Temporary Autonomous Vehicle Testing Jobs in Chicago, IL

Overview:

Our team has developed a strong culture of safety, professionalism, and personal responsibility. Transdev's Autonomous Mobility & Fleet Specialists are critical to the success of delivering safe autonomous driving systems to our customers, enabling a revolutionary mobility experience.

This dynamic role encompasses autonomous vehicle operations, fleet logistics, and field recovery. If hired into this position, you will be trained across multiple functions and may be deployed in any of these capacities depending on operational needs. You will be responsible for operating and evaluating self-driving vehicles, providing ride-hail services to the general public, and executing safe roadside recovery operations.

It is important to maintain a high level of professionalism and responsibility when critiquing a new operator’s driving abilities. Safety is our #1 responsibility. Level 2 Operators are expected to uphold this standard in all situations.

Pay Rate: $25.00 - $28.00

Transdev is Proud to Offer:

• Vacation: Minimum of (1) week.
• Sick Days: 5 Days
• Holidays: 6 Days
• Other standard benefits:
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Medical, Dental & Vision
• Life Insurance
• Short-term Disability
• Voluntary Long-term Disability

Key Responsibilities:

• Maintain Transdev's high standard of safety, situational awareness, and professionalism inside and outside of the vehicle at all times.
• Consistently demonstrate superior situational awareness, a deep understanding of the proprietary technology in your care, and a proactive willingness to constantly adjust to rapid changes in the operational environment.
• Safely operate and evaluate vehicles in both autonomous and manual modes, demonstrating proficiency in manual transmission driving, across defined routes, undefined routes, and closed-course facilities under various environmental conditions.
• Monitor multiple software systems and onboard data recording computers with constant focus.
• Provide concise, clear, and accurate verbal and written feedback, daily reports, and documentation regarding vehicle operations, software releases, and recurring bugs.
• Ride comfortably as a passenger in an autonomous vehicle where the operator may have little to no control over the vehicle's operations.
• Coordinate vehicle batch setups prior to shift arrivals, ensuring the fleet is clean and fully prepared for daily missions.
• Follow established diagnostic guides to troubleshoot driver support modules (including laptops, mobile devices, and monitoring cameras), and communicate clearly with technical support for escalation.
• Assist as a spotter to guide vehicle movements inside and outside of depots, parking spots, and remote locations.
• Oversee asset security processes, including managing vehicle keys, accounting for data disks, and ensuring only badged personnel access vehicle areas and remote sites.
• Safely operate a non-autonomous vehicle to monitor driverless vehicle locations in the field and respond quickly to recovery or rescue situations.
• Execute safe vehicle recovery operations, including parking defensively behind a driverless vehicle, setting up scene protection, disengaging autonomous software, and driving the car to a safe location.
• Deliver exceptional customer service and roadside assistance to passengers of a driverless vehicle, helping them safely disembark, board a rescue vehicle, and travel to their destination.
• Act as a polite, professional representative and point of contact for the public, client guests, security, and facilities staff at remote operational sites.
• Work flexibly, either individually or in small teams, and adapt quickly to shifting operational demands, modified schedules, or new technologies.
• All other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Minimum of 3 years of experience driving on public roads. Additional experience is preferred.
• High School Diploma or GED required. Four-year college degree (preferred) in a related field like industrial or applied sciences.
• Preferred Experience: 6 months of autonomous vehicle testing, specialist experience, or fleet deployment operations.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs):

• Technical Proficiency: Skilled in using touchscreen smartphones (Android preferred) and laptop computers, including GSuite applications (Gmail, Sheets, Docs, Chats/Hangouts).
• Typing Speed: Ability to type at least 40 adjusted words per minute.
• Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills to clearly and concisely describe technical observations, escalate issues across teams, and document complex field scenarios professionally.
• Adaptability & Judgment: Proven ability to multitask across multiple technologies (including but not limited to communication devices and vehicle status systems), react quickly to simultaneous scenarios, and demonstrate sound judgment in fast-paced, high-stress environments.
• Driving Skills: Exceptional situational awareness and the ability to parallel park with minimal assistance.
• Schedule Flexibility & Travel: Must be highly adaptable to fluid schedules, with the ability to work a variety of assigned shifts—including early mornings, evenings, overnights, and weekends. Shifts may be extended or modified based on operational needs. Candidates must be willing to work overtime and be recalled at short notice to meet peak operational demand. Additionally, this role requires the willingness and ability to travel for up to one month at a time, with overall travel demands ranging between 20% and 25%.
• Environmental & Vehicle Adaptability: Must be comfortable and capable of performing the majority of your 6-to-8-hour shift from inside a compact crossover vehicle, either alone or with a co-driver. This role requires working outdoors and being routinely exposed to the elements and inclement weather or extreme environments.

Physical Requirements:

• Routine use of extremities (hands/fingers/grip) to handle, feel, reach, or type; ability to climb stairs/ladders, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Must be able to routinely lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Vision capabilities must include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Ability to work outdoors and perform shifts out of a compact crossover vehicle, with frequent exposure to inclement weather and extreme environments.
• Occasional operation of alternative transportation modes, such as a bicycle or scooter, if required.
• Must be able to comfortably enter, exit, and perform core job duties within the physical constraints of a compact crossover vehicle for extended periods (typically 6–8 hours per shift).

Pre-Employment Requirements:

• Must be at least 21 years of age.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license and a clean driving record that meets state Autonomous Vehicle Tester (AVT) regulations (e.g., no more than 1 point on a CA record, or no more than one non-major moving violation in the preceding 3 years). Driving records are continuously reviewed in accordance with local and state regulations to ensure ongoing compliance.
• No driver's license suspensions or revocations due to operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs within the last 10 years.
• Never have been the at-fault driver in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in injury or death.
• Ability to qualify for and maintain an Autonomous Vehicle Tester (AVT) license/permit (in states where required), defensive driving certifications, and remain in good standing per company safety point policies.
• Satisfactory completion of a pre-employment background check, drug screen, and physical screening.
• Transdev reserves the right to perform ongoing background checks for all employees except in states where this is prohibited by state law. Transdev will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.
• If based in the United States, applicants must be eligible to work in the US without restrictions for any employer at any time as required by the USCIS.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Transdev complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and candidates with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact us.HR.TalentAcquisition@transdev.com

Drug-free Workplace:

• Transdev maintains a drug-free workplace. Applicants must:
• Be eligible to work in the United States without requiring sponsorship now or in the future (if based in the U.S.).
• Successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen.

About Transdev: Cities, counties, airports, companies, and universities across the U.S. contract with Transdev to operate their transportation systems, maintain their vehicle and fleets, and deliver on mobility solutions. Transdev U.S. employs a team of 32,000 across 400 locations while maintaining more than 17,000 vehicles.

Part of a global company, Transdev is a leader in mobility with operations in 19 countries, proudly operated by 110,000 team members from around the world. As an operator and global integrator of mobility, we are driven by our purpose. Transdev – the mobility company – empowers the freedom to move everyday thanks to safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that serve the common good. Find out more at www.TransdevNA.com or watch an overview video at https://youtu.be/ilO5cv0G4mQ

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

Transdev is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other legally protected status.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions

California applicants: Please Click Here for CA Employee Privacy Policy.

Job Category: Drivers

Job Type: Full Time

Req ID: 8594

Pay Group: ECH

Cost Center: 60000

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions upon request.

Transdev is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic data, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or other legally protected status, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law.

Drug-free workplace

If based in the United States, applicants must be eligible to work in U.S. without restrictions for any employer at any time; be able to pass a drug screen and background check.

California applicants: Please Click Here for CA Employee Privacy Policy.

About Transdev

Cities, counties, airports, companies, and universities across the U.S. contract with Transdev to operate their transportation systems, maintain their vehicle and fleets, and deliver on mobility solutions. Transdev U.S. employs a team of 32,000 across 400 locations while maintaining more than 17,000 vehicles.

Part of a global company, Transdev is a leader in mobility with operations in 19 countries, proudly operated by 110,000 team members from around the world. As an operator and global integrator of mobility, we are driven by our purpose. Transdev – the mobility company – empowers the freedom to move every day thank to safe, reliable, and innovative solutions that serve the common good. Find out more at http://www.TransdevNA.com or watch an overview video.