Are you an experienced software architect passionate about solving complex, safety-critical problems in the Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV) space? As an Automotive Solutions Architect, you will drive the use of RTI Connext® Drive as the unified communication backbone for next-generation vehicles.
We are looking for a leader with significant Automotive OEM or Tier-1 experience who can provide prescriptive architectural guidance and proactively engage intimately with customers. Through Proof of Concepts (POCs) and safety design discussions, you will demonstrate detailed automotive use cases, track requirements effectively, and ensure the successful delivery of integrated, coherent software stack solutions. Your work will extend our automotive domain leadership across the industry and establish internal processes for reusing experience from prior customer engagements.
✨ What You’ll Do / Responsibilities
- Drive the integration of Connext Drive as the core connectivity platform in both safety-critical and non-safety systems, defining system-level architecture diagrams, interfaces, and data flow in large embedded E/E architectures.
- Translate high-level vehicle functional needs into technical Connext Drive requirements and establish end-to-end traceability from vehicle-level features, down to Connext Drive-based communication and middleware configuration.
- Drive Connext Drive integration strategies with AUTOSAR Classic and Adaptive platforms and understand how Connext Drive fits into customer systems.
- Work with customer safety teams and RTI’s Safety Manager to ensure Connext Drive integration aligns with ISO 26262, ASPICE, and cybersecurity requirements (ISO/SAE 21434).
- Develop Proof of Concepts (POCs) to demonstrate latency, determinism, fault tolerance, and scalability of Connext Drive in in-vehicle communication networks; support teams in defining integration test strategies, simulations, and validation of Connext Drive-enabled communication frameworks in HIL/SIL environments.
- Articulate detailed automotive use cases and track and document customer requirements for roadmap integration; foster deep curiosity about customer business needs by asking "why,"; establish processes for reusing experience from prior customer engagements.
- Analyze and define data modeling, QoS configurations, and partitioning strategies to enable safe coexistence of safety-critical and non-safety traffic; provide technical guidance, assistance, and prototype proof-of-concept projects to customers.
- Create and maintain architecture documentation, interface definitions, and configuration guidelines; provide onsite technical training, configuration/code review, design guidance, and debugging of complex distributed systems.
- Lead cross-functional discussions and mentor platform teams to align stakeholders for architectural consistency.
- Create and maintain shared artifacts to help customers accelerate their transition to SDVs with Connext Drive (e.g. reference architectures, guides for using tooling to enable automation, common testing approaches with SIL and HIL, etc).
🎯 What We’re Looking For / Requirements
- Degree in Computer Science or a related field (Advanced degree preferred), with software development experience in C/C++ and embedded systems.
- 10+ years at an Automotive OEM or a leading Tier-1 supplier that develops complex vehicle systems/modules.
- Involved in delivery of end to end architecture solutions as part of a production project/program.
- Expert capability to define E/E architecture designs and data flow for distributed, embedded systems.
- Proficient in automotive communication protocols such as CAN, CAN FD, Ethernet, and SOME/IP, with practical experience in network stack configuration and performance tuning.
- Understanding of functional safety concepts (ASIL, ISO 26262, safety mechanisms) to assess the impact of Connext Drive on safety paths in communication.
- Experience with ROS 2, Adaptive AUTOSAR, or similar middleware frameworks.
- Expertise to write clear, structured requirements and architecture documentation aligning with project safety, performance, and scalability goals.
- Experience with performance analysis and benchmarking ability to evaluate latency, determinism, CPU usage, and memory footprint for Connext Drive in automotive systems.
- Exceptional team player with the ability to build "trusted-advisor" relationships with customers and work successfully in highly distributed teams.
- Travel: Must be able to travel (25–40%) to work with our customers onsite, recognizing that travel can approach 50% when loading is high.
Don’t meet every single requirement? At RTI, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t perfectly align with all qualifications in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway! You may be just the right candidate for this or another one of our open roles. Learn more about RTI’s Diversity initiatives here!
💎 Nice To Have / Preferred Skills
- Proficiency with the AUTOSAR BSW stack (MCAL, OS, COM, MEM, Diagnostic layers) to map system requirements to BSW services and debug integration issues.
- Awareness of Cybersecurity (ISO 21434) considerations in automotive communication stacks.
- Experience with DDS is a huge plus.
🌟 What We Offer You
- Flexible working schedule.
- Remote working + Home Office Stipend to cover the costs of working from home.
- Flexible Paid Time Off + “Real Vacation Bonus,” an additional bonus for taking more than 1-week of uninterrupted vacation.
- Annual bonus based on individual and company performance + other prizes and awards.
- We recognize employees for their achievements, offer great opportunities for career growth and development, and provide the tools they need to succeed.
💙 How is life at RTI
- We have been certified as a Great Place to Work for seven consecutive years both in Spain and the US. In addition, we were listed as one of the Best Companies for Women to Advance.
- We live and work by our core values, which emphasize excellence, teamwork, and reaching your potential. Our motto is “Enjoy the journey,” above all we must enjoy what we do and have fun at work. At RTI, you will work in a positive, supportive, diverse environment with a team that truly cares about you.
- We are defined by our “Working as One” culture and truly care about team’s interaction. That is why we plan trips for teams to get together in person, enjoy fun team-building activities and events, and feel more connected.
🌍 What We Do / About RTI
Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the data-streaming company for intelligent distributed systems. RTI Connext® software is the critical nervous system for over 2,000 designs across Aerospace and Defense, MedTech, Automotive, and Robotics. Connext is the only real-time data streaming platform that can both control demanding physical systems and integrate them with cloud applications. RTI helps organizations develop, deploy, and scale intelligence and physical AI from edge to cloud, faster. RTI Runs a Smarter World™. Learn more at www.rti.com.
RTI is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.
