Autonomous Vehicle Testing Driver (Freelance/Consultant)

We help make autonomous technologies more efficient, safer, and accessible. 

Helm.ai builds AI software for autonomous driving and robotics. Our Deep Teaching™ methodology is uniquely data and capital efficient, allowing us to surpass traditional approaches. Our unsupervised learning software can train neural networks without the need for human annotation or simulation and is hardware-agnostic. We work with some of the world's largest automotive manufacturers and we've raised over $100M from Honda, Goodyear Ventures, Mando, and others to help us scale.

Our team is made up of people with a diverse set of experiences in software and academia. We work together towards one common goal: to integrate the software you'll help us build into hundreds of millions of vehicles. 

The role:

This is a freelance/consultant position. You must be willing to commute to our Böblingen office to be considered for the role.

We are looking for a highly motivated and safety-conscious Autonomous Vehicle Testing Driver to join our cutting-edge automotive team in Böblingen near Stuttgart, Germany. In this role, you will be responsible for testing and validating autonomous driving systems while ensuring their performance, safety, and reliability in real-world environments. Additionally, you will play a key role in preparing vehicles for live customer demonstrations, ensuring they are fully operational, presentable, and ready to showcase our cutting-edge technology.

This position is ideal for someone with electro-mechanical skills or experience, whether acquired through professional work, education, or as a hobby, as it involves hands-on interaction with vehicle systems, sensors, and diagnostic tools.

You will:

• Operate and monitor autonomous test vehicles in a variety of real-world conditions.
• Follow predefined test routes and provide real-time feedback on system behavior.
• Record detailed test results, identifying issues and anomalies in vehicle performance.
• Prepare vehicles for live customer demonstrations, including system checks, cleaning, and ensuring all features to function as intended.
• Assist in explaining vehicle capabilities and technology to customers during demonstrations.
• Communicate with engineers, software developers, and safety specialists to improve vehicle algorithms.
• Conduct basic vehicle system checks, troubleshoot minor technical issues, and report maintenance needs.
• Utilize electro-mechanical skills to support sensor calibration, wiring checks, and minor hardware adjustments.
• Adhere to all local traffic laws and safety protocols during testing.

You have:

• Valid German driver’s license (Class B) with a clean driving record.
• Ability to meet or exceed psychometric testing criteria to ensure high levels of focus, decision-making ability, and cognitive response.
• Basic understanding of electro-mechanical systems, wiring, and sensor technology, gained through professional work or personal projects (e.g., robotics, automotive repair, electronics tinkering).
• Strong technical aptitude and ability to troubleshoot minor vehicle system issues.
• Excellent observational skills and the ability to react quickly to changing driving conditions.
• Comfort working with advanced vehicle software and reporting tools.
• Strong communication skills to assist in customer demonstrations.
• Fluency in English and German; additional languages are a plus.
• Ability to work flexible hours as required; on-site hours will be aligned with business hours in Germany and schedules may be aligned with USA Pacific Time Zone (PST) to coordinate with remote engineering teams and live demonstrations
• Previous experience in vehicle testing, professional driving, or automotive R&D is a plus.