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Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Team Lead

Waabi· Hardware – HIL
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Hybrid (Pittsburgh, PA), Hybrid (San Francisco, CA)Full-timePosted 2mo ago

About the role

Lead Waabi's HIL program across Hardware and Software, defining architecture, roadmap, and execution; scale HIL benches from component-level to full-system across multiple vehicle platforms and OEM programs; ensure safe, validated testing integrated into CI and release processes; hire and grow the HIL team and establish program metrics.

Responsibilities

  • Lead Waabi's HIL program, owning the strategy, architecture, roadmap, and execution across Hardware and Software organizations.
  • Define and deliver a tiered HIL architecture — from lightweight component-level benches (single ECU under test) through embedded-system benches to full-system integration benches — scaled across multiple vehicle platforms and OEM programs.
  • Verification of critical electrical, timing, and fault-handling requirements from full-vehicle testing onto HIL benches, ensuring only mature software reaches the vehicle.
  • Own safety-critical fault injection on real hardware: power loss, autonomy disconnect, redundant power failover, and other destructive or high-risk scenarios verified in a safe environment before track deployment.
  • Validate real-time constraints (e.g., control loop update intervals) using hardware timestamping and instrumented measurement (oscilloscopes, high-speed DAQ).
  • Integrate HIL testing into CI and the firmware/software release process, including automated smoke testing and test modality tracking.
  • Partner closely with Embedded Systems, Systems & Safety, Autonomy, V&V, and Infrastructure teams to define requirements coverage and unblock development.
  • Plan bench capacity, hardware resources (ECUs, actuators, harnessing), and headcount as the program scales; hire and grow the HIL team.
  • Establish documentation, processes, and success metrics for the program (fault-injection coverage, release validation time, timing compliance).

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent industry experience.
  • 7+ years of experience in HIL, embedded systems test, or V&V for safety-critical systems, with demonstrated experience building HIL programs or labs from early stages.
  • Hands-on experience architecting and building custom HIL platforms as well as using OTS systems.
  • Deep knowledge of automotive interfaces and debugging: CAN, automotive Ethernet, and related protocols.
  • Strong understanding of simulation vs. stimulation approaches — plant modeling and vehicle dynamics simulation as well as message-level injection for logical state testing.
  • Proficiency in Python and test automation frameworks; experience integrating hardware test into CI pipelines.
  • Demonstrated technical leadership: leading engineers, driving cross-functional projects with high ambiguity, and communicating across hardware and software organizations.
  • Excellent technical writing skills for effective communication and documentation.
  • Passion for self-driving technologies, solving hard problems, and creating innovative solutions.

Skills

Required:HIL program leadershipHIL architecture and bench designAutomotive interfaces (CAN, automotive Ethernet)Python and test automationReal-time measurement tools

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation and equity awards.
  • Health and wellness benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision).
  • Paid parental, medical and family care leave.
  • Generous PTO policy.
  • Retirement savings plans including 401(k) or RRSP options.
  • Health savings account contribution options.
  • Daily drinks, snacks, and catered meals (when in office).
  • Regular team building activities and social events (on-site, off-site & virtual).
  • Additional country-specific benefits; benefits evolve with growth.
Last updated Oct 21, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Waabi

pioneering Physical AI, starting with autonomous trucks.

Waabi is pioneering Physical AI, starting with autonomous trucks. We developed a next-generation approach leveraging an end-to-end interpretable and verifiable AI model that’s powered by the industry's most realistic neural simulator. This dramatically reduces the development time and resources needed to bring self-driving vehicles to public roads — safely and at scale.

Autonomous trucksPhysical AIneural simulatorAI modelself-driving vehicles
Company profileWebsite

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