Embedded Software Engineer, Onboard Test Automation

Before the detail, here's the challenge you'd help us solve.

We build the embodied intelligence that moves real vehicles safely, and the ecosystem a billion machines will run on in the future. Very few people in AI can say this. Every role here, whatever the team, plugs into that.

Here’s what this particular role covers.

The role

As an Embedded Software Test Engineer at Wayve, you will play a key role in validating onboard software systems before they reach full-vehicle testing. You’ll work across a range of embedded compute platforms and operating systems to ensure software is reliable, integrated, and ready for real-world deployment. This is a high-impact role where your work directly improves software quality and enables faster iteration across multiple teams. You’ll help scale testing by building automated tests and empowering developers to validate their work earlier in the development cycle.

Key responsibilities:

• Design, develop, and execute automated tests for onboard software subsystems (OS, middleware, sensors, and integration points)
• Validate software behavior on embedded hardware platforms within hardware-in-the-loop environments
• Collaborate with software engineers to identify test gaps and build coverage for new and existing features
• Debug and triage system-level issues across software and hardware boundaries
• Enable developer self-service testing by contributing to CI pipelines and reusable test frameworks
• Support expansion of test coverage by leveraging existing validation tests and shifting them earlier in the development cycle

About you

In order to set you up for success as an Embedded Software Test Engineer at Wayve, we’re looking for the following skills and experience.

Essential

• Experience testing embedded software systems, ideally on Linux or QNX-based platforms
• Strong programming skills in Python, C++, or similar languages for test development and automation
• Experience working with embedded hardware platforms and understanding hardware/software interactions
• Proven ability to debug and triage complex issues across system layers
• Understanding of software testing principles, including automation, integration testing, and system validation

Desirable

• Experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) testing environments
• Familiarity with sensor systems or data pipelines (e.g., camera, radar, or similar)
• Experience working with CI/CD systems (e.g., Buildkite) and test pipeline integration
• Exposure to robotics, autonomous systems, or real-time software environments

This role is a full-time role based in Sunnyvale, CA (hybrid) and the reasonably estimated salary for this role ranges from $209,700 to $266,800, plus a competitive equity package. Actual compensation is based on the candidate's skills, qualifications, and experience.

A quick, honest note before you apply.

Wayve is not a mature, fully-structured place with the playbook already written. Much of how we work is still being written, and if you join, you’ll help write it. That suits people who want real ownership more than people who need a settled structure from day one.

If that sounds like the kind of problem you want to spend your time on, we’d really like to hear from you.