Chief Engineer Autonomous Trucking (m/f/d)

<figure style="text-align:center;"><a target="_blank" href="https://www.fernride.com/"><img style="width:650px" src="https://recruitee-main.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/b8sbpn98trem3vs54lo7m8fynocgn4/Quantum-Systems-uebernimmt-Fernride-169FullWidth-1559f24-393125.avif"></a></figure><p style="text-align:start;min-height: 1.7em;"></p><p class="Paragraph SCXW229689681 BCX0">Join Quantum-Systems and bring autonomous trucks into real-world operations. As Chief Engineer Autonomous Trucking, you are the technical owner of the entire program and you identify yourself with the success of this product: you set the technical direction, shape the system architecture, and turn customer needs into an integrated, executable delivery plan. You orchestrate the complete system, from base vehicle and autonomy hardware to the autonomy software stack and full system integration, and you drive it to maturity, primarily for defense logistics applications in regulated environments.</p><p class="Paragraph SCXW229689681 BCX0">You work in an extremely tight partnership with Product Management: they own what the customer needs, you own how we achieve it technically and by when we deliver. Together you balance product ambition against engineering reality, make trade-offs consciously, and keep one integrated plan that the whole organization can execute against.</p><p class="Paragraph SCXW229689681 BCX0">This is a senior individual contributor role with maximum leverage: you align workstream leads, domain experts, truck OEM partners, and central functions into one integrated product and one executable delivery plan. You are the technical counterpart to Product, Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, external stakeholder (OEMs), and the credible engineering voice towards senior leadership.</p><p style="text-align:start;"><br></p><h4><strong>What is your Day to Day Mission:</strong></h4><p style="min-height: 1.7em;"></p><ul><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0"><strong>Own the Technical Program</strong></p><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Own the end-to-end technical orchestration of our autonomous trucking program with strong focus on integration, execution readiness, and delivery reliability.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Define and maintain the integrated technical roadmap: milestones, dependencies, and critical path from development through deployment, performance, and certification goals.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Identify integration gaps, decision bottlenecks, and execution risks early; escalate with judg<u><span style="color:#D13438">e</span></u>ment and propose solution options</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Ensure technical trade-offs are transparent and made consciously across product, engineering, and operations.</p><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0" style="min-height: 1.7em;"></p></li></ul></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0"><strong>Drive System Integration to series industrialisation and production</strong></p><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Align technical integration and ensure convergence across base vehicle, autonomy hardware stack, autonomy software stack (modular and End2End planner approaches), verification and validation, ground operations and test, and systems engineering including safety and security.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Drive technical maturity from subsystem status to validated system behavior; ensure interfaces are clear, owned, and validated between the teams</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Push for integration planning with the right cadence of reviews, demos, test evidence, and decision points.</p></li></ul></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0"><strong>Partner with Product Management</strong></p><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Work in an extremely tight loop with Product Management: they own what the customer needs, you own how and by when we deliver it in lockstep alignment with engineering management.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Translate product intent into technical execution clarity; challenge unclear scope, unclear priorities, or missing system implications early.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Shape realistic sequencing between product ambition and engineering capacity.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Build trusted, eye-level working relationships with truck OEM engineering teams and manage the joint technical interfaces, handovers, and delivery commitments.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Act as the strong technical counterpart to Sales, Supply Chain, and Operations: connect program needs with sourcing timelines, service concepts, and operational readiness.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Create alignment across internal engineering teams and domains on priorities, interfaces, and expected delivery contributions.</p></li></ul></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0"><strong>Be a Senior Technical Leader</strong></p><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Operate with high autonomy and high judg<u><span style="color:#D13438">e</span></u>ment; represent the technical program in reviews up to C-level.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Be a calm, credible, and sharp voice in high-stakes discussions, internally and towards partners and customers.</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW865208 BCX0"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW865208 BCX0">Raise the bar on accountability, collaboration, and delivery discipline across workstream leads and domain experts, without creating unnecessary process overhead.</p></li></ul></li></ul> <br> <h4><strong><br></strong></h4><h4><strong>What you bring to the team:</strong><br></h4><ul><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Engineering degree in a relevant field (e.g. Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or comparable).</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">10+ years of experience in autonomous driving or field robotics, ideally with several years in autonomous trucking.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Outstanding technical depth across the full autonomous driving system: autonomy software (perception, planning, control, end to end planner architectures), autonomy hardware (compute, sensors, user interfaces), base vehicle hardware architecture, and system integration.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Proven experience delivering complex systems in regulated environments; defense background is a strong plus but not mandatory.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Outstanding technical project and program management skills: roadmapping, critical path management, risk management, and delivery steering of multi-team workstreams.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Track record of working with vehicle OEMs, ideally truck OEMs, on joint development and integration programs.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Outstanding communication skills: condensate complex technical discussions into actionable items per team.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Systems thinker: you think in milestones and integration maturity, not in isolated component optimization.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">Fluent in English; German is a strong plus.</p></li><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW232041120 BCX0">High ownership, pragmatic, hands-on mindset; willingness to travel to OEM, partner, and test sites.</p></li></ul><p style="min-height: 1.7em;"></p><h4><strong>Your Benefits:&nbsp;</strong></h4><p style="min-height: 1.7em;"></p><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW113000096 BCX8"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW113000096 BCX8"><strong>Direct impact: </strong>See your contributions rapidly integrated from cutting-edge research into industrialized products, flying in the field within short development cycles.&nbsp;</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW113000096 BCX8"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW113000096 BCX8"><strong>Culture &amp; Environment: </strong>A dynamic, fast-paced, and collaborative startup environment with flat hierarchies, efficient collaboration, and a strong emphasis on continuous learning opportunities.&nbsp;</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW113000096 BCX8"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW113000096 BCX8"><strong>Work-life Balance: </strong>We offer flexible work schedules, and 30 days of paid vacation each year to support your personal and professional life.&nbsp;</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW113000096 BCX8"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW113000096 BCX8"><strong>Lunch Benefit: </strong>We promote healthy eating and the well-being of our employees with a monthly lunch budget.&nbsp;</p></li></ul><ul class="BulletListStyle1 SCXW113000096 BCX8"><li><p class="Paragraph SCXW113000096 BCX8"><strong>Health &amp; Wellness:</strong> We support your physical well-being with a company-subsidized eGym Wellpass membership, giving you access to thousands of gyms and sports facilities.&nbsp;</p></li></ul><p>Find <a href="https://www.arbeitnow.com">Jobs in Germany</a> on Arbeitnow</a>