Autonomy Engineer - Perception Optimization

May Mobility; United States; Remote; USD 175,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading autonomous vehicle firm is seeking a Senior Engineer to join its perception team. This role focuses on enhancing on-vehicle perception capabilities for autonomous driving, requiring expertise in C++, Python, and GPU optimization. The ideal candidate will have a Master's or PhD and extensive experience in machine learning and perception algorithms. Competitive salary range is $175,000 - $215,000 USD, along with comprehensive benefits.

Benefits

Comprehensive healthcare

Rich retirement benefits

Flexible vacation policy

Qualifications

• 3+ years in senior engineering roles involving GPU programming and optimization.
• Experience optimizing ML models for runtime efficiency.
• Expertise in ML model inference optimization.

Responsibilities

• Define software and system requirements with cross-functional teams.
• Integrate perception algorithms with vehicle software.
• Test and validate algorithms in real-world environments.

Skills

C++ programming

Python programming

GPU programming

Machine learning model optimization

Data processing

Education

Master’s or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

CUDA

Linux

ROS

Job description

Anywhere

May Mobility is transforming cities through autonomous technology to create a safer, greener, more accessible world. Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, May develops and deploys autonomous vehicles (AVs) powered by our Multi-Policy Decision Making (MPDM) technology that reimagines the way AVs think. Our vehicles provide value to communities, bridge public transit gaps and move people safely and with more ease. We’re building the world’s best autonomy system to reimagine transit and foster greener, more livable spaces. Since 2017, we’ve provided autonomy-enabled rides globally and we’re expanding our team to solve real-world problems.

Job Summary

May Mobility is expanding its first-of-its-kind autonomous shuttle and mobility services across the nation. We are seeking an experienced Senior Engineer or above with deep expertise in perception systems, machine learning, and GPU optimization to join our perception team and enhance on-vehicle perception capabilities for real-time autonomous driving.

Responsibilities

• Work with cross-functional teams to define software and system requirements, analyze trade-offs, and shape future compute platforms.
• Integrate perception algorithms and ML models with vehicle hardware and software to support autonomous driving.
• Collaborate with ML infrastructure teams to develop distributed training infrastructure, automate deployment pipelines, and improve system reliability and performance.
• Test and validate perception algorithms in simulated and real-world environments to ensure robustness and safety.
• Develop and optimize perception stack software using CUDA and GPU programming to accelerate intensive tasks.
• Optimize ML models for runtime efficiency and scalability across GPU, TPU, and CPU architectures for multiple vehicle platforms.
• Stay current with ML, GPU programming, and autonomous driving advancements and incorporate them into development processes.
• Participate in feature design, code reviews, debugging, and issue resolution to improve perception software performance.

Skills and Abilities

• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python with deep software optimization knowledge.
• Experience optimizing ML models for resource-constrained inference, including pruning, quantization, and distillation.
• Expertise in GPU programming (CUDA) for high-performance computing and parallel processing.
• Proficiency in model-platform co-optimization across GPU, TPU, and CPU architectures.
• Hands-on experience with real-time data processing and advanced optimization techniques.
• Background in ML model inference optimization balancing accuracy and latency for real-time apps.
• Familiarity with ML frameworks and libraries for perception tasks.
• Problem-solving skills with a detail-oriented approach and rigorous testing mindset for reliability.

Qualifications and Experience

• Required: Master’s or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field with strong mathematical foundations.
• 3+ years in senior engineering roles involving GPU programming/optimization using CUDA for perception algorithms.
• Proficiency in C/C++/Python and Linux software development.
• Strong experience with GPU programming, CUDA, and real-time data processing.
• Experience optimizing ML models for runtime efficiency and 3D computer vision/point cloud processing.
• Expertise in ML/DL model optimization for real-time applications on limited compute resources.
• Contributions to deployed robotic systems with perception evaluation and testing.
• Experience with ROS (Robot Operating System) and knowledge of vehicle dynamics and control systems.
• Experience deploying ML models efficiently on embedded hardware; familiarity with TPUs/FPGA is a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Standard office working conditions.
• Prolonged sitting, standing, and computer use.

Benefits

• Comprehensive healthcare (medical, dental, vision, life, disability); domestic partners eligible.
• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts available.
• Rich retirement benefits with immediately vested employer match.
• Generous parental leave and phased return to work.
• Flexible vacation policy and paid company holidays.
• Total Wellness Program resources for wellbeing.

Salary Range

$175,000 - $215,000 USD

May Mobility is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, genetics, or any other legally protected basis. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.