Staff Android HAL / AIDL Engineer

Job ID: 73952
Location: Palo Alto, California
Category: PD Operations and Quality

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At Ford, you’ll work on ideas that matter, alongside passionate people who want to make a global impact. Together, we’re shaping the next era of transportation—grounded in purpose, driven by progress. Make your move.

Job Type: Full time
Work Type: Hybrid

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Ford's Universal Electric Vehicle (UEV) platform team is developing the embedded software foundation for the next generation of software-defined vehicles, including Android Automotive OS infotainment, app experiences, and smartphone projection technologies.

The Android HAL / AIDL Engineer will design, implement, and integrate Stable AIDL HALs and native platform services that connect Android Automotive OS framework services to vehicle and hardware functionality. This role owns the HAL and IPC layer end to end, from interface definition and VINTF/SELinux configuration through bring-up, VTS compliance, and cross-layer root-cause analysis, working closely with framework, application, hardware, middleware, and validation teams.

What you'll do...

Design, implement, and maintain Stable AIDL HALs, including the AIDL Vehicle HAL (VHAL), for Android Automotive OS infotainment platforms.
Define versioned AIDL interfaces and Binder client/service architectures, covering service registration and discovery, callbacks, lifecycle, threading, error handling, and recovery.
Integrate HAL implementations with CarService and Android framework system services across the system/vendor (Treble) boundary.
Own platform configuration for HAL bring-up, including VINTF manifests and compatibility matrices, init, SELinux policy, and Soong/Android.bp build configuration.
Lead root-cause analysis of cross-layer issues such as native crashes, Binder failures, deadlocks, boot and service-start failures, and ANRs across application, framework, HAL, and hardware layers.
Ensure HAL compliance with VTS and support CTS and platform certification readiness.
Identify and resolve performance and reliability bottlenecks in HAL and IPC paths.
Participate in architecture and design reviews, perform detailed code reviews, develop unit and integration tests, and maintain interface and integration documentation.
Collaborate with framework, application, hardware, middleware, and validation teams to resolve integration issues and support new hardware capabilities.

You'll have...

B.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
5+ years of experience in Android/AOSP platform software development, including 3+ years developing or integrating Android HALs and native services.
Strong C/C++ programming skills, with working knowledge of Java and/or Kotlin for Android framework interaction.
Strong understanding of Android architecture from applications through framework services, Binder IPC, and HAL layers, including AIDL, Android service lifecycle, and Linux processes and threading.
Hands-on experience debugging Android system-level and native software in AOSP source trees using the Soong build system.

Even better, you may have...

M.S. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or a related technical field.
Experience with Android Automotive OS, including the AIDL VHAL (IVehicle), VehicleProperty definitions, and CarService/car-lib integration.
Experience with Project Treble, system/vendor partitioning, vndbinder, and Stable AIDL interface versioning and freezing (aidl_interface).
Experience migrating legacy HIDL HALs to Stable AIDL.
Experience with VTS and supporting CTS or platform compliance programs.
Experience authoring Android SELinux policy and VINTF manifests and compatibility matrices.
Experience interfacing HALs with kernel drivers or vehicle network services (e.g., CAN, SOME/IP).
Familiarity with Rust in AOSP.
Experience with Git/Gerrit, CI/CD, and large-scale Android platform builds.

You may not check every box, or your experience may look a little different from what we've outlined, but if you think you can bring value to Ford Motor Company, we encourage you to apply!

As an established global company, we offer the benefit of choice. You can choose what your Ford future will look like: will your story span the globe, or keep you close to home? Will your career be a deep dive into what you love, or a series of new teams and new skills? Will you be a leader, a changemaker, a technical expert, a culture builder…or all of the above? No matter what you choose, we offer a work life that works for you, including:
• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up child care and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.

This position is a leadership level 6 and ranges from $150,200-$283,500.
Final determination of salary grade will be based on candidate's skills and experience, and base salary will be set within the applicable range according to job scope, responsibility and competitive market value.

For more information on salary and benefits, click here: https://fordcareers.co/LL6

Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Candidates for positions with Ford Motor Company must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status. In the United States, if you need a reasonable accommodation for the online application process due to a disability, please call 1-888-336-0660.

This position is hybrid with a requirement to be onsite four or more days per week. #LI-Hybrid

#LI-MZ1 #UEV

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Change the world with your ideas.

Speak up. We’re listening. At Ford, we believe the right ideas, and the people behind them, can move an entire industry. Here, you'll work with teams who value your voice, push bold ideas forward, and leave a mark that lasts.

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Support designed to go the distance.

From day one, Ford invests in you with medical benefits built to help you plan for what’s next. You’ll also get support for you and your family that meets you at every step, so you can move forward with confidence.

Health and Wellness

Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, mental health, and unique wellness perks keep you and your family supported every step of the way.
Financial and Retirement Programs

Build a strong financial future with robust retirement contributions, savings programs, and free personalized financial planning tools.
Flexible Vacation and Holidays

Enjoy your time away from work with generous vacation, holidays, and flexible family leave designed to help you balance life and work with ease.
Vehicle Discount Program

The best thing about building great products is driving them! The second-best thing: sharing your discount with family and friends so they can drive them, too.
Family Growth and Support

Grow your family confidently with fertility, surrogacy, and adoption assistance, paid parental leave, and a supportive new-parent ramp-up program.
Additional Programs

Enjoy unexpected extras like pet insurance, legal services, identity protection, and access to convenient health and wellness services.

Ford gives me the space to innovate, to lead, and to serve — all while staying true to who I am as an engineer, educator, and parent. It’s not just a career; it’s a community that drives change.

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Staff Android HAL / AIDL Engineer

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Change the world with your ideas.

Support designed to go the distance.

Health and Wellness

Financial and Retirement Programs

Flexible Vacation and Holidays

Vehicle Discount Program

Family Growth and Support

Additional Programs

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