General Motors

Staff Safety Design Software Architect - Linux-based Software Platform

Markham, Ontario, Canada Full time

Job Description

Work Arrangement: This role is hybrid, you are expected to report to Markham Elevation Centre three times a week, at minimum.

The Opportunity 

As a member of the AV Software Safety team, the Staff Safety Design Software Architect leads safety initiatives in all phases of system development (concept, requirements, design, implementation, verification and validation) for software that is core to our AV systems. You are seen as an expert-level software safety architect responsible for driving safety strategy and innovation across multiple software domains. You will influence technology architectures and cross-functional safety alignment, guiding others on the team to conduct safety analyses, create safety requirements for components of the software platform (e.g., middleware, platform health diagnostics, Linux OS) and provide guidance to the software teams to develop and verify safe platform software solutions for vehicles today and tomorrow. 

 

Core Responsibilities 

  • Drive safety strategy and guide software safety analyses and safety requirement development for Linux-based infrastructure/platform software (e.g., middleware, platform health diagnostics, Linux OS), by collaborating with GM systems and software engineers as well as hardware and software suppliers. 

  • Lead architectural reviews and define best practices for safety design.  

  • Align safety initiatives with business objectives and strategic priorities. 

  • Ensure that software safety requirements are complete, consistent, and aligned to system-level safety requirements. 

  • Support software teams in software design, implementation, and testing to confirm that safety requirements are met. 

  • Ensure adherence to GM’s safety and software development processes. 

  • Escalate any unresolved safety-related issues and confirm that the resolution process has been followed. 

  • Lead or contribute to initiatives towards the continuous improvement of the safety and software development processes. 

  • Develop innovative safety solutions and adapt processes to emerging technologies.  

  • Advise leadership on safety strategy and technology architecture decisions.  

  • Interface with corporate and industry experts to stay current in safety processes, methods, and tools. 

  • Advocate for safety culture and continuous learning. 

 

Required Skills and Experience 

  • A minimum of 8 years embedded systems experience in safety-critical domains (automotive, aerospace, medical, nuclear) 

  • Demonstrated performance in a position requiring excellent understanding of embedded software development as well as the larger systems picture 

  • Embedded Linux development experience 

  • Full software development lifecycle experience (software requirements, design, coding, verification) 

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills 

  • Tackles complex, cross-domain safety challenges requiring conceptual thinking and originality.  

  • Exercises independent judgment in selecting methods and evaluating criteria for impactful results.  

  • Uses expert communication and persuasion to influence decisions across diverse teams 

  • Ability to work independently and in a team environment, interfacing with GM engineers and suppliers globally 

  • Strong organizational skills with attention to detail 

  • Recognized expert in software safety across multiple domains (e.g., application, platform, supplier software).  

  • Deep understanding of safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, DO-178C) and software architecture.  

  • Experience performing or evaluating safety analysis methods such as HAZOP, FMEA, FTA, and STPA 

  • Proven experience designing software architectures robust to systematic faults. 

  • Strong business acumen and ability to align safety initiatives with strategic priorities. 

 

Preferred Skills and Experience 

  • Multi-core programming and real-time operating system experience. 

  • Knowledge of in-vehicle communication networks (CAN, FlexRay, LIN, Ethernet) 

 

Minimum Education Required 

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering (Software, Computer, Control, Mechatronics) , Computer Science or related field. 

  • Advanced degrees preferred. 

GM DOES NOT PROVIDE IMMIGRATION-RELATED SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS ROLE. DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU WILL NEED GM IMMIGRATION SPONSORSHIP NOW OR IN THE FUTURE.

Benefits Overview

The goal of the General Motors of Canada total rewards program is to support the health and well-being of you and your family. Our comprehensive compensation plan currently includes the following benefits, in addition to many others:

  • Paid time off including vacation days, holidays, and supplemental benefits for pregnancy, parental and adoption leave.

  • Healthcare, dental, and vision benefits.

  • Life insurance plans to cover you and your family.

  • Company and matching contributions to a Defined Contribution Pension plan to help you save for retirement.

  • GM Vehicle Purchase Plan for you, your family and friends.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us 

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us or call us at 800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.