Software Test Engineer

Ford Motor Company

Software Test Engineer validating infotainment software and connectivity features for Ford's Electric Vehicles. Collaborate on troubleshooting and test bench management in Palo Alto.

Posted 6/5/2026full-timePalo Alto • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSenior💰 $118,700 - $198,500 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

LinuxPython

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Validate the functionality and stability of platform software, multimedia, and connectivity features for infotainment software.
Perform deep-dive troubleshooting on test failures, utilizing system logs and tools to isolate the root cause before reporting.
Manage and maintain the test bench environment, ensuring software and hardware are correctly set up for testing.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Bachelor's in Computer Science or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.
Experience creating test plans for code changes, including smoke test, targeted regression, and testing high-risk areas such as state changes, platform upgrades, and power cycles.
Ability to apply a white-box testing mindset, designing tests that leverage knowledge of internal components (services, APIs, middleware) rather than relying solely on “black box” validation.
Experience validating complex "system-of-systems" products, such as consumer electronics, mobile devices, or robotics; this background is highly relevant and not limited to automotive.
Capability to triage issues and write bug reports with analysis that developers can act on immediately, including reproduction steps, clear expected vs. actual behavior, and precise evidence like timestamps and key log excerpts.
Hands-on hardware/software integration experience, including bench bring-up, flashing, and end-to-end feature validation across HW/SW boundaries.
Working knowledge of Linux (CLI, logs/journalctl, networking, permissions, scripting) for debugging, automation, and test execution.
Experience with Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing, including setup/configuration, signal simulation, test execution, and result analysis.
Python automation skills (strong plus): building test utilities, log parsing/triage scripts.
Must be onsite in Palo Alto.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
Tuition assistance
Established and active employee resource groups
Paid time off for individual and team community service
A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

white-box testingtest planssmoke testingregression testingsystem-of-systems validationhardware/software integrationLinuxHardware-in-the-Loop testingPython automationbug reporting

Soft Skills

troubleshootingissue triagecommunicationanalysis

Certifications

Bachelor's in Computer Science