[Hiring] Principal Engineer @Slate Auto

Role Description

Slate is looking for a Principal Engineer to anchor the technical depth of the Mobile Experience pod. This is the senior-most individual contributor on the mobile team — the person who shapes architecture, sets the engineering quality bar, and personally closes the hardest technical gaps standing between our current build and a November GA launch.

The Slate mobile app covers a wide technical surface:

• React Native / TypeScript product layer
• Custom native module for vehicle communication
• Dedicated mobile backend-for-frontend
• Platform-level security and encryption
• Integrations spanning EV charging, service scheduling, account management, and over-the-air update delivery

You must be able to thrive and succeed in a fast-paced startup environment where your contributions have a direct impact on the company's direction and success and should not be hindered by ambiguity or competing priorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent work experience.
• 10+ years of professional software engineering experience with at least 4 years in mobile application development (iOS, Android, or React Native).
• Deep familiarity with C++ native module architecture in a React Native context.
• Deep React Native expertise: Turbo Modules, Expo ecosystem (EAS Build, EAS Update, Expo Router), TypeScript, and state management patterns.
• Demonstrated ability to build or maintain backend services: REST API design, authentication middleware, JWT lifecycle, and integration with third-party services.
• Experience with serial or embedded communication protocols: CAN bus, UDS diagnostics, DID-based data polling, or DTLS/TLS in constrained hardware environments.
• Fluency with mobile security patterns: hardware-backed key management, encrypted local storage, certificate-based device authentication, and secure WebView session injection.
• Strong CI/CD and release engineering skills: multi-environment build pipelines, OTA update strategy, and App Store / Google Play submission experience.
• Experience with mobile observability tooling: setting up instrumentation, diagnosing production crashes, and running performance profiling.

Requirements

• Serve as the architectural owner of the C++ Turbo Module that bridges the React Native JS layer to the vehicle Secure Gateway Module over USB/DTLS.
• Own the TypeScript/C++ boundary defined by the TurboModule Codegen spec.
• Provide architectural guidance on CAN decoder design and the shared CAN message definitions package.
• Drive the DTLS session lifecycle architecture.
• Lead the evaluation and outcome decision on protobuf-based dynamic DID mapping.
• Apply and reinforce the Definition of Done for vehicle communication PRs in code reviews.
• Own the overall layered application architecture.
• Drive architecture and implementation across active epics.
• Set the standard for server state management patterns across the app.
• Own the encrypted local storage architecture and its per-VIN partitioning scheme.
• Lead warm-start lifecycle hygiene.
• Provide architectural direction on embedded WebView integrations.
• Own the push notification architecture end-to-end.
• Provide technical direction on the mobile BFF.
• Own the mobile API client architecture.
• Drive charging API ownership resolution.
• Provide technical oversight on RepairPal BFF integration.
• Set the observability strategy for the mobile app.
• Be the escalation point for the most severe production issue categories.
• Partner with the QAM on testability.
• Lead performance profiling efforts using Datadog RUM.
• Own the overall build and release architecture for iOS and Android.
• Set the OTA update delivery strategy.
• Own App Store and Google Play certification readiness.
• Set technical direction for the MOB pod.
• Mentor SDE IIs and SDE IIIs.
• Represent mobile engineering in cross-pod and cross-discipline forums.
• Actively adopt and demonstrate AI-assisted development workflows.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and disability insurance.
• Vacation and 401k.
• Eligibility to participate in the equity program and/or a discretionary annual incentive program.

Company Description

At Slate, we’re building safe, reliable vehicles that people can afford, personalize and love—and doing it here in the USA as part of our commitment to reindustrialization. The spirit of DIY and customization runs throughout every element of a Slate, because people should have control over how their trucks look, feel, and represent them.

Slate is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, marital status, parental status, cultural background, organizational level, work styles, tenure and life experiences. Or for any other reason.

Slate is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures.