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Principal Systems Engineer – AV Sensor Design

General Motors

Austin, TX · HybridFull-time$239–366K/yrSeen 1w agoSeen in employer's feed 3 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$239–366K/yr
Location
Austin, TXHybrid
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Master's degree

Job overview

General Motors is developing autonomous driving systems and seeks a principal systems engineer to lead lidar technology direction for its AV Sensing Design team. The role spans system-level sensing decisions through production-path evaluation, including optical path, signal processing, calibration, and integration into autonomy products. The engineer will collaborate with component, perception, localization, simulation, vehicle, production, and vendor teams to realize lidar performance on consumer vehicles.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Lidar DevelopmentLidar HardwareSignal ProcessingCalibration MethodologyData AnalysisLidar ProductionizationOptical Link Budget AnalysisTarget PhenomenologyDetector PhysicsNoise AnalysisLaser SafetyOptical Path DesignWindow OpticsSpectrum SelectionWeather EffectsEnvironmental EffectsAutonomy LidarSPAD LidarsRoot Cause AnalysisCommunicationTechnical StrategyLidar PatentsLidar PublicationsL4 Autonomous VehiclesSimulation ModelsLidar Perception ModelsSensor FusionExtrinsic CalibrationLocalizationValidation PlanningTest Planning

Qualifications

Master's in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics or Related Field13+ Years Lidar or Related ExperienceRecognized Lidar AuthorityPhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics or Related FieldLidar Industry Contributions

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Paid Time Off
Tuition Assistance
Relocation Assistance

Full job description

Remote/Hybrid

Sunnyvale, California, United States of America

Remote - Washington

Austin, Texas, United States of America

Warren, Michigan, United States of America

Full time

JR-202622444

Job Description

General Motors is developing hands-off and eyes-off autonomous driving systems intended for broad deployment across consumer vehicles. As part of this effort, GM is investing in sensors and architectures that can be integrated, validated, and operated reliably at scale across diverse vehicle programs and operating environments.

We are seeking a principal systems engineer to join the AV Sensing Design team to lead the technical direction of lidar technology from system-level decisions as part of multi-modality sensing suites through to detailed evaluation of production paths.

As a recognized authority on lidar technology, you will leverage your deep technical expertise to drive the technology path on optical path, signal processing, calibration, failure modes and own the trajectory of how lidars integrate with our autonomy products to achieve performance and cost-effective programs. You will work directly with component, Perception, localization, simulation, and vehicle teams to see performance and efficacy be realized on consumer vehicles.

What You’ll Do

You will get the opportunity to be part of the following:

  • Own the technical strategy for lidar development as a part of current and future autonomy program multi-modality sensing suites

  • Work alongside technical experts in sensors and perception to define leading-edge autonomy products

  • Lead trade studies taking into account performance, cost, and integration to influence the next-generation of lidar development

  • Evaluate data products from prototype and production platforms to assess opportunity for improvement

  • Work with production teams and vendors to see technology realized into production designs

  • Define lidar performance requirements to achieve next-generation autonomy capabilities with robustness across broad ODDs

Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)

  • Master’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics or related field

  • 13+ years of experience in a remote sensing, lidar development, photonic system development or related, with a majority of that experience concentrated in lidars

  • Demonstrated role as a recognized lidar authority on a program or within an organization with decision making authority on technical direction of lidar technology development

  • Direct experience developing lidar hardware and signal processing as well as calibration methodology and data consumption or analysis

  • Experience with productionization challenges of lidar technology and the trade spaces therein

  • Deep command of lidar fundamentals and their practical impacts to design across optical link budget analysis, target phenomenology, detector physics, noise, laser safety, optical path design, window optics, spectrum selection, and signal processing techniques.

  • Experience developing robust solutions for weather and environmental effects

  • Experience developing lidar for autonomy products

  • Significant experience with SPAD lidars

  • Hands-on proficiency with data analysis and ability to lead root cause analysis and analytic efforts

  • Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability effectively communicate technical strategy to a wide range of audiences of varying background

What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)

  • PhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics or related field

  • Patents, publications, or recognized industry contributions in lidar or electro-optical sensing

  • Experience working on L4 (or equivalent) autonomous vehicle programs with an understanding of autonomy behaviors

  • Experience developing or supporting simulation models

  • Knowledge of lidar perception models and sensor fusion consumption of lidar data, including how point cloud characteristics drive ML model performance

  • Experience with extrinsic calibration techniques, localization, or other related topics

  • Experience designing validation and test plans

Compensation : The compensation information is a good faith estimate only. It is based on what a successful applicant might be paid in accordance with applicable state laws. The compensation may not be representative for positions located outside of New York, Colorado, California, or Washington.

  • The salary range for this role is 238,700 to 365,700. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position.

  • Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.

Benefits:

  • Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}.

Relocation benefits are available for candidates who qualify under company policy.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources (https://search-careers.gm.com/en/working-at-gm/total-rewards) .

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire (https://search-careers.gm.com/en/how-we-hire) .

Accommodations

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email ([email protected]) us or call us at 1-800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

We are leading the change to make our world better, safer and more equitable for all through our actions and how we behave. Learn more about:

Our Company (https://search-careers.gm.com/en/working-at-gm/)

Our Culture

How we hire (https://search-careers.gm.com/en/how-we-hire/)

Our diverse team of employees bring their collective passion for engineering, technology and design to deliver on our vision of a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion. We are looking for adventure-seekers and imaginative thought leaders to help us transform mobility.

Explore our global locations (https://search-careers.gm.com/en/locations/)

We are determined to lead change for the world through technology, ingenuity and harnessing the creativity of our diverse team. Join us to help lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all by becoming a member of GM’s Talent Community (beamery.com) (https://flows.beamery.com/generalmotors/talcom) . As a part of our Talent Community, you will receive updates about GM, open roles, career insights and more.

Please note that filling out the form below will not add you to our Talent Community automatically; you will need to use the link above. If you are seeking to apply to a specific role, we encourage you to click “Apply Now” on the job posting of interest.

The policy of General Motors is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or veteran status. Additionally, General Motors is committed to being an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us at [email protected] .In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

How this job compares

Set against the 10,723 open Systems Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted October 27, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$239–366K/yr
  • Texas median$108–180K/yr274 salary ranges
  • US median$115–188K/yr7,922 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $302K, is 108% above the Texas median midpoint ($145K) — in the top quarter of Systems Engineer salary ranges in Texas.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 551 open Systems Engineer jobs in Texas and 10,723 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in Texas
Experience
This posting asks for at least 13 years of experience — more than three in four Systems Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 8,903 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a master's degree; 249 of the 10,723 open Systems Engineer jobs (2%) ask for a master's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on October 27, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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