Autonomous Off-Road Motion Planning Engineer

Foundation; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Vision and dental

401(k) plan

Job summary

Foundation is developing the future of general purpose robotics and electric mobility with the goal to save lives and augment human labor. We are hiring extraordinary engineers to join our team.

Your robotics experience isn’t a prerequisite—it's your talent and determination that truly count. The role emphasizes motion planning, system integration, and real-world testing for autonomous off-road ATVs in commercial and defense contexts.

Qualifications

• Strong background in robotics, controls, or related fields (MSc or equivalent experience).
• Bachelor’s Degree or Master’s Degree candidate in Computer Science, Math, Electrical.
• Hands‑on experience with motion planning algorithms.
• Proficiency in ROS2, C++, Python, internal middleware, and point cloud / occupancy representations, map / cost representations.
• Solid grasp of vehicle dynamics and path‑following control.
• Comfort with real-world testing and debugging on robotic platforms.
• Experience integrating autonomy stacks on real robotic vehicles (not just simulation).
• Strong problem‑solving skills with a bias toward practical, field-ready solutions over theory.
• Understanding of ADAS/AD systems and vehicle dynamics is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Set short and long term direction for planning architecture and priorities.
• Design and implement motion planning algorithms for off-road ATV navigation.
• Integrate waypoints, obstacle avoidance, and terrain constraints into safe, drivable paths.
• Tune and validate control parameters for robust performance on rough, off-road terrain.
• Design test scenarios and evaluate planning algorithms in both simulation and field environments.
• Set real-time replanning policies and continuity rules so behavior remains stable as conditions change.
• Generate speed profiles from curvature, visibility, slope, and surface quality; respect slow/no-go zones and grade limits.
• Collaborate with vehicle engineering to create an integrated system, including sensor/compute selection and integration.
• Implement state-of-the-art approaches to trajectory planning, route planning, and real-time control.

Skills

Robotics basics

ROS2

C++

Python

Path planning

Vehicle dynamics

Problem solving

Education

BS/MS in CS/Math/EE

Job description

Foundation is developing the future of general purpose robotics and electric mobility with the goal to save lives and augment human labor. We are hiring extraordinary engineers to join our team.

Your robotics experience isn’t a prerequisite—it's your talent and determination that truly count. The role emphasizes motion planning, system integration, and real-world testing for autonomous off-road ATVs in commercial and defense contexts.