Principal Software Engineer - Vehicle AI

The job

LIVE Live feed (private-sector employer) Source: The Muse public API · Data: listed 2026-09-12

Job description

Description

Work Arrangement:
This role is categorized as Remote/ hybrid . This means the successful candidate is expected to report to Austin, TX , Mountain View, CA or Remote (Washington State) three times per week at minimum or other frequency dictated by the business.

The Role

General Motors is building the future of intelligent in-cabin experiences, and we are looking for a Principal Software Engineer to serve as a technical leader and authority for our next-generation In-Vehicle AI Assistant platform. Focused on cabin intelligence, voice interaction, and conversational AI, this role bridges the entire edge-to-cloud spectrum-spanning the Android Automotive OS (AAOS) client application layer, cloud AI orchestration pipelines, and backend service integration.

In this high-impact role based out of our Mountain View, CA or Seattle, WA offices, you will shape the multi-year technical vision for our in-cabin assistant platform. You will work extensively across cross-functional boundaries-aligning Cloud AI/ML, In-Cabin UX, Vehicle Platform, Security, and Infrastructure teams to build a cohesive, scalable ecosystem. If you excel at driving technical strategy across complex distributed systems and bringing clarity to large-scale engineering initiatives, this role offers an unmatched opportunity to define the assistant experience for millions of vehicles worldwide.

What You'll Do

• Define and own the end-to-end architecture for GM's In-Vehicle AI Assistant platform across both the Android client application layer and cloud backend integration services.
• Drive cross-functional technical strategy, collaborating with Cloud AI/ML, In-Cabin UX, Product Management, Security, and Data Engineering teams to align system boundaries and interface contracts.
• Architect the hybrid edge-cloud orchestration layer, optimizing trade-offs between on-device latency, network bandwidth, cloud compute cost, and offline reliability.
• Establish engineering standards and API protocols for high-performance, real-time client-server communication using gRPC and streaming audio/text interfaces.
• Evaluate and integrate emerging Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI/ML) agent frameworks, large language model orchestrators, and tool execution engines into the in-cabin assistant ecosystem.
• Unblock critical architectural dependencies across multiple engineering pods, resolving complex trade-offs in system reliability, privacy, and data streaming.
• Drive platform-wide testing, evaluation pipelines, and telemetry standards to measure end-to-end voice latency, response accuracy, and system health.
• Mentor and grow Staff and Senior engineers across client and backend disciplines, fostering a culture of technical rigor and architectural excellence.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• 12+ years of professional software development experience, with a proven track record of designing large-scale distributed systems spanning client applications and cloud microservices.
• Broad technical depth across client-side Android architecture (Kotlin/Java) and backend cloud integration (microservices, REST, gRPC, streaming APIs).
• Demonstrated history of cross-functional (XFN) technical leadership, driving architectural alignment and consensus across multiple engineering organizations.
• Deep expertise in client-server interaction patterns, state synchronization, and low-latency network communication protocols.
• Proven ability to define multi-year technical roadmaps and translate high-level product vision into concrete, scalable platform architectures.

• Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Technical domain expertise in conversational AI architectures, voice assistant frameworks, or agentic LLM orchestration layers.
• Familiarity with Android Automotive OS (AAOS) applications or in-cabin system constraints.
• Background in edge-cloud hybrid computing, including client-side machine learning execution and server-side model streaming.
• Exceptional technical communication skills, with a track record of articulating complex architectural trade-offs to senior leadership and non-technical stakeholders.

• The salary range for this role is ($238,700 - $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.

Explore around this job

Field: Technology Sub-niche: Data, analytics and AI All jobs at General Motors Jobs in California Jobs in Mountain View, CA California state guide

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About the role

This is a Senior Level role in the Technology field (Data, analytics and AI) at General Motors. Senior roles usually expect substantial experience, ownership of results and often the ability to guide others.

We could not match this job title to one occupation in the official wage statistics, so no pay estimate is shown. Pay is not in the source listing; ask the employer for the range and compare in the 240 job niches.

How to prepare and behave

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• Read the whole description and match your examples to its requirements; use the same words the posting uses where they are true for you.
• Research the employer before the interview: what it does, who its customers are and recent news; prepare two or three questions about the work.
• Arrive early (or log in early for a video call), dress one step above the daily dress code, and test your camera and audio beforehand.
• Answer with short stories: the situation, what you did and the result. Give numbers when you have them and never invent them.
• Be honest about gaps; say what you did to learn and how fast you can close them.
• Ask about the team, the first 90 days, how success is measured and the schedule; do not open with salary and time off.
• When pay comes up, know the market range for the occupation and your lowest acceptable offer before you answer; ask for the full package in writing.
• Send a short thank-you message within a day, mentioning one thing you discussed.
• The listing mentions a remote or flexible location. Confirm with the employer whether remote work applies to your state: taxes, licensing and benefits can depend on where you live.
• Have code, data work or projects you can show, and be ready to think aloud: many technical interviews test how you reason, not only the answer.

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The city

Mountain View, CA is not one of the cities with its own page in our guides, so here is the state: California.

The state economy in brief

California is in the West region (Pacific division) and has 39,287,376 residents (the 1st largest of the 50 states and DC by population), with a median age of 37.9. Its economy produced about $4,438,822 million in the latest four quarters (BEA), 1st among states and DC, equal to $112,983 per resident.

Jobs and the labour market

The unemployment rate was 5.1% in 2026M09, which is 49th lowest of 51 (1st is the lowest). Employers had job openings equal to 3.6% of employment, 37th highest of 51, a measure of how hard it is to hire. The median wage across all occupations is $58,240 a year ($28.00 an hour), 14% above the national median ($58,240 against $50,980).

What people do and what it pays

The occupations with the most jobs in California are Home Health and Personal Care Aides (970,150 jobs, median $34,320); Fast Food and Counter Workers (449,840 jobs, median $42,280); Retail Salespersons (376,460 jobs, median $38,440); Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand (355,500 jobs, median $44,710); Registered Nurses (338,940 jobs, median $140,270). Among occupations with at least 2,000 jobs, the best paid are Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers (median $353,900); Psychiatrists (median $353,500); General Internal Medicine Physicians (median $313,890). Compared with the nation, the state is most specialised in farming, fishing, and forestry (4.1 times the national share of workers) and healthcare support (1.5 times the national share of workers).

Cost of living, taxes and workplace rules

Prices are above the national average in California: the regional price parity is 110.7 against 100 for the whole country (51st lowest of 51). Median gross rent is $2,036 a month and the median household income $99,122, so a year of rent equals 24.6% of income; the median home value is $734,700. The state minimum wage is $16.90 (the higher of state and federal rates applies to most workers). State income tax on wages: Graduated, top rate 13.30%. It is not a right-to-work state, so union contracts can require fees from covered workers. It runs a state paid family and medical leave programme.

People and commuting

27.0% of residents were born abroad and 37.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Among workers, 65.7% drive alone, 2.9% use public transit and 17.2% work from home; 19.4% commute 45 minutes or more.

State guide: California →

Where to live

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Career paths

We could not match this title to one occupation, so here are the other sub-niches in Technology, where your skills may carry over:

Cybersecurity (366) Software engineering (1880) Cloud, IT and infrastructure (504) Product management (412)

Distances

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The employer

General Motors is the employer in this listing. See all its open jobs here →

Company description (from The Muse): At GM, we pioneer the innovations that move and connect people to what matters. Our vision is a world with zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion. Our diverse team of over 165,000 employees brings their collective passion for engineering, technology and design to deliver on this ambitious future. And the bold commitments we’ve made are moving us closer to realizing this vision. We firmly believe that each of us has the power to drive meaningful change through our words, actions, and culture. At General Motors, we foster a culture where all ideas are taken into consideration, and where everyone can contribute to their fullest potential. Our foundation is built on respect, integrity, accountability, and equality.

size: Large Size; industries: Consumer Goods & Services, Engineering, Manufacturing, Technology; locations on The Muse: Detroit, MI.

It is among the 200 largest US-headquartered employers in our list, with about 156,000 employees worldwide (2025). Company page with headquarters, state economy and official links →

Official links for General Motors

• Official website of General Motors: gm.com
• SEC EDGAR: company filings search
• Official state website: michigan.gov

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The employer's profile on The Muse →

What it is like to work at a company (culture, schedules, benefits) is not in the source data, so we do not describe it. Read the description and ask the questions under "How to prepare".

Other open jobs at General Motors

Similar jobs

Same sub-niche: Data, analytics and AI

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FAQ

What is the Principal Software Engineer - Vehicle AI job at General Motors?

A senior level role in technology (data, analytics and ai) listed 58 days ago. The full description is on this page and on The Muse.

Where is this job?

Mountain View, CA. A remote or flexible location is listed; confirm with the employer which states are accepted.

How do I apply?

Use the "View this job and apply on The Muse" button. AtiveSite does not receive applications.

How much does it pay?

The listing does not publish pay, and we could not match the title to one official occupation.

What is the cost of living there?

See the state or country guide for rent, income and taxes.

How old is this listing?

It was posted on 2026-09-12 (58 days ago). Jobs older than 90 days are not shown.

Are there similar jobs?

Yes: browse data, analytics and ai jobs in California.

Sources and terms

• Job data: The Muse public API (listing dated 2026-09-12). The job disappears from this site when it disappears from the source.
• Wages and projections: BLS OEWS (May 2025) and Employment Projections 2025–35.
• City and county figures: Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024, BEA, BLS QCEW and LAUS, NASA POWER climatology; distances from Census Gazetteer coordinates.

AtiveSite is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Muse, the employer or any government agency, and does not process applications. Verify every detail with the employer before acting.

Sources

• BLS OEWS (wages and employment by occupation, May 2025)
• BLS Employment Projections 2025–35
• BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics
• BLS JOLTS
• BLS State and Metro Area Employment
• Census Bureau American Community Survey (via Census Reporter)
• BEA GDP by state and Regional Price Parities
• IRS 2026 tax adjustments
• U.S. Department of Labor, minimum wage by state
• Tax Foundation state income tax rates 2026
• USAJOBS
• USCIS
• U.S. Department of State, visas
• NASA POWER climatology
• GeoNames / Census Gazetteer (coordinates)