Automotive Embedded Software Engineer – Digital Key & Vehicle Access

Automotive Embedded Software Engineer – Digital Key (BLE/NFC/UWB)

Location: Mountain View, California
Duration: 12+ Months
Experience: 5–12+ Years
Domain: Automotive Embedded Systems

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced Automotive Embedded Software Engineer / Technical Lead with hands-on expertise in Digital Key, BLE, NFC, UWB, vehicle access systems, Classic AUTOSAR, and FreeRTOS.

The candidate will design, develop, integrate, and validate secure automotive Digital Key and vehicle access solutions, including BLE/NFC ECUs, Digital Key middleware, communication adapters, and ASIL-compliant vehicle access controllers.

Experience with Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) Digital Key specifications, automotive ECU development, wireless connectivity, and functional safety is highly desirable.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop embedded software for automotive Digital Key and vehicle access systems.

• Develop and integrate BLE/NFC ECU software for passive entry/start, remote lock/unlock, and secure vehicle access.

• Implement and integrate CCC Digital Key specifications, middleware, and communication interfaces.

• Develop embedded software components using C/C++, FreeRTOS, and Classic AUTOSAR.

• Integrate BLE, NFC, and UWB technology stacks with vehicle access applications and ECU software.

• Implement secure device discovery, authentication, key exchange, ranging, provisioning, and key lifecycle management.

• Design software architecture for secure and safety-critical vehicle access controllers.

• Ensure compliance with applicable ASIL requirements and ISO 26262 development processes.

• Perform ECU-level debugging using logs, traces, protocol analyzers, debuggers, and automotive diagnostic tools.

• Support unit testing, integration testing, HIL/SIL validation, and vehicle-level testing.

• Participate in architecture reviews, requirements analysis, coding, verification, and production-readiness activities.

• Support CCC certification, interoperability testing, protocol validation, and defect resolution.

• Collaborate with hardware, systems, cybersecurity, functional safety, and vehicle validation teams.

Required Technical Skills

1. Automotive Digital Key & Vehicle Access

• Hands-on experience with automotive Digital Key systems.

• Understanding of CCC Digital Key architecture and specifications.

• Experience with passive entry/start, remote lock/unlock, digital key provisioning, device authentication, secure access, and key sharing.

• Experience with BLE, NFC, and/or UWB in automotive applications.

2. BLE / NFC / UWB

• Strong understanding of BLE architecture, GATT/GAP, pairing, bonding, security, and connection management.

• Experience integrating BLE stacks with embedded applications.

• Knowledge of NFC-based secure access and UWB ranging/localization.

• Experience developing middleware adapters and abstraction/interface layers.

3. Embedded Software & RTOS

• Strong programming skills in C/C++.

• Hands-on experience with FreeRTOS and real-time embedded software.

• Knowledge of tasks, queues, semaphores, interrupts, timers, synchronization, and memory management.

• Experience with MCU peripherals, low-level drivers, embedded debugging, and performance optimization.

4. Classic AUTOSAR

• Strong experience with Classic AUTOSAR architecture and integration.

• Knowledge of Application Software, RTE, BSW, MCAL, communication stacks, and diagnostics.

• Experience configuring, integrating, and debugging AUTOSAR software components.

• Understanding of CAN/CAN-FD, LIN, and automotive Ethernet.

5. Functional Safety & Cybersecurity

• Experience developing ASIL-compliant automotive ECUs, preferably ASIL-B, ASIL-C, or ASIL-D.

• Understanding of ISO 26262 functional safety concepts and development processes.

• Knowledge of safety mechanisms, diagnostics, fault handling, watchdogs, safe-state concepts, and safety monitoring.

• Familiarity with secure communication and automotive cybersecurity.

6. Development & Debugging Tools
Experience with several of the following:

• Vector CANoe / CANalyzer

• Lauterbach / TRACE32

• JTAG/SWD debuggers

• Wireshark and BLE protocol analyzers

• Git / Gerrit and Jenkins / CI/CD

• Static analysis and code-quality tools

• HIL/SIL testing environments

• Automotive diagnostic and configuration-management tools

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CCC Digital Key certification and compliance projects.

• Experience developing production vehicle access controllers or Body/Access ECUs.

• Experience integrating mobile-device Digital Key solutions with vehicle ECUs.

• Knowledge of UWB FiRa ecosystem and ranging technologies.

• Familiarity with ISO/SAE 21434, AUTOSAR security, cryptographic services, secure boot, key management, and Hardware Security Modules (HSM).

• Experience working with automotive OEMs or Tier-1 suppliers.

• Strong troubleshooting skills across mobile devices, connectivity stacks, middleware, ECUs, and vehicle systems.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Computer Science, Embedded Systems, or a related field.

• Typically 5–12+ years of automotive embedded software development experience, depending on seniority.

• Proven experience in automotive ECU development and integration.

• Strong experience in one or more of Digital Key, BLE, NFC, UWB, vehicle access systems, Classic AUTOSAR, or FreeRTOS.

Key Competencies

• Embedded software architecture and design.

• Strong debugging and system-level problem-solving skills.

• Ability to work across application software, middleware, RTOS, AUTOSAR BSW, connectivity stacks, and ECU hardware.

• Understanding of automotive software development and validation lifecycles.

• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Role Objective: Develop and deliver secure, reliable, and safety-compliant Automotive Digital Key and Vehicle Access solutions by integrating BLE/NFC/UWB connectivity, Digital Key middleware, FreeRTOS, Classic AUTOSAR, and ASIL-compliant ECU platforms.