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Senior Automotive Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

Senior Data Engineer

VA · Remote

$140K/yr

We are seeking a Senior Data Engineer to design, develop, and scale the data platform that powers ... Automotive industry data experience, including vehicle, dealership, CRM, inventory, consumer ...

We are seeking a Senior Business Intelligence Engineer to lead the design, development, and ... Automotive industry experience with dealership, OEM, consumer, telematics, aftermarket, finance, or ...

Senior Electrical Engineer

Williamsburg, VA · On-site

$103K - $134K/yr

This facility produces Air Springs for the Automotive and Heavy vehicle industries. More than 550 teammates work in this 433,000 square foot facility. In this role, the Sr. Electrical Engineer will ...

Cyber Engineer - Senior We're searching for Cyber Engineer - Senior to support the client ... automobiles, planes, drones, energy, and mobile. This is not your ordinary company! This is a ...

Senior Structural Engineer

Arlington, VA · On-site +1

$115K - $157K/yr

Arcadis is seeking an experienced Senior Structural Engineer (PE) to join our growing USA ... automotive, aerospace, technology, utilities, and rail. Travel within the United States of America ...

Experience developing aerospace, aviation, defense, automotive, energy, or other complex electrical ... Senior Engineer (8+ years): Demonstrates a complete understanding and wide application of ...

Experience developing aerospace, aviation, defense, automotive, energy, or other complex electrical ... Senior Engineer (8+ years): Demonstrates a complete understanding and wide application of ...

Senior Sales Engineer

Richmond, VA · On-site

$100K - $105K/yr

Automotive, Pharmaceutical, Food and Beverage, Consumer Products, Transportation, Oil and Gas, Utilities, Custom Machine Builders, and the Military. CIMTEC is seeking a talented Senior Sales Engineer ...

Senior Software Engineer (L5)

Mclean, VA · On-site

$123K - $163K/yr

... Automotive, Pharmaceutical, and Commercial customers to build more transparent, resilient, and ... We are seeking an experienced and passionate Senior Engineer to lead our DDIQ team, the group ...

CIMTEC is seeking a talented Senior Sales Engineer with a unique blend of technical expertise and ... to automotive, packaging, material handling & logistics, robotics, and commercial equipment.

CIMTEC is seeking a talented Senior Sales Engineer with a unique blend of technical expertise and ... to automotive, packaging, material handling & logistics, robotics, and commercial equipment.

CIMTEC is seeking a talented Senior Sales Engineer with a unique blend of technical expertise and ... to automotive, packaging, material handling & logistics, robotics, and commercial equipment.

Senior Integration Test Engineers will focus on both static vehicle-level and HIL testing ... automotive context * Direct experience with Hardware-in-the-Loop testing and system-level ...

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Senior Automotive Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$59K

$125.5K

$181.9K

How much do senior automotive engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior automotive engineer in Virginia is $125,471.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $103,600.00 and $142,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a senior automotive engineer do?

A Senior Automotive Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and improving vehicles and their systems. They lead engineering teams, oversee the testing of prototypes, and ensure that automotive designs meet safety, performance, and regulatory standards. Senior Automotive Engineers also collaborate with other departments, manage project timelines and budgets, and mentor junior engineers. Their expertise helps bring innovative and efficient vehicles to market.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior automotive engineer?

To thrive as a Senior Automotive Engineer, you need strong expertise in automotive design, engineering principles, and a relevant degree such as mechanical or automotive engineering, often supplemented by several years of industry experience. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, and knowledge of regulatory standards are typically required, along with certifications like Professional Engineer (PE) being advantageous. Leadership, problem-solving, and effective communication are crucial soft skills to excel in project management and cross-functional collaboration. These skills ensure innovative solutions, adherence to safety and quality standards, and successful project delivery in the competitive automotive industry.

How does a senior automotive engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams during a vehicle development project?

Senior Automotive Engineers frequently work with cross-functional teams, including designers, software developers, manufacturing specialists, and quality assurance experts. They often lead technical discussions, ensure that engineering requirements are understood across departments, and facilitate problem-solving when challenges arise in the development process. This collaborative environment helps integrate various disciplines to achieve project goals, meet safety and regulatory standards, and deliver innovative solutions. Effective communication and leadership are key to successfully navigating these collaborations.

What is the difference between Senior Automotive Engineer vs Automotive Design Engineer?

AspectSenior Automotive EngineerAutomotive Design Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, relevant certificationsBachelor's or Master's in Mechanical, Automotive, or Industrial Design Engineering
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, testing facilities, manufacturing plantsDesign studios, CAD labs, prototype workshops
Employer & Industry UsageAutomotive manufacturers, suppliers, R&D centersAutomotive OEMs, design firms, engineering consultancies
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

The main difference between a Senior Automotive Engineer and an Automotive Design Engineer lies in their focus areas. Senior Automotive Engineers typically oversee vehicle systems, testing, and integration, while Automotive Design Engineers concentrate on creating vehicle aesthetics and conceptual designs. Both roles require engineering backgrounds, but their daily tasks and specializations differ significantly.

What type of senior automotive engineers make the most money?

Senior automotive engineers specializing in advanced powertrain systems, autonomous vehicle technology, or electric vehicle development tend to earn the highest salaries. Engineers with expertise in software integration, systems engineering, and those holding professional certifications or advanced degrees often command higher compensation due to their specialized skills and industry demand.

What are the most commonly searched types of Automotive Engineer jobs in Virginia?

The most popular types of Automotive Engineer jobs in Virginia are:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Automotive Engineer jobs in Virginia?

For Senior Automotive Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Automotive Engineer jobs in Virginia look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Automotive Engineer jobs in Virginia are:

What cities in Virginia are hiring for Senior Automotive Engineer jobs?

Cities in Virginia with the most Senior Automotive Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Senior Automotive Engineer job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 92% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $125,471 per year, or $60.3 per hour.

Senior Systems Engineer - Sensor Selection

Voiceflow

Sterling, VA • On-site

$120 - $140/hr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 3 days ago

New


Key responsibilities

  • Own systems integration and validation activities to ensure the platform performs as designed.

  • Create and maintain requirement specifications by analyzing stakeholder, product, and safety requirements, and supporting system design activities.

  • Identify, negotiate, and resolve cross‑functional trade‑offs and conflicts across the entire development process.


Job description

May Mobility is transforming cities through autonomous technology to create a safer, greener, more accessible world. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, May develops and deploys autonomous vehicles (AVs) powered by our innovative Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) technology that literally reimagines the way AVs think. Our vehicles do more than just drive themselves - they provide value to communities, bridge public transit gaps and move people where they need to go safely, easily and with a lot more fun. We’re building the world’s best autonomy system to reimagine transit by minimizing congestion, expanding access and encouraging better land use in order to foster more green, vibrant and livable spaces. Since our founding in 2017, we’ve given more than 500,000 autonomous rides to real people around the globe. And we’re just getting started. We’re hiring people who share our passion for building the future, today, solving real-world problems and seeing the impact of their work. Join us.

Job Summary

The Senior Systems Engineer serves as the integrating function across the multi-disciplinary teams developing the Next Gen Autonomous Driving Kit, ensuring software, hardware, and product targets remain aligned throughout the development lifecycle. This role is responsible for producing polished requirements and specifications and for optimizing and negotiating trade‑offs across the entire development process, Including with OEM partners. Complementing the unit‑level testing already performed within the team, the Senior Systems Engineer owns systems integration and validation activities necessary to ensure program objectives are met as designed. This role also works to streamline the interfaces between system architects, controls, and OEM platform partners.

Essential Responsibilities
  • Leverage a system level understanding of our products and technologies to support cross-functional engineering efforts
  • Act as the binding agent across multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring software, hardware, and product requirements and targets remain aligned across the ADK 6.0 program
  • Own systems integration and validation activities to ensure the platform performs as designed, complementing unit‑level testing performed within the team
  • Define and develop metrics to verify that the system and its subsystems satisfy feature and system requirements
  • Create and maintain requirement specifications by:
    • Analyzing stakeholder, product, and safety requirements to define technical system and subsystem requirements
    • Supporting system design activities, assessing impact and conformance to requirements
    • Collaborating with test and validation team to define verification criteria for system requirements
    • Reviewing legacy requirements to ensure completeness and correctness
  • Develop and maintain requirements and specifications to a level of polish suitable for OEM partner collaboration
  • Identify, negotiate, and resolve cross‑functional trade‑offs and conflicts across the entire development process, gaining buy‑in from impacted teams
  • Streamline interfaces between system architects, controls, and OEM platform partners
  • Evaluate industry and regulatory requirements for applicability to May Mobility products
  • Performing FMEA analysis, tracking findings to resolution
  • Identify gaps in processes and propose solutions for resolution
  • Follow safe work procedures; Use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE); Use of workplace tools and equipment as instructed; Report workplace hazards, injuries and illness as soon as possible.
Skills and Abilities

Success in this role typically requires the following competencies:

  • Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
  • Strong attention to detail and highly-organized
  • Ability to multitask and adapt to shifting priorities in a fast-paced work environment
  • Understanding of agile startup and engineering principles and mindset
  • Ability to display systems thinking and attention to detail
  • Detailed knowledge of requirements management and requirement-based design
  • Demonstrated ability to lead system integration and validation across hardware and software domains
  • Ability to influence, negotiate, and drive alignment across cross-functional teams and external partners
  • Working knowledge of vehicle electrical/electronic (E/E) architecture and in-vehicle networking
  • Curiosity to learn and desire to improve
  • Passionate about self-driving cars and their impact on the world
  • Strong working knowledge of ADAS/Autonomous Vehicle systems
Qualifications and Experience

Candidates most successful in this role typically hold the following qualifications or comparable knowledge or experience:

Required
  • Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited university
  • 5+ years experience in automotive engineering working on software, hardware, or combined hardware/software products
Desirable
  • A Master’s degree in Engineering or equivalent experience
  • Experience integrating and validating combined hardware/software systems at the vehicle or platform level
  • Experience supporting OEM platform programs or working directly with OEM partners
  • Knowledge of automotive and autonomous vehicle technologies, such as LIDAR, radar, ethernet, and CAN
  • Experience with requirements management tooling and requirement-based design
  • Experience in Autonomous Vehicles, Machine Learning, Robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), or Mobile Applications
  • Experience working in a startup
Physical Requirements
  • Standard office working conditions which includes but is not limited to:
    • Prolonged sitting
    • Prolonged standing
    • Prolonged computer use
  • Travel required? - Moderate: 5%-15%
Benefits and Perks
  • Comprehensive healthcare suite including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability plans. Domestic partners who have been residing together at least one year are also eligible to participate.
  • Health Savings and Flexible Spending Healthcare and Dependent Care Accounts available.
  • Rich retirement benefits, including an immediately vested employer safe harbor match.
  • Generous paid parental leave as well as a phased return to work.
  • Flexible vacation policy in addition to paid company holidays.
  • Total Wellness Program providing numerous resources for overall wellbeing

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and/or people of color are less likely to apply to a job unless they meet every qualification. At May Mobility, we’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workforce, so if you’re excited about this role but your previous experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification, we encourage you to apply anyway! You may be the perfect candidate for this or another role at May.

Want to learn more about our culture & benefits? Check out our website!

May Mobility is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants for employment will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetics or any other legally protected basis. Below, you have the opportunity to share your preferred gender pronouns, gender, ethnicity, and veteran status with May Mobility to help us identify areas of improvement in our hiring and recruitment processes. Completion of these questions is entirely voluntary. Any information you choose to provide will be kept confidential, and will not impact the hiring decision in any way. If you believe that you will need any type of accommodation, please let us know.

Note to Recruitment Agencies

May Mobility does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Furthermore, May Mobility does not pay placement fees for candidates submitted by any agency other than its approved partners.

Salary Range

$120,000 — $140,000 USD

May Mobility uses automated tools to support — but not replace — human judgment in our recruiting process, to find out more please click here

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