At Sonatus, we’re driving the transformation to AI-enabled software-defined vehicles. Traditional automotive software methods can’t keep pace with consumer expectations shaped by the mobile industry—where features evolve rapidly, update seamlessly, and improve continuously. That’s why leading OEMs trust Sonatus to accelerate this shift. Our technology is already in production across more than 6 million vehicles on the road today and rapidly expanding.
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA, with 250+ employees worldwide, Sonatus combines the agility of a fast-growing company with the scale and impact of an established partner. Backed by strong funding and proven by global deployment, we’re solving some of the most interesting and complex challenges in the industry. Join us and help redefine what’s possible as we shape the future of mobility.
Sonatus is building the abstraction layer that makes software-defined vehicles possible at scale. As Staff PM for the Vehicle Management System, you'll own the product strategy and data model that sits at the intersection of embedded vehicle platforms and cloud-based vehicle services — bridging the real-world constraints of production ECUs, bus architectures, and diagnostic protocols with the scalable APIs and services OEMs and Tier 1s need to build on top of.
This role requires deep fluency in both worlds. You'll need to understand why a CAN FD frame is structured the way it is and how to model that signal cleanly for cloud consumption.
Duties and Responsibilities- Vehicle data model & abstraction strategy — Define how customers model, version, and evolve vehicle signals, services, and capabilities across diverse ECU landscapes
- Protocol & standards roadmap — Set direction for our adoption of automotive protocols and SDV standards including SOVD, XCP, CAN FD, J1939, SOAFEE, and VSS
- Platform interfaces — Partner with engineering and architecture to define clean contracts between vehicle platforms, Sonatus products, and cloud services
- OEM & Tier 1 collaboration — Translate real vehicle platform variability (multi-variant architectures, bus topology constraints, diagnostic requirements) into scalable product capabilities
- Internal enablement — Provide stable, reusable vehicle abstractions that reduce custom integration across Sonatus product teams
- Go-to-market — Partner with sales and marketing to articulate the value of Sonatus' vehicle abstraction approach to technical buyers
- Platform & Cloud Product Experience
- Minimum 4 years of product management focused on platform, infrastructure, or enabling systems (not standalone end-user products)
- Experience defining and managing vehicle data models or platform interfaces used across multiple products or customers
- Familiarity with SDV architectures including cloud-to-vehicle interaction models and service-oriented design
- Ability to define APIs and service interfaces for vehicle-to-cloud data pipelines
- Minimum 4 years of product management focused on platform, infrastructure, or enabling systems (not standalone end-user products)
- Embedded & Vehicle Domain Expertise (Non-Negotiable)
- Hands-on familiarity with CAN DBC, ARXML, J1939, or OEM-equivalent vehicle data specs — you've worked with these formats directly, not just adjacent to them
- Practical experience with automotive diagnostic protocols — UDS, XCP, SOVD, or OBD — and an understanding of how they're used in production and pre-production programs
- Working knowledge of vehicle bus architectures: CAN FD, LIN, Ethernet/SOME-IP, and how signal routing and gateway behavior affects data availability
- Understanding of vehicle software lifecycles — you know what "production constraints" actually means and why they matter
- Structured problem solver who can bring clarity to ambiguous, technically complex domains
- Excellent communicator — equally comfortable in a deep technical architecture review and a customer discovery call
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional and external stakeholders without direct authority
- Background working directly with OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers on vehicle platform or architecture initiatives
- Exposure to SOAFEE, VSS, or other emerging SDV standards bodies
- Technical degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Automotive Engineering, or equivalent experience
- Track record contributing to products deployed in production vehicle programs
Benefits Offered:
- Competitive compensation and equity program
- Health care plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Flexible and Dependent Care Expense program
- Retirement plan (401k)
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Unlimited paid time off per year, 14 paid holidays
- Hybrid office work arrangement/flexibility
Perk Offerings include:
- Complimentary lunches, snacks, and beverages during on-site working days
- Wellness benefit allowances (towards gym membership and fitness programs)
- Internet reimbursement
- Computer Accessory Allowance
Employee Engagement Offerings:
- Departmental team building and outings
- Employee Referral Program
- Culture/Employee Satisfaction Surveys - Feedback matters!
The posted salary range is a general guideline and represents a good faith estimate of what Sonatus ("Company") could reasonably expect to pay for a base salary for this position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs. The Company reserves the right to modify this range in the future, as needed, as market conditions change.
Sonatus Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Sonatus and has not been reviewed or approved by Sonatus.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is repeatedly characterized as very strong, with medical/dental/vision described as “very good,” “above average,” and even “one of the best.” The package is framed as a standout area for a venture-backed startup, especially for U.S. roles.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Unlimited PTO is explicitly promoted, alongside paid holidays and sick time in multiple descriptions of the total rewards package. Flexibility is positioned as part of how time off is supported and used in practice.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity participation is positioned as a core component via a stock option program, often cited alongside competitive salaries for U.S. HQ roles. This framing supports the idea of ownership-based upside as part of total compensation.
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What We Do
Sonatus is a global vehicle software company enabling AI-powered, software-defined vehicles through its platform, which is deployed in over 5 million cars, helping automakers continuously improve cost, performance, reliability, and user experience.
Why Work With Us
Working at Sonatus means collaborating with top-tier engineers and industry leaders to shape the future of connected, intelligent mobility. With a dynamic and fast-paced environment, Sonatus offers opportunities for growth, creativity, and making a real impact in the evolution of modern vehicles.
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