Bilingual Automotive Infotainment HW/SW Integration Engineer

Job Type: Location Type: On-site

 

Title: Automotive Infotainment HW/SW Integration Engineer

Pay Rate: $35-50/hr DOE

Hours: M-F 8am-5pm

Location: San Jose, CA

Type: Temporary assignment (initial 3 months, with potential extensions based on progress, budget, and fit)

About Novus Labs

Novus Labs is our sibling company that provides engineering support to the largest tech companies in bringing some of the most innovative products to market.

About the Role

This is an initial 3-month temporary assignment supporting automotive infotainment test environments in San Jose, with potential extensions based on progress, budget, and fit. The role will provide hands-on hardware/software integration, system bring-up, vehicle and test-bench support, and lab infrastructure maintenance, with an immediate priority on Korean, Mandarin Chinese, or Japanese language validation for active programs.

As technical capability and program needs develop, the role may expand into broader automotive infotainment HW/SW integration work, including Android Automotive OS (AAOS), Linux, or QNX subsystem integration, vehicle-network debugging, and end-to-end platform bring-up and verification.

What you will be doing:

• Prepare and maintain Devices Under Test (DUTs), vehicles, and automotive test benches, including firmware updates, readiness checks, and modifications to head-unit systems, HMI, CAN-bus, GPS, and audio input/output components.
• Execute and translate voice-assistant validation test cases in Korean, Mandarin Chinese, or Japanese, using native-speaker pronunciation and accent expectations for single-turn and multi-turn conversational scenarios.
• Collect vehicle and system data in both laboratory and on-road driving conditions and support engineers with vehicle software updates, build changes, and flashing activities.
• Maintain and upgrade lab automation and test infrastructure, including software installation and upgrades, network and switch configuration, cabling, firmware updates, and test equipment inventory tracking across concurrent programs.
• Build, wire, troubleshoot, repair, and modify test rigs and bench hardware using mechanical and electrical tools such as screwdrivers, multimeters, soldering irons, and crimpers.
• Work directly with circuit boards, single-board computers such as Raspberry Pi or similar development boards, networking hardware, switches, routers, and related lab equipment.
• Document defects in JIRA with clear reproduction steps, severity, priority, supporting observations, and validation results; track issues through resolution and retest.
• Assist with vehicle fleet upkeep and readiness, including basic maintenance coordination and movement of vehicles between South Bay Area lab sites.
• As skills and scope expand, support AAOS, Linux, or QNX subsystem integration and verification, CAN and Automotive Ethernet communication debugging, and end-to-end bring-up of next-generation automotive infotainment platforms.

About You

You are a hands-on engineer or technically experienced lab professional who is comfortable moving between software, embedded hardware, vehicles, test benches, and lab infrastructure. You can work accurately in a multilingual validation environment, learn unfamiliar systems quickly, and collaborate across engineering teams and multiple lab locations.

Required Qualifications:

• Fluent in spoken and written Korean, Mandarin Chinese , or Japanese, with the ability to read and translate target-language text and audio for test execution, documentation, and validation reporting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• 1+ years of experience with automotive infotainment, head-unit, or embedded HW/SW systems through development, testing, bring-up, validation, or modification work.
• Working knowledge of acoustics fundamentals, including sound measurement, speaker and microphone placement, and in-cabin audio behavior.
• Comfort operating hardware/software test benches and performing hands-on work in a lab or garage environment, including building and wiring test rigs and cabling.
• Hands-on ability with mechanical and electrical tools, including screwdrivers, multimeters, soldering irons, crimpers, or similar equipment used for bring-up, repair, and modification.
• Willingness and ability to work with circuit boards, single-board computers, development boards, networking hardware, switches, routers, and cabling.
• Ability to work across multiple South Bay Area lab sites and drive vehicles between locations; a valid driver’s license is required.
• Ability to support vehicle fleet readiness and collect data in both laboratory and on-road driving conditions.
• Ability to learn unfamiliar hardware and software quickly and take on new technical challenges.
• Valid passport with no travel restrictions, eligibility to obtain business travel visas for China, Japan, and South Korea, and ability to travel internationally and re-enter the United States without restriction.
• For candidates selected for the Mandarin-speaking track, willingness and ability to travel internationally without restriction for in-market audio and acoustics support.
• Candidates working under CPT (Curricular Practical Training) are not eligible for this role.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with automotive HW/SW integration and subsystem bring-up or validation using Android Automotive OS (AAOS), Linux, or QNX.
• Familiarity with vehicle communication networks and diagnostics, including CAN, LIN, Automotive Ethernet, and OBD.
• Exposure to Telematics Control Unit (TCU) or head-unit firmware bring-up, flashing, and system-level validation.
• Experience maintaining automotive test-bench or lab infrastructure, including firmware updates and test equipment calibration.
• Experience working effectively with cross-functional engineering teams across multiple sites.
• Prior experience testing or validating voice-assistant text-to-speech (TTS) or automatic speech recognition (ASR) platforms.
• Familiarity with open-weight speech models used for TTS or speech-to-text (STT).
• Familiarity with third-party TTS platforms, including commercial or open-source voice-synthesis providers.
• Familiarity with cloud-based TTS services.

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the US. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment Visas.

About Cinder

Cinder is a people-first staffing and recruiting company committed to creating workplaces where employees feel valued, supported, and engaged. Our mission is to leverage our power as a recruiting and consulting company to build workplaces where people thrive. Backed by our ISO 9001 certification, we deliver high-quality staffing solutions, and our clients have rated us over 100% for multiple quarters. Join us and be part of a team that makes a real impact!