Experience Prototyping Engineering Lead

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Experience Prototyping Engineering Lead

Company: General Motors

Location: Warren, Michigan, United States; Mountain View, California, United States; Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Software Engineering / Product Management (Experience Prototyping)

Date Posted: 2026-05-14

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days/week in office minimum)

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead a team of full stack software engineers in the rapid development of functional prototypes to inform product roadmaps and requirements for next-generation software experiences.

• Serve as a technical consultant and domain partner, bridging technical innovation with product context for web, mobile, and embedded platforms within the automotive sector.

• Architect, develop, and deploy prototype solutions to gather insights and data, enabling early validation of customer and business value for software-defined vehicles.

• Collaborate closely with product managers and designers to ensure prototyped experiences align with user needs and strategic goals, integrating seamlessly into GM’s broader ecosystem.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role sits within General Motors' Software & Services Product Management division, focusing on the creation of software-defined vehicles. The "Experience Prototyping" aspect emphasizes a hands-on, iterative approach to developing and testing new user experiences across various platforms, rather than focusing on long-term production deployment. The hybrid work model requires a minimum of three days per week in the office.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of full stack software engineers, guiding them through the design, development, and deployment of rapid prototypes.

• Architect and develop full-stack prototype solutions, encompassing front-end (ReactJS, HTML/CSS), back-end (Python, Node/Next.js), and mobile (Android Kotlin/Jetpack Compose) technologies.

• Act as a technical consultant, providing guidance on future product experiences and ensuring alignment with GM's comprehensive software and hardware ecosystem.

• Collaborate with Product Management and UX/UI Design teams to translate user needs and strategic objectives into tangible, testable prototypes.

• Decompose complex features and product requirements into actionable work items for the engineering team, facilitating agile development processes.

• Continuously research and integrate emerging technologies, development frameworks, and industry best practices into prototyping efforts.

• Understand and leverage GM's vehicle development cycles, in-vehicle and cloud-based architectures, and business models to inform prototype development.

• Embrace a broad understanding of various technologies and platforms, focusing on rapid iteration and learning rather than deep specialization in any single area for production.

• Consult with production engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of validated prototype concepts into GM’s broader technology and service landscape.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "breadth-over-depth" approach is a critical differentiator for this prototyping role, indicating a need for adaptability and a wide range of technical exposure rather than deep expertise in one specific domain for production-level systems. The responsibility to "consult with product execution teams" highlights the need for strong communication and integration skills to ensure prototype success translates to future production.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 7+ years of professional experience as a full stack software developer.

• 2+ years of experience in a team leadership or people management role.

• Proven experience building products within an innovation or rapid prototyping context.

• Experience decomposing features and user stories into actionable work items for engineering teams.

Required Skills:

• Front-End Development: Proficient in ReactJS, HTML, and CSS.

• Back-End Development: Proficient in Python, Node.js, and Next.js.

• Mobile Development: Experience with Android development, specifically Kotlin and Jetpack Compose.

• Leadership: Proven ability to lead and mentor a team of software engineers.

• Strategic Thinking: Exceptional ability to translate complex ideas into actionable requirements and strategic product direction.

• Prototyping: Experience with rapid prototyping methodologies and tools.

• User-Centered Design: Strong understanding of UX/UI principles and collaboration.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a proven ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.

• Analytical Skills: Strong ability to analyze data and use insights to drive decision-making.

Preferred Skills:

• Deep understanding of automotive software and hardware architecture, including in-vehicle systems, connectivity, and embedded platforms.

• Prior experience working with or within General Motors (GM), or strong familiarity with GM’s technology stack, development cycles, and product ecosystem.

• Demonstrated ability to bridge technical and business domains, especially in fast-paced prototyping or innovation environments.

• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams in large enterprise or automotive settings.

• Familiarity with Machine Learning frameworks such as Scikit-learn for data-driven projects.

• Experience with multiple rapid prototyping and lean product development frameworks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on specific front-end, back-end, and mobile technologies (ReactJS, Python, Node/Next.js, Android Kotlin/Jetpack Compose) indicates that candidates should have hands-on experience with these stacks for prototype development. The preferred qualification regarding automotive software and hardware architecture suggests that candidates with industry-specific knowledge will have a significant advantage.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase projects demonstrating rapid prototyping capabilities across web, mobile, and/or embedded platforms.

• Include examples of full-stack development work, highlighting proficiency in the specified technologies (ReactJS, Python, Node/Next.js, Android Kotlin/Jetpack Compose).

• Present case studies that illustrate the ability to translate user needs and product requirements into functional prototypes.

• Demonstrate experience in collaborating with design and product management teams to iterate on user experiences.

Process Documentation:

• Document the iterative process used in prototyping projects, including ideation, development, testing, and feedback incorporation.

• Illustrate how data and user insights were used to inform prototype iterations and decision-making.

• Detail the technical architecture and technology choices made for prototype development, explaining the rationale.

• Showcase the ability to communicate complex technical concepts and prototype outcomes to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's focus on prototyping and innovation, the portfolio should emphasize speed, iteration, and the ability to quickly bring concepts to life. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their process for rapid development, user feedback integration, and how prototypes informed subsequent product strategy.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $189,300 - $290,700 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Bonus Potential: Eligible for an incentive pay program based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.

• Company Vehicle Evaluation Program: Opportunity to drive and evaluate GM vehicles upon successful motor vehicle report review. (Note: Program participants are generally required to purchase/lease a qualifying GM vehicle every four years.)

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance (implied by standard large enterprise benefits).

• Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401(k) with company match, implied by standard large enterprise benefits).

• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays (implied by standard large enterprise benefits).

Working Hours:

• Standard 40-hour work week.

• Hybrid work arrangement requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in the designated office location (Warren, MI or Mountain View, CA).

• Occasional travel (<25%) may be required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The stated salary range is a good faith estimate and may vary based on location (specifically noted as potentially different outside the California Bay Area) and other relevant factors. The inclusion of a "Company Vehicle Evaluation Program" is a unique perk for automotive industry roles, requiring active participation. Standard benefits like health insurance and retirement plans are typically offered by large corporations like GM and are assumed.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Manufacturing & Technology. General Motors is a global leader in designing, manufacturing, and marketing vehicles and mobility solutions, increasingly focusing on software-defined vehicles and advanced technologies.

Company Size: Large enterprise (over 10,000 employees). This scale implies extensive resources, established processes, and opportunities for broad impact, but also potential for navigating complex organizational structures.

Founded: 1908. With over a century of history, GM has a deep legacy in the automotive industry, now navigating a significant transformation towards electrification and software-centric mobility.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Software & Services Product Management organization, specifically the Experience Prototyping Team.

• This team is likely small and agile, focused on rapid iteration and experimentation.

• Collaboration is expected to be cross-functional, involving Product Managers, UX/UI Designers, and other Engineering teams across GM.

Methodology:

• Prototyping & Iteration: Emphasis on rapid development, testing, and learning to validate concepts quickly.

• User-Centered Design: Deep integration with design principles to ensure that prototypes address real user needs.

• Agile Development: Likely utilizing agile methodologies for project management and team execution.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Close partnerships with various departments to ensure alignment and successful integration of ideas.

Company Website: https://www.gm.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: GM's current strategic focus on "Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions, and Zero Congestion" and the development of "software-defined vehicles" provides the overarching context for this role. The culture is described as one that "embraces the responsibility to lead the change" and fosters "inclusion and belonging," indicating a forward-looking and employee-centric environment.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior individual contributor and team lead position within the software engineering and product development domain, with a strong emphasis on innovation and prototyping. It's a leadership role that bridges technical execution with product strategy.

Reporting Structure: The Engineering Lead will report to a Director or Senior Manager within the Software & Services Product Management organization. They will lead a small team of full stack software engineers.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts GM's ability to innovate and define future vehicle experiences by rapidly validating new software concepts. Successful prototypes can significantly influence product roadmaps, requirement definitions, and ultimately the customer experience, contributing to GM's competitive edge in the software-defined vehicle market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in emerging automotive software technologies, full-stack development, and prototyping frameworks.

• Leadership Development: Potential to grow into managing larger engineering teams, leading broader product initiatives, or moving into senior product management roles.

• Cross-Functional Mobility: Exposure across various GM divisions can open doors to roles in product development, software architecture, or strategic planning.

• Industry Influence: Contributing to cutting-edge automotive technology and shaping the future of mobility.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as a crucial link between innovation and product realization. Growth paths likely involve advancing leadership responsibilities, specializing in advanced automotive software domains, or transitioning into broader product strategy roles within GM's evolving ecosystem.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment. Employees are expected to work from the GM Global Technical Center in Warren, MI, or the Mountain View, CA facility a minimum of three days per week.

Office Location(s):

• GM Global Technical Center, Warren, Michigan, United States

• Mountain View, California, United States

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages in-person collaboration, fostering teamwork and idea exchange. The office environment is designed to support this.

• Technology Access: Access to GM's advanced development tools, software, and potentially cutting-edge hardware for prototyping.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Opportunities to interact with product managers, designers, and engineers from various domains within GM.

Work Schedule:

• Primarily a standard 40-hour work week, but the fast-paced prototyping environment may require flexibility and dedication to meet project deadlines and experimentation goals.

• The hybrid schedule allows for some flexibility in managing work location throughout the week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is a key aspect, emphasizing the need for individuals who can thrive in both structured office environments and remote work settings. Proximity to GM's engineering hubs in Michigan or California is a practical consideration for candidates.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and application to assess alignment with required qualifications, particularly experience in full-stack development, leadership, and prototyping.

• Technical Interview(s): Deep dive into technical skills, including coding challenges or discussions on past projects related to ReactJS, Python, Node.js, Android development, and system architecture.

• Leadership/Team Fit Interview: Assessment of leadership style, team collaboration capabilities, and cultural fit within GM's innovation-focused environment.

• Product/Strategy Interview: Discussion on strategic thinking, ability to translate ideas into requirements, understanding of user-centered design, and experience in prototyping for product validation.

• Portfolio Review: Presentation and discussion of selected projects from the candidate's portfolio, focusing on their process, outcomes, and impact.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Breadth: Highlight a variety of projects demonstrating full-stack capabilities across different platforms (web, mobile, embedded).

• Detail the Process: Clearly articulate the iterative process, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and lessons learned during prototyping.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics or qualitative feedback to demonstrate the value and insights derived from your prototypes.

• Leadership Examples: Include projects where you led a team, mentored junior engineers, or significantly influenced technical direction.

• Tailor to GM: Emphasize projects that align with automotive technology, user experience innovation, or complex system integration.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for technical challenges that test proficiency in core technologies (e.g., JavaScript, Python, mobile development).

• Prepare to discuss how you would approach prototyping a specific new vehicle feature or user interaction.

• Practice articulating your thought process, technical decisions, and how you would gather feedback.

• Review GM's current product offerings and strategic direction to demonstrate informed interest and understanding.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is a critical component. Candidates should prepare to discuss their process, technical choices, and the impact of their work, especially in the context of rapid iteration and user feedback, which are central to this prototyping role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Front-End Frameworks: ReactJS, HTML/CSS.

• Back-End Technologies: Python, Node.js, Next.js.

• Mobile Development: Android (Kotlin, Jetpack Compose).

• Version Control: Git (likely via GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket).

• Containerization: Docker (likely used for consistent development environments).

• Cloud Platforms: Experience with cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP) is highly probable for back-end development and deployment of prototypes.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Prototyping Analytics: Tools for tracking user interactions within prototypes, potentially custom-built or integrated analytics platforms.

• Data Visualization: Tools like Tableau, Power BI, or custom charting libraries for presenting prototype usage data and insights.

CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM/automation role, understanding how prototypes integrate with broader GM systems (potentially including CRM or customer engagement platforms) is beneficial.

• Experience with workflow automation tools could be advantageous for streamlining prototyping processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technologies listed (ReactJS, Python, Node/Next.js, Android Kotlin/Jetpack Compose) are the primary focus for development. However, familiarity with cloud platforms and data visualization tools will be crucial for deploying and analyzing prototype performance.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovation & Exploration: A culture that encourages experimentation, embracing new technologies and novel approaches to problem-solving.

• User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and addressing customer needs through thoughtful and intuitive software experiences.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Emphasis on working effectively across diverse teams to achieve common goals, valuing diverse perspectives.

• Agility & Adaptability: The ability to respond quickly to changing requirements and market dynamics, with a focus on rapid iteration.

• Technical Excellence: A drive for high-quality engineering practices, even within a prototyping context, ensuring robust and well-architected solutions.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with Product Management, UX/UI Design, and various engineering teams across GM.

• Open Communication: A culture that values open dialogue, constructive feedback, and transparent sharing of ideas and challenges.

• Iterative Feedback Loops: Regular opportunities to share work-in-progress, gather feedback, and adapt based on input from stakeholders and potential users.

• Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: An environment where senior engineers are expected to guide and mentor junior team members, and knowledge is shared freely.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is geared towards innovation within a large, established organization. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to be both a strong individual contributor and a collaborative team member, comfortable with experimentation and cross-functional interaction.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Navigating Ambiguity: Working in an innovation space often involves undefined requirements and evolving project scopes.

• Rapid Iteration Cycles: The need to produce functional prototypes quickly can be demanding, requiring efficient development and problem-solving.

• Balancing Breadth and Depth: Effectively managing a wide range of technologies and tasks without losing sight of the core prototyping objective.

• Influencing Stakeholders: Convincing diverse groups within a large organization about the value of new concepts derived from prototypes.

• Integrating with Legacy Systems: Ensuring that innovative prototypes can eventually interface or inform development within GM's existing technology ecosystem.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Cutting-Edge Technologies: Exposure to and hands-on experience with emerging automotive software technologies, AI/ML, and advanced development frameworks.

• Product Strategy Insights: Deep involvement in defining future vehicle experiences and product roadmaps.

• Leadership Skills: Development of people management, technical leadership, and cross-functional influence skills.

• Automotive Industry Expertise: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of vehicle development cycles, in-vehicle systems, and the automotive market landscape.

• Professional Development: Access to training, conferences, and resources to enhance technical and leadership capabilities.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a unique opportunity to work at the forefront of automotive innovation, tackling complex challenges by translating visionary ideas into tangible prototypes. The growth potential is significant for those who excel in this dynamic environment.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you led a team to rapidly develop a functional prototype. What was your process, what challenges did you face, and what was the outcome?"

• "How do you balance the need for rapid prototyping with ensuring a certain level of technical quality and maintainability for future development?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about General Motors' vision for software-defined vehicles?"

• "How do you approach collaborating with design and product management teams to ensure prototypes align with user needs and business goals?"

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: Structure your portfolio presentations as narratives, detailing the problem, your approach, the solution (prototype), and the impact or learnings.

• Technical Depth: Be ready to discuss the technical architecture, code choices, and specific challenges overcome in your projects.

• Process Focus: Clearly articulate your prototyping methodology, how you incorporated feedback, and how you made decisions.

• Visual Aids: Use demos, screenshots, or diagrams to showcase the prototypes effectively.

• Connect to GM: Where possible, draw parallels between your past work and the potential impact on GM's future products.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should prepare specific examples that showcase their full-stack development skills, leadership capabilities, and experience in rapid prototyping. Being able to articulate their process and the value derived from their work will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Experience Prototyping Engineering Lead position:

• Submit your application through the General Motors Careers portal via the provided URL.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 7+ years of full-stack development experience (specifically mentioning ReactJS, Python, Node/Next.js, Android Kotlin/Jetpack Compose) and 2+ years of leadership experience. Emphasize achievements in rapid prototyping, innovation, and cross-functional collaboration using strong action verbs and quantifiable results.

• Portfolio Curatiion: Select 2-3 key projects that best demonstrate your full-stack capabilities, leadership, and experience in building prototypes. Prepare to discuss your process, technical decisions, and the insights gained from these projects in detail.

• Interview Preparation: Review common interview questions for engineering leadership and product prototyping roles. Practice articulating your approach to technical challenges, team leadership, and stakeholder management. Be ready to discuss your understanding of GM's strategic direction in software-defined vehicles.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with General Motors' mission, vision (Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions, Zero Congestion), and recent advancements in electric and autonomous vehicle technology, particularly their software initiatives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details, including specific benefits, team structure, and interview processes, should be verified directly with General Motors during the application and interview stages. This role is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.