AD/ADAS Principal Engineer - Scaled Testing

Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc. (MBRDNA) is seeking an Automated Driving and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems “AD/ADAS” Scaled Validation Testing Engineer to join the US Experience team. This is a full-time, exempt position at the MBRDNA regional office in Long Beach, CA.

The US Experience team drives to establish Mercedes-Benz as a technology leader in the US luxury segment by translating the combined One Voice US strategy to customers in impactful propositions that enhance the customer experience and create market pull.  Our goal is to deliver research and broad knowledge that can influence and drive innovation in the US market in terms of improved vehicle features at different touch points throughout the customer journey.

The responsibility of this role is to lead scaled testing for Automated Driving and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (AD/ADAS) to test and validate the performance of AD/ADAS systems in the USA and Canadian Markets for Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles.  Supporting this goal, the role is responsible for leading a small team of engineers, test operators, and drivers to responsibly, efficiently, and robustly conduct on road testing.

Relocation assistance (domestic or international) is not provided for this position.

• Scaled testing of Automated Driving and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems with a focus on the USA and Canadian-market:
• Enable team to systematically test performance of AD/ADAS systems, with a focus on US-market specific conditions. Collect measurement data to identify, analyze, and document potential issues found during testing.  Utilize experience and deep understanding of local market expectations to prioritize and escalate testing focuses and drive local market defects fixes or improvements independently.
• Summarize faults and findings into weekly reports.   Provide Release Recommendation reports as required, based on system performance in the local market.
• Ability to establish, maintain, and improve tooling automation for KPI monitoring, including visualization tools to real-time monitor project KPIs
• Strong understanding SAE Level-2 and Level-3 systems, including system attributes, system performance, and driver feedback and monitoring performance.  Utilize this knowledge to review and judge Mercedes-Benz product performance objectively and subjectively, and provide feedback and actionable improvements to development departments.
• Ability to communicate with executive leadership on all topics above and the ability to influence the product and testing direction based on this expert knowledge.
• Train and mentor team members on all topics above.

• Maintaining and updating test vehicles to the latest SW/HW levels:
• Lead team to update and maintain SW and HW on dedicated test vehicle to both released and pre-released levels. The ability to flash ECUs, calibrate sensors, and perform ECU readouts is required.
• Update and maintain the vehicle measurement equipment to ensure proper operation at all times.
• Utilize experience in advanced troubleshooting of complex CAN/Flexray/Ethernet based network architectures
• Train and mentor team members on all topics above.

• Communication and Reporting:
• Keep regular communication with internal and external departments in order to stay informed on regularly shifting timelines related to all previously mentioned tasks. Escalate and drive project owners to make sure projects stay on track to achieve market goals.
• Maintain vehicle scheduling and track hardware and software availability in order to complete tasks on time and minimize vehicle down time.
• Support other engineering teams as needed and to stay informed of feature development, issues, and release status for AD/ADAS systems.

• Other responsibilities:
• Manage engineering team through trainings, 1:1s, development talks, mentorship, and performance evaluations.
• Develop new testing strategies and planning for ADAS testing projects, test routes, test methods, and reporting.
• Establish performance metrics based on high-level strategic goals relating to key ADAS testing deliverables and track on a recurring basis.
• Independently handle budget planning and updates with customer departments.
• Support and mentor other engineering teams with vehicle testing and system knowledge when requested.
• Actively work on process development and continuous improvement.
• Align and share project status and testing results with other international testing sites.
• Research US specific traffic environment and condition related to Automated Driving and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering (mechanical, computer, computer science, mechatronics, electrical, etc)
• 7-10 years of experience required
• AD/ADAS Knowledge: Knowledge of Automated Driving and Driver Assistance Systems. Knowledge of competitor systems and all AD/ADAS sensor technologies.
• Automotive Development Knowledge: Understanding of vehicle development process. Familiarity with vehicle networking architecture (CAN, Flexray, etc), common diagnostic tools and measurement systems such as CANoe, DTS Monaco, as well as ability to analyze and interpret diagnostic and fault measurements to trouble shoot issues. 
• Project Management Skills: Ability to coordinate across multiple departments the vehicle updating, testing, and reporting in order to deliver on-time results in a dynamic environment.
• Organizational and Leadership Skills: Experience managing other engineers as direct reports such as training, 1:1s, career development and mentoring, and performance evaluations. Expect responsibilities of 1-3 direct reports.
• Ability to organize people, budgets, logistics, and workshop tasks  within the Tech Center, as well as with the customer departments, functional teams, and management in Germany. Ability to participate and lead groups on test-drives.
• Interpersonal and Team skills: Experience in intercultural environment, German language skills favored to read and understand project requirements and communicate with counterparts in Germany. Must be able to independently build-up working relationships with intra-company expert departments in Germany.
• Ability to travel up to 20% including domestic and international business trips and test drives.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to test drive vehicles and pass Daimler driver T2 level certification that evaluates the driver’s control of the vehicle dynamics at limit-handling conditions.

• German language skills, written and spoken is preferred but not required.
• Master's degree with emphasis in Mechanical, Mechatronics or Electrical Engineering

The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on a wide range of factors, including, but not limited to, job-related education, skills, and experience, geographic location, and market conditions. The current salary range for this position is as follows and may be modified in the future: $135,400 - $172,600.