## About Motional

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Motional is an autonomous vehicle technology company developing Level 4 driverless systems for robotaxi and delivery services.
- **Entity Type**: Private (joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv)
- **Headquarters**: Boston, Massachusetts, USA (with offices in Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Santa Monica, and Singapore)
- **Founded**: 2020 (formed as a joint venture; predecessor companies nuTonomy and Ottomatika founded in 2013)
- **Founders**: Motional was created as a joint venture; predecessor companies nuTonomy was co-founded by Karl Iagnemma and Emilio Frazzoli, and Ottomatika was founded by Raj Rajkumar

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Autonomous Vehicle Technology / Self-Driving Systems
- **Target Customers**: B2B partnerships with mobility networks (ride-hail and delivery platforms like Uber), enterprise fleet operators, and mobility service providers
- **Mission**: To make driverless vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality, fundamentally changing how the world moves.

## Products & Services
- **Robotaxi Service (Motional Driverless)**: A fully driverless, Level 4 autonomous vehicle platform designed for ride-hail services. Currently operating commercial robotaxi services on Uber in Las Vegas as of March 2026.
- **Autonomous Delivery**: The same robotaxi platform is designed to support autonomous delivery services, complementing the ride-hail offering.
- **nuScenes Open Source Dataset**: An industry-leading open-source dataset for autonomous vehicle research, demonstrating Motional's commitment to safety-focused data sharing.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private joint venture)
- **Key Metric**: Over 130,000 autonomous rides provided with zero at-fault incidents since predecessor companies began in 2013.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Hyundai Motor Group (joint venture partner), Aptiv (joint venture partner), Uber (commercial robotaxi partnership launched in Las Vegas, March 2026).
- **Growth Signals**: Commercial launch of robotaxi service on Uber in Las Vegas (March 2026), over a decade of autonomous driving development, significant scaling of driverless testing operations.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Industry-Leading Safety Record**: Zero at-fault incidents across 130,000+ autonomous rides, with safety as the company's bedrock principle.
- **Unique Joint Venture Structure**: Combines Hyundai's manufacturing expertise (vehicle production, global scale) with Aptiv's automotive technology leadership (sensors, software, integration).
- **Proven Commercial Deployment**: First-mover advantage with a live, paying robotaxi service integrated into Uber's platform in a major US city.
- **Open Source Leadership**: The nuScenes dataset is a widely used industry benchmark, establishing Motional as a thought leader and attracting top talent.

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercialization at Scale**: Expanding the Las Vegas robotaxi service and replicating the model in new markets.
- **Platform Versatility**: Developing the same core technology for both ride-hail and delivery to maximize revenue per vehicle and market opportunity.
- **Safety-First Approach**: Continuing to lead the industry in transparency and safety data sharing to build public trust and regulatory confidence.
- **Partnership Ecosystem**: Deepening integration with Uber and pursuing additional mobility network partnerships globally.

## Why Work Here
- **Purpose-Driven Mission**: Employees are motivated by a clear social purpose: creating safer roads, more equitable transportation, and reducing emissions — not just building technology for profit.
- **Cutting-Edge Engineering Challenges**: Work on the hardest problems in robotics, machine learning, AI, software, and sensor fusion, with direct impact on a product already on the streets.
- **Culture & Values**: Described as "more human than big tech and more structured than start-ups." Core values include Safety as Bedrock, Build for Everyone (diversity & inclusion), Take Ownership, and Deliver the Future.
- **Global, Collaborative Team**: Offices across the US (Boston, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Santa Monica) and Asia (Singapore), with a culture that emphasizes collaboration across teams and disciplines.
- **Career Growth & Benefits**: Competitive benefits package, investment in employee development, and a "people first" approach that values career growth and well-being. Remote/hybrid policy not explicitly stated but global office presence suggests flexibility.

## Sources
1. [Motional Website](https://motional.com/)
2. [Motional Careers Page](https://motional.com/careers)
3. [Motional - What We Do](https://motional.com/what-we-do)
4. [Motional - Life at Motional](https://motional.com/life-motional)
5. [Motional - Open Positions](https://motional.com/open-positions)

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