At Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America (MBRDNA), we are committed to delivering world-class automotive technologies that push the boundaries of what is possible. Our teams of highly skilled engineers and designers use cutting-edge software and technology, to enhance the driving experience and reduce environmental impact.
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America is seeking an Android Software Developer to develop and deliver next-generation AI-powered in-vehicle experiences. This role will contribute to the design, development, integration, and validation of software for the Mercedes-Benz Intelligence Platform, enabling advanced infotainment, conversational voice AI, and multimodal experiences across current and future vehicle programs.
The ideal candidate combines strong Android and embedded software development skills with experience or interest in AI technologies, including LLMs, speech and audio models, multimodal AI, and onboard inference. The developer will work closely with AI/ML engineers, system architects, UX teams, and global development partners to integrate AI capabilities into production vehicle software, optimize performance on automotive compute platforms, and deliver high-quality software in accordance with Automotive SPICE and relevant automotive standards.
Relocation assistance (domestic or international) is not provided for this position.
Job Responsibilities:
Design, develop, test, and maintain Android-based applications, services, and software components for the Mercedes-Benz Intelligence Platform.
Develop and integrate AI-powered features using LLMs, speech and audio models, and multimodal AI technologies.
Integrate AI models and inference services across onboard and cloud environments, including interfaces between Android applications, AI inference engines, vehicle systems, and backend services.
Develop next-generation conversational voice AI experiences, integrating speech recognition, audio processing, LLMs, and other AI capabilities.
Contribute to multimodal AI experiences that combine voice, text, visual information, and vehicle context.
Support physical AI use cases by integrating vehicle signals and contextual data with AI-powered applications to enable more context-aware and proactive in-vehicle experiences.
Develop and integrate software using Android Automotive OS, Android frameworks, system services, and vehicle-specific interfaces.
Work with AI/ML engineers to integrate, evaluate, and optimize models for in-vehicle use cases, including model performance, latency, reliability, and resource utilization.
Participate in the full software development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, implementation, unit testing, integration, validation, release, and post-launch support.
Optimize Android software and AI workloads for automotive compute platforms, including CPU, GPU, NPU, memory, storage, power utilization, startup time, and response latency.
Work with hardware, platform, and AI/ML teams to analyze performance bottlenecks and optimize software and AI model execution on target hardware.
Debug complex software and integration issues across development environments, test benches, and vehicles, and perform root-cause analysis.
Develop automated unit and integration tests and contribute to CI/CD, continuous testing, and software release processes.
Participate in code reviews and contribute to software architecture, maintainability, reliability, and engineering best practices.
Contribute to Automotive SPICE-compliant development activities, including requirements management, traceability, verification, validation, and technical documentation.
Collaborate with global cross-functional teams, including AI/ML, UX, Product Management, Engineering, Platform, Research, and other Mercedes-Benz development organizations.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, other related field or equivalent experience
3+ years of professional software development experience, preferably in Android, embedded systems, automotive software, or related product development.
Strong programming skills in Kotlin, with experience developing production-quality Android software.
Experience developing, integrating, or delivering software based on Android or Android Automotive OS, including applications, services, frameworks, or platform components.
Solid understanding of Android architecture, application lifecycle, system services, inter-process communication, and platform APIs.
Experience or demonstrated knowledge in integrating AI-powered applications, models, or services, such as LLMs, speech recognition, conversational AI, audio AI, or multimodal AI.
Understanding of AI inference and model integration concepts, including model inputs/outputs, APIs, context management, performance, latency, and resource constraints.
Experience integrating applications with backend services, APIs, AI inference services, or distributed systems.
Hands-on experience with Linux-based embedded systems and software development environments.
Experience with Android development tools and technologies such as Android SDK, Android Studio, Gradle, ADB, and Git.
Strong understanding of software design principles, object-oriented programming, data structures, and common software design patterns.
Experience debugging and profiling software and performing systematic root-cause analysis of application, platform, or system-level issues.
Understanding of software performance optimization on embedded platforms, including CPU, GPU, NPU, memory, latency, and resource-constrained environments.
Experience developing unit and integration tests and familiarity with automated software testing.
Experience working in Agile development environments and familiarity with CI/CD and continuous software integration practices.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and global development partners.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience integrating LLMs, speech/audio models, VLMs, or multimodal AI models into production applications.
Familiarity with AI inference frameworks, runtimes, model optimization, quantization, or edge AI deployment.
Familiarity with automotive software architectures and vehicle interfaces such as Vehicle HAL (VHAL).
Experience working with globally distributed engineering teams on production software.
The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on a wide range of factors, including, but not limited to, job-related education, skills, and experience, geographic location, and market conditions. The current salary range for this position is as follows and may be modified in the future: $118,200 - $147,700.
This position may involve access to export-controlled technology, hardware, or software under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), 15 C.F.R. Parts 730-774 and possibly technical data, defense articles and defense services subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), 22 C.F.R. Parts 120-130. As such, Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America may be required to obtain an export license or authorization in accordance with United States law.
Why should you apply?
Here at MBRDNA, you create digital ecosystems around cars, you design a language between humans and machines, you make a car even more intelligent - you make the new reality for cars. MBRDNA was honored as one of the "Best Places to Work" by BuiltIn in January 2024, a testament to our commitment to creating an exceptional work environment. At each of our offices, we foster a culture of collaboration and continuous learning, ensuring every team member can thrive and innovate.
Benefits for Full-Time* Employees Include:
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• 401(k) with employer match
• Up to 15 company-paid holidays
• Paid time off (flexible time off for salaried employees), sick time, and parental leave
• Tuition assistance program
• Wellness/Fitness reimbursement programs
* Internships & Contractors excluded from Full-Time Employee benefits
MBRDNA is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workforce. MBRDNA only accepts resumes from approved agencies who have a valid Agency Agreement on file. Please do not forward resumes to our applicant tracking system, MBRDNA employees, or send to any MBRDNA location. MBRDNA is not responsible for any fees or claims related to receipt of unsolicited resumes.
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc.
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