---
title: 'Software Engineer, VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) at Bot Auto'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineer-vcu-vehicle-control-unit-bot-auto-houston-exgghy15vzh6'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-11'
---

# Software Engineer, VCU (Vehicle Control Unit) at Bot Auto

- **Company:** Bot Auto
- **Location:** Houston, TX
- **Posted:** 2026-07-25
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-11
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/botauto/jobs/5370716008

## Job description

Company Introduction

At Bot Auto, we build autonomous trucks to transform the way goods are transported and improve the quality of life for communities worldwide. With a start-up spirit yet long-established experience, Bot Auto has the most seasoned team that has delivered several world’s first and world’s only. Together, we share vision, we see and build miracles and we drive the future of transportation. Join us and turn your dream into something RUNNING.

Position Overview

We are seeking a VCU Software Engineer to design, implement, integrate, and validate production-grade embedded software for advanced vehicle control systems. This role owns work across requirements, architecture, model-based development, embedded C/C++, AUTOSAR integration, and MIL/SIL/HIL validation. The ideal candidate combines strong vehicle-controls fundamentals with disciplined software engineering and hands-on debugging across simulation, bench, and vehicle environments.

## Key Responsibilities

Software System Design:

- Own the VCU software lifecycle from requirements analysis and architecture through implementation, integration, validation, release, and field support.
- Define and maintain system and software requirements, architecture, interfaces, state machines, fault handling, and safe-state behavior.
- Translate vehicle-level requirements into clear, testable software requirements with end-to-end traceability.
- Partner with controls, hardware, systems, autonomy, validation, manufacturing, and service teams to optimize performance, safety, reliability, and diagnosability.

Embedded Software Development:Application Software and Integration:

- Develop and optimize VCU application software using MATLAB/Simulink/Stateflow and embedded C/C++, including production-code generation where appropriate.
- Implement vehicle operating modes, torque coordination, power and energy management, diagnostics, fault management, and drive-by-wire supervisory functions.
- Integrate application software with AUTOSAR Classic components and layers, including ASW, RTE, BSW, MCAL, and external ECU interfaces.
- Perform code and model reviews, static analysis, debugging, timing and memory analysis, and performance optimization to deliver robust real-time software.
- Tooling and Diagnostics: Build or maintain Python-based automation, logging, calibration, monitoring, benchmarking, and data-analysis tools that improve engineering efficiency and product observability.

Verification & Validation:

- Define and execute unit, integration, MIL, SIL, and HIL test strategies, including requirement-based tests, fault injection, and regression coverage.
- Automate build, test, and reporting workflows within CI/CD pipelines, and use results to drive measurable quality improvements.
- Support bench and vehicle integration, diagnose cross-domain hardware/software issues, reproduce failures from logs, and drive issues to verified closure.

Collaboration and Technical Leadership:

- Coordinate technical decisions with internal teams, suppliers, and platform partners; document assumptions, interfaces, risks, and release readiness.
- Contribute to design reviews, coding and modeling standards, knowledge sharing, and mentorship while continuously improving the team's development practices.

## Skills and Qualifications

- Bachelor's or advanced degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Automotive Engineering, Robotics, or a related field.
- Demonstrated experience developing and delivering embedded software for automotive, robotics, autonomous systems, or other safety-critical real-time products.
- Strong embedded C/C++ skills and practical knowledge of real-time systems, microcontrollers, memory constraints, concurrency, and hardware/software interfaces.
- Hands-on proficiency with MATLAB, Simulink, and Stateflow for model-based design, simulation, and production software development.
- Solid understanding of vehicle control concepts, feedback control, state machines, fault detection, degraded modes, and safety mechanisms.
- Experience with in-vehicle networks and diagnostics, including CAN/CAN-FD and working knowledge of UDS, XCP, or equivalent protocols.
- Working knowledge of AUTOSAR Classic architecture and the interaction among application software, RTE, BSW, and MCAL.
- Experience with requirement-based development and MIL, SIL, HIL, bench, or vehicle-level verification.
- Proficiency with version control, code review, issue tracking, automated testing, CI/CD, and structured debugging workflows.
- Strong analytical, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills, with ownership from ambiguous problem definition through validated delivery.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience with Infineon AURIX/TC3xx or comparable automotive microcontrollers and associated compilers, debuggers, and RTOS environments.
- Practical exposure to ISO 26262, Automotive SPICE, MISRA C/C++, safety analysis, or safety-oriented development processes.
- Experience with Vector, dSPACE, ETAS, or similar tools for network analysis, measurement, calibration, rapid prototyping, and HIL testing.
- Hands-on experience with CANoe/CANalyzer, DaVinci Configurator/Developer, Embedded Coder, TargetLink, or comparable toolchains.
- Python experience for test automation, log processing, data analysis, reporting, or developer tooling.
- Experience with ECU bring-up, board-level debugging, vehicle testing, drive-by-wire systems, or autonomous/electric vehicle platforms.

## About Bot Auto

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Bot Auto is a Houston, Texas-based autonomous trucking company developing Level 4 (L4) self-driving technology to operate a fleet of autonomous trucks and offer Transportation as a Service (TaaS) to major shippers and 3PLs.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed Stage)
- **Headquarters**: Houston, Texas, United States
- **Founded**: 2023
- **Founders**: Dr. Xiaodi Hou (CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Freight and Package Transportation / Autonomous Trucking
- **Target Customers**: B2B — Enterprise shippers and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) seeking dedicated autonomous trucking capacity.
- **Mission Statement**: To make a lasting positive impact on humanity by revolutionizing the transportation industry with autonomous trucks, reducing environmental impact, and improving the quality of life for communities worldwide. [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/about)

## Products & Services
- **Autonomous Trucking Fleet (TaaS)**: Bot Auto operates a fleet of L4 autonomous trucks on Texas roads, providing a "Transportation as a Service" model. They target real shippers who need goods moved immediately, as well as transportation brokers looking for a dedicated carrier partner. [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/)
- **Cost Per Mile (CPM) Framework**: A publicly available benchmarking standard developed in partnership with Boston Consulting Group to measure operational efficiency for autonomous trucking companies, helping stakeholders make data-driven decisions. [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available.
- **Key Metric — Total Funding**: **$20.0M** in a single Seed round closed on September 26, 2024, backed by 9 investors. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bot-auto)
- **Notable Customers**: J.B. Hunt, Ryan Transportation, Steves & Sons. [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/)
- **Growth Signals**: Employs 68 people with a 39.3% year-over-year headcount increase (+24 people); active job postings are up 60% year-over-year; the company has successfully deployed self-driving vehicles in Texas. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bot-auto)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Leadership & Talent**: Founded by Dr. Xiaodi Hou, a recognized industry leader in autonomy. The engineering team is heavily staffed from top talent pools, including 23 former employees of TuSimple, along with engineers from NVIDIA, Waymo, Lucid Motors, and Motional. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bot-auto)
- **Safety-First Foundation**: The company explicitly states "Safety isn't a feature — It's our foundation," positioning safety and operational rigor as the core differentiator. [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/)
- **Operational Focus**: Bot Auto employs a pure TaaS model with real shippers, proving commercial viability today rather than waiting for hypothetical future demand. Their CPM Framework provides transparency into the economics of autonomous trucking.
- **Customer Backing**: Already hauling freight for major names like J.B. Hunt, indicating trust and validation from established industry players.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scaling Commercial Operations**: Expanding fleet operations and autonomous capacity for shippers and 3PLs.
- **Technology Execution**: Continuing to deploy and refine L4 autonomous driving technology, with all development and engineering centered in Houston, Texas.
- **Talent Acquisition**: Aggressively hiring across engineering (software, machine learning, autonomy), operations (fleet maintenance, dispatch), and business functions (internships for MBA/Business roles). [Greenhouse](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/botauto)

## Why Work Here
- **Real Impact**: Bot Auto's autonomous trucks are actively operating on Texas roads today, offering engineers the chance to work on deployed technology that is "actually driving today." [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/career)
- **Culture of Excellence**: The team is described as "the best of the best" — industry leaders who know how to execute AI transformation, with a supportive environment encouraging continuous learning. [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/career)
- **Work Arrangement**: Multiple roles are listed as "Houston, TX preferred, open to remote," offering flexibility. The company is headquartered in Houston (15310 Park Row Blvd) with a presence in the San Francisco Bay Area and Canada. [Greenhouse](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/botauto)
- **Growth Trajectory**: With 39% annual headcount growth, a 60% increase in job postings, and a mission-driven focus on transforming transportation, the company offers significant career development opportunities.
- **Notable Perks**: The team benefits from hands-on work with cutting-edge computing, direct impact on product commercialization, and a mission with concrete economic and societal benefits.

## Sources
1. [bot.auto](https://bot.auto/)
2. [bot.auto/about](https://bot.auto/about)
3. [bot.auto/career](https://bot.auto/career)
4. [Greenhouse - Bot Auto Jobs](http://job-boards.greenhouse.io/botauto)
5. [LinkedIn - Bot Auto Company Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/bot-auto)

## Other roles at Bot Auto

- [Senior Functional Safety Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-functional-safety-engineer-bot-auto-houston-c2kr45m4344m) — Houston, TX
- [Technical Recruiter](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-recruiter-bot-auto-san-francisco-tgnran4yktqy) — San Francisco, CA
- [GPU Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/gpu-engineer-bot-auto-houston-56xpxvrhb6c9) — Houston, TX / San Francisco, CA
- [Local Driver CDL](https://feeny.ai/job/local-driver-cdl-bot-auto-dallas-de11dvtb9tkt) — Dallas, TX
- [Local Driver CDL](https://feeny.ai/job/local-driver-cdl-bot-auto-hutchins-3j1bnq2ged43) — Hutchins, TX
- [Senior Software Engineer, Developer Platform](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-software-engineer-developer-platform-bot-auto-houston-cz7pradks1n4) — Houston, TX / San Francisco, CA
- [Senior Algorithm Engineer, Deep Learning & Vision](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-algorithm-engineer-deep-learning-vision-bot-auto-houston-1r5932qxg9x8) — Houston, TX / San Francisco, CA
- [Algorithm Engineer, Deep Learning & Vision (New Grad)](https://feeny.ai/job/algorithm-engineer-deep-learning-vision-new-grad-bot-auto-houston-1wwtj3281y4a) — Houston, TX / San Francisco, CA
- [E/E Architecture & Electrical Systems Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/e-e-architecture-electrical-systems-engineer-bot-auto-houston-1c7f4w9xsg4r) — Houston, TX
- [Intern, Deep Learning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/intern-deep-learning-engineer-bot-auto-houston-0b2vqyerbj6w) — Houston, TX