Principal ADAS/AD Software Architect - Cloud-Native Automotive AI Web Technologies (all genders) (Karlsruhe)

We’re seeking a visionary Principal Software Architect to architect and drive the development of our flagship AD/ADAS test and validation product. In this role, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the product’s technical direction, influencing engineering teams, and collaborating with stakeholders across the organization—including steering groups within our parent company dSPACE.

This is a functional leadership role for someone who thrives on ownership, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration that reports to the Head of Engineering.

Activities

Your tasks

• You drive and evolve concepts, methodologies, and frameworks for large-scale testing and validation of autonomous driving functions across Software-in-the-Loop (SiL), simulation, and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL) environments
• You define and implement scalable verification and validation strategies, ensuring efficiency, quality, and traceability throughout the development lifecycle
• You design and continuously improve the software architecture of our cloud-native web platform, focusing on scalability, performance, and maintainability
• You evaluate emerging technologies, industry trends, and innovations in AD/ADAS and AI, integrating relevant advancements into our product and technology roadmap
• You lead and mentor engineering teams, fostering a culture of technical excellence, ownership, and continuous learning
• You collaborate closely with product managers, designers, and stakeholders to translate customer and business requirements into scalable technical solutions
• You represent engineering in strategic steering committees and contribute to high-level product, technology, and architectural decisions
• You proactively identify opportunities for innovation and continuous improvement across the product lifecycle by leveraging customer engagement

Requirements

What will you need to be successful?

• You have deep expertise in validation and verification of AD/ADAS systems, including scenario-based testing, data replay testing, Real2Sim methodologies, and neural reconstruction techniques
• You have proven experience defining and implementing large-scale testing strategies, including test coverage analysis, risk-based validation, intelligent test selection, and smart testing approaches
• You have extensive experience in automotive AD/ADAS development and robotics as well as a strong understanding of system behavior, requirements engineering, validation methodologies, and end-to-end development processes
• You have hands-on experience with simulation-based validation environments, including Software-in-the-Loop (SiL), Hardware-in-the-Loop (HiL), and virtual testing frameworks
• You have strong expertise in cloud-native technologies and modern software platforms, including Kubernetes, microservices, CI/CD, and cloud infrastructure
• You have sound knowledge of safety and regulatory standards for autonomous driving systems, including ISO 26262, ISO 21448 (SOTIF), ISO 8800, and related homologation frameworks and compliance standards such as ISO 34501–34507
• You have proven experience in software architecture and technical leadership within larger engineering organizations
• You are an excellent communicator and collaborator, capable of influencing stakeholders across teams, functions, and management levels
• You have good English communication skills, both written and verbal

Team

Since our founding in 2017 in the vibrant city of Karlsruhe, Germany, we have established ourselves as the premier partner for visionary companies revolutionizing the autonomous vehicle landscape. With a wealth of expertise gained from over 8+ years of ADAS/AD project experience, we have honed our skills to transform complex validation challenges into seamless, real-world solutions that accelerate your project timeline. As part of the dSPACE family, we combine our specialized expertise with the capabilities of a global technology leader in simulation and validation – supporting the full innovation chain from initial concept to series production.

We can’t wait to see what kind of future you choose to build at UAI - so apply now and together create the gold standard for ground truth data for autonomous transportation!