About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About The Role

Forterra is seeking a self-motivated, highly skilled and detail-oriented Lead Software Test Engineer to plan, build, and execute verification and validation (V&V) for the embedded software that underpins the safe operation of our autonomous vehicle platform. You’ll own test strategy and automation across the lifecycle, ensuring requirements are testable, evidence is rigorous, and releases meet the bar for safety, reliability, and performance. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in embedded systems testing, automation, and quality assurance methodologies. This role involves designing and executing both manual and automated test strategies to ensure compliance, safety, and performance of embedded applications across various platforms. Experience with functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, DO-178, or MIL-STD-882) is highly valued.

What You'll Do

Own the V&V strategy for safety-critical embedded software, from kick off to qualification, Test Plan to Test Report, and every TRR and TIS in between.
Successfully lead small, embedded software test teams to meet customer requirements within allocated cost, scope, and schedule commitments.
Provide technical guidance and mentorship to engineering team members, through 1:1s, code/test-plan reviews, and tailored development plans; set clear goals and feedback loops.
Derive, implement, and automate test cases from system, software, and safety requirements; ensure full bidirectional traceability and clear pass/fail criteria.
Create and maintain automated test frameworks for embedded systems validation including SIL/HIL test environments.
Perform robustness & fault-injection testing (e.g., timing/jitter, memory, comms errors, power/clock faults) including negative, boundary, and stress tests.
Execute static and dynamic analysis as well as measure and enforce coverage targets.
Create and curate safety evidence: test plans/procedures, results, V&V and compliance matrices, anomalies/defects, tool qualification, and contributions to the safety case, aligned to applicable standards and safety goals.
Collaborate cross-functionally with systems, software, and safety engineering to review designs for testability, refine requirements, and support audits/assessments.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
5+ years of experience in embedded systems testing
Working knowledge of at least one language used in safety-critical development (C/C++) and proficiency in Python for test automation.
Hands-on experience with requirements management and traceability (e.g., DOORS, Jama) and with SAFe/Agile/Scrum/Waterfall lifecycles.
Experience testing on RTOS platforms (e.g., QNX) and with embedded targets, debuggers, and instrumentation.
Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills; comfortable isolating HW/SW/firmware issues in complex systems.
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment while managing multiple priorities and delivering crisp documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

Practical knowledge of functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, DO-178, MIL-STD-882) and associated V&V/assessment activities.
Familiarity with MISRA C/C++, static analysis tools, and code coverage methodologies (incl. branch and MC/DC).
Tooling experience: Vector CANalyzer, Wireshark, GitLab CI, Git, CMake, Conan.
Exposure to vehicle networks and diagnostics (CAN, CAN-FD, Ethernet, FlexRay, UDS/J1939) and to logging/trace tools.
Understanding of autonomy-relevant domains (e.g., motion control, planning, perception) and how to validate them safely.
Background integrating complex electro-mechanical systems (automotive, aerospace, medical, industrial).
Familiarity with cybersecurity validation for embedded systems (e.g., NIST 800-53, ISO/SAE 21434 test practices).

US Salary Range

$150,000—$180,000

Benefits

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.

The Pay Range For This Role Is

150,000 - 180,000 USD per year (AVA)

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Lead Software Test Engineer - AV Safety (Embedded)