General Motors is a global automotive and manufacturing company working across vehicle engineering, production, transportation, and information technology. Founded in 1908, GM develops technologies aimed at advancing mobility while pursuing its vision of zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion. Its international operations bring together large, multidisciplinary teams focused on innovation, sustainable transportation, and the future of the automotive industry.
Staff NFC Digital Key Hardware Engineer - General Motors
General Motors is seeking a staff-level hardware engineer to develop NFC Digital Key systems for vehicles. The role leads RF architecture, laboratory validation, coexistence testing, and secure vehicle-access integration.
United States
California$160,000 – $250,000 / year
HybridFull-timeLeadEnglish RequiredHardware EngineerDescription
- Design and validate wireless hardware for NFC Digital Key vehicle experiences
- Serve as GM Digital Key’s NFC hardware and wireless authority for short-range access systems
- Establish hardware architectures and requirements for NFC readers enabling passive entry, passive start, trunk access, NFC cards, and phones
- Direct concept development and requirements definition for vehicle Digital Key systems
- Convert vehicle scenarios and customer use cases into NFC link budgets and measurable performance goals
- Shape short-range wireless and antenna roadmap decisions with NFC expertise
- Lead schematic and PCB layout evaluations for NFC readers and Secure Element subsystems
- Refine reader coil geometry, tuning circuits, metal interactions, and coupling to other radio systems
- Commission and troubleshoot Digital Key hardware in laboratory environments
- Create and run NFC test plans covering locations, orientations, doors, zones, and packaging configurations
- Measure field strength, load modulation, coupling, detuning, interoperability, and timing margins with RF and time-domain equipment
- Own coexistence evaluation for NFC readers operating alongside UWB, BLE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, and GNSS technologies
- Work with wireless technology teams to coordinate time-domain behavior and shared-resource strategies
- Keep NFC hardware aligned with current and emerging Car Connectivity Consortium Digital Key expectations
- Coordinate NFC, BLE, and UWB behavior with system architecture, algorithms, and verification strategies
- Develop reusable NFC reference test fixtures and setups for laboratories and vehicle programs
- Record requirements, architectural decisions, test approaches, coverage assessments, and coexistence findings
- Coach junior wireless, RF, and hardware engineers as well as laboratory personnel
- Partner with Vehicle Access, Digital Key, Connectivity, Cybersecurity, Antenna, Validation, Manufacturing, and supplier organizations
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in electrical, electronics, computer engineering, or a related field
- At least 10 years of professional RF or wireless hardware experience
- Background delivering Digital Key or comparable NFC-enabled access products for automotive or consumer applications
- Practical knowledge of Car Connectivity Consortium Digital Key specifications and developments in digital vehicle access and secure ranging
- Familiarity with IEEE 802.15.4z and draft 802.15.4ab UWB ranging standards
- Knowledge of ISO/IEC 14443, ISO/IEC 15693, ISO/IEC 18092 NFC standards, or equivalent regional specifications
- Solid command of electromagnetic principles and material characteristics
- Experience designing and positioning NFC reader antennas and coils in vehicles
- Proven short-range coexistence work across NFC, Qi, UWB, BLE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cellular, and GNSS
- Excellent written and verbal communication abilities
- Demonstrated leadership of cross-functional technical programs spanning hardware, software, systems, and suppliers
- Preferred: hands-on experience with UWB and BLE transceivers and systems
- Preferred: experience reviewing, bringing up, and debugging RF designs and complex multi-radio hardware
- Preferred: understanding of cybersecurity and privacy issues affecting UWB, BLE, and NFC vehicle-access systems
- Preferred: proficiency with RF test instruments and a scripting language such as Python
- Preferred: contributions to patents, standards, or technical publications involving UWB, UWB-NBA, NFC, or short-range wireless hardware design
Benefits
- Incentive compensation tied to company results, job level, and individual performance
- Medical, dental, and vision coverage
- Health Savings Account
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Retirement savings plan
- Sickness and accident coverage
- Life insurance
- Paid vacation and holidays
- Tuition assistance programs
- Employee assistance program
- GM vehicle discounts
- Company vehicle evaluation program that may assign a General Motors vehicle after a successful motor vehicle report review
- Relocation assistance for eligible candidates
- Hybrid work arrangement
- Travel is expected to remain below 25%