Preparing for an interview at AURORA requires a shift in mindset. You must demonstrate that you are not just a tester, but an engineer who understands the architecture of the system you are breaking. The interviewers are looking for a "safety-first" mentality combined with deep technical rigor.

Key Evaluation Criteria:

Technical Proficiency & Automation – You must demonstrate the ability to build tools, not just use them. Interviewers evaluate your proficiency in Python and your comfort working in Linux environments. Whether it is automating data analysis or scripting hardware tests, you need to show you can improve engineering velocity through code.

System-Level Thinking – AURORA values candidates who can look beyond a single component. You will be evaluated on your ability to understand how hardware (sensors, compute) interacts with software (perception, planning). You need to show you can trace a failure from a symptom back to a root cause, whether it is a software bug or a hardware anomaly.

Data-Driven Decision Making – In the world of autonomous vehicles, "it feels wrong" is not a valid bug report. You must show that you rely on data collection, metrics, and rigorous analysis to characterize performance. Expect to discuss how you define test dimensions and coverage strategies.

Safety & Accountability – This is the cultural bedrock of the company. You will be assessed on your integrity and your willingness to halt a release if safety criteria are not met. Interviewers look for candidates who take ownership of the "safety case" for their specific module.

The interview process at AURORA is designed to be rigorous yet transparent, reflecting the company's engineering-driven culture. Based on candidate experiences, the process typically begins with a recruiter screen to align on your background and the specific team needs (e.g., Sensing, OTI, or Hardware Test). This is followed by a technical screen, which often involves a mix of coding (usually Python) and high-level testing concepts.

The onsite stage (or virtual onsite) generally consists of a panel of three to five interviewers. Unlike generic coding interviews, AURORA tends to focus on situational and domain-specific questions. You should expect a session dedicated to coding/scripting, a session on test strategy (how you approach complex systems), and a behavioral session focused on cross-functional collaboration. The difficulty is often rated as "Medium," with a respectful and understanding panel that is genuinely interested in your thought process.

The timeline above illustrates the typical flow from application to offer. Note that the "Technical Screen" is a critical filter; ensure your coding fundamentals are sharp. The final "Panel Interviews" are comprehensive, covering technical execution, domain knowledge, and cultural alignment in a single day or split across two days.

To succeed, you must prepare for specific evaluation areas that align with the Aurora Driver development cycle. The following breakdown is based on the specific requirements for roles such as System Test Engineer and Staff NPI Test Engineer.

Test Strategy & System Design

This area tests your ability to plan. You are not just executing test cases; you are designing the verification strategy for a safety-critical subsystem.

• Defining Test Dimensions: How do you determine what to test when the input space (the real world) is infinite?
• Simulation vs. Real World: Understanding when to use simulation (for scale and safety) versus track or road testing (for validation).
• Metric Definition: How do you define "success" for a perception algorithm?

Be ready to go over:

• Test Coverage: Strategies for ensuring coverage across different environmental conditions (weather, lighting).
• Traceability: Mapping test results back to system requirements and safety goals.
• Infrastructure: Designing scalable test frameworks (OTI) that can handle massive datasets.

Technical Execution & Automation

Manual testing is minimal. You are expected to be a strong contributor to the codebase.

• Python Scripting: Writing scripts to parse logs, automate repetitive tasks, or control test equipment.
• Data Analysis: Using tools to analyze large datasets from vehicle logs to identify anomalies.
• Build Systems: Familiarity with tools like Bazel (often mentioned in job listings) for build automation.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Write a Python script to parse this log file and identify all timestamps where the sensor latency exceeded 50ms."
• "How would you automate the regression testing pipeline for a new hardware revision?"

Hardware-Software Integration (HIL/NPI)

For roles involving sensing or NPI, you must understand the physical layer.

• Root Cause Analysis (RCCA): Investigating failures that could be caused by thermal issues, vibration, or software race conditions.
• Lab Equipment: Familiarity with thermal chambers, DAQs (Data Acquisition Systems), and electronic loads.
• Linux Fundamentals: Debugging issues at the OS level, networking, and device drivers.

Be ready to go over:

• Environmental Testing: How temperature and vibration affect sensor performance.
• Manufacturing Support: Creating tests that validate hardware on the production line (NPI).

As a QA Engineer at AURORA, your daily work is dynamic and deeply integrated with development teams. You are responsible for the verification and validation (V&V) of specific subsystems, such as Perception or the Offline Testing Infrastructure.

You will spend a significant portion of your time developing and maintaining test strategies. This involves working with Autonomy and Safety Engineering teams to understand new features and proactively defining how to test them. You aren't just handed a test plan; you often create it. This includes defining novel approaches to understand performance, such as designing specific scenarios in simulation or configuring a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) bench.

Execution is equally important. You will implement and coordinate diverse testing methods. For software-focused roles, this means building and maintaining the Offline Testing Infrastructure (OTI) to ensure reliable release cycles. For hardware-focused roles, this involves executing thermal and vibe testing in a lab setting. In all cases, you are expected to analyze the results deeply. You will investigate root causes of defects—distinguishing between a sensor calibration error and a software logic flaw—and deliver decision-quality data to leadership.

Successful candidates at AURORA typically possess a strong engineering background. This is not a role for manual testers; it requires a blend of development and validation skills.

• Must-Have Technical Skills:

  • Python: This is the primary language for scripting, automation, and data analysis.
  • Linux Environment: Proficiency in navigating and debugging in Linux is essential.
  • Engineering Degree: A B.S. in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Mechatronics is standard.
  • Data Analysis: Experience collecting data with electronic test equipment or analyzing logs from complex systems.

• Experience Level:

  • Candidates generally have experience in verification and validation (V&V) for complex hardware/software systems.
  • For senior or staff roles, experience leading cross-functional efforts and designing test architectures is required.

• Nice-to-Have Skills:

  • Bazel: Experience with this build tool is frequently listed as a desired qualification.
  • Automotive/Robotics Experience: Prior work with sensors (Lidar, Radar, Camera) or autonomous platforms.
  • Hardware Lab Experience: For NPI/Hardware roles, knowledge of thermal chambers, vibration tables, and DAQs is highly valued.