Senior Digital Key Engineer

Job Description: Senior Digital Key Engineer

Location Palo Alto CA

Position Overview

Need highly skilled and analytical Digital Key Engineer to lead the implementation, validation, and debugging of next-generation vehicle access systems. Person will be responsible for ensuring seamless, secure interoperability between smartphone devices and vehicle architectures and will serve as the core technical expert for root-cause analysis, defect triage, and physical/protocol-layer timing analysis across NFC, BLE, and UWB channels, closely aligning with Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) standards.

Key Responsibilities

• End-to-End Implementation: Oversee the integration of CCC Digital Key specifications within the vehicle architecture, ensuring strict compliance with security and privacy requirements.
• Defect Triage & Root Cause Analysis: Act as the primary technical point for identifying, isolating, and tracking system defects across hardware, embedded software, and mobile application layers.
• Protocol & Timing Analysis: Analyze time-critical messaging sequences (ranging from BLE discovery to UWB distance bounding) using logic analyzers, protocol sniffers, and oscilloscope captures.
• Interoperability Validation: Test and debug communication performance variations across diverse mobile hardware platforms, operating systems (iOS/Android), and environmental conditions.
• Performance Tuning: Optimize physical-layer connection workflows to meet strict latency thresholds for vehicle wake-up, welcome lighting, and hands-free passive entry.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Tier-1 suppliers, internal software teams, and cybersecurity experts to address vulnerabilities and architectural bottlenecks.

Technical Requirements & Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Embedded Systems, or a related technical discipline.
• Connectivity Standards: Deep technical knowledge of the Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) Digital Key Architecture, including global standards for NFC, BLE, and UWB wireless technologies.
• Analysis Tools: Proven proficiency with network and hardware analysis tools such as Vector CANoe/CANalyzer, Wireshark, BLE sniffers, and UWB/NFC protocol analyzers.
• Timing & Debugging: Demonstrated experience troubleshooting RF communication timing constraints, signal propagation bottlenecks, and cryptographic handshake latencies.
• Automotive Networks: Solid understanding of vehicle networking protocols including CAN, CAN-FD, LIN, and Automotive Ethernet.
• Security Fundamentals: Familiarity with Secure Elements (SE), GlobalPlatform standards, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), and asymmetric cryptography.

Preferred Skills

• Experience developing or testing mobile wallet integrations (Apple Wallet, Google Wallet, Samsung Wallet).
• Hands-on background with automated hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing rigs and script development (Python, CAPL).
• Active participation in CCC plugfests, working groups, or compliance certification programs.