Senior Motion Planning Engineer

Mission Summary

We are seeking a Senior Motion Planning Engineer to join our Autonomy team. In this role, you'll apply your expertise in mobile robots (in uncertain environments) and software development to advance autonomous vehicle technology. 

The Senior Engineer will conduct research, develop cutting-edge algorithms, and create software systems that generate safe, efficient, and intuitive motion plans for autonomous systems. This is an opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of autonomous mobility through innovative solutions and robust engineering.

What you’ll be doing: 

• Conduct research and develop algorithms focused on motion planning for autonomous driving, including search-based methods, geometry-based techniques, and decision-making under uncertainty.
• Explore and integrate a combination of motion planning and prediction algorithms to enhance vehicle autonomy.
• Design and build scalable and maintainable codebases that support the rapid evaluation and comparison of various motion planning approaches and algorithms.
• Track record of driving research projects from start to completion, including conception, problem definition, experimentation, iteration, and finally publication or productization
• Dive into data to understand behaviors of road users such as cars, bikes, and pedestrians
• Develop probabilistic models to predict how other road users may move and interact with our car, and evaluate their performance on real-world and simulated data sets
• Translate generated algorithms into production-level code
• Collaborate with teams working on perception, prediction, trajectory optimization, and control systems to ensure seamless integration and end-to-end performance.
• Provide mentorship and guidance to team members, helping cultivate a strong foundation in both research and engineering.

What We're Looking For:

• Master's, or PhD degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in mobile robotics and motion planning research, including contributions to academic publications or industry innovations.
• Experience with probabilistic models and uncertainty in data 
• 5+ years of experience in software development (C++ or Python) with a strong understanding of algorithms and design (eagerness to learn and work with modern C++ daily) 
• Proven ability to own and drive technical projects from research and problem formulation stage through to implementation and deployment.
• A passion for learning, staying up-to-date with advancements in the field, and continuously improving systems and methodologies.

Bonus Points: 

• Experience or familiarity with Gaussian (mixture) models, Bayesian modeling techniques, or decision trees 

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors including but not limited to specific skills, experience and expertise, role location, certifications, licenses, and business needs. The estimated compensation range listed in this job posting reflects base salary only. This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process. 

Candidates for certain positions are eligible to participate in Motional’s benefits program. Motional’s benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401k with a company match, health saving accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more.

Salary Range$146,000—$225,000 USD

Motional is a driverless technology company making autonomous vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality. We’re driven by something more.

Our journey is always people first.

We aren't just developing driverless cars; we're creating safer roadways, more equitable transportation options, and making our communities better places to live, work, and connect. Our team is made up of engineers, researchers, innovators, dreamers and doers, who are creating a technology with the potential to transform the way we move.

Higher purpose, greater impact.

We’re creating first-of-its-kind technology that will transform transportation. To do so successfully, we must design for everyone in our cities and on our roads. We believe in building a great place to work through a progressive, global culture that is diverse, inclusive, and ensures people feel valued at every level of the organization. Diversity helps us to see the world d