Drone Autonomy: Planning & Controls Engineer

DoorDash ANZ; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 199,000 - 292,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

401(k) with employer matching

Paid parental leave

Job summary

DoorDash Labs is an independent team within DoorDash focused on robotics and automation for last mile logistics. We are hiring a Planning & Controls Engineer to own flight control, motion planning, and mission planning algorithms for robust drone delivery.

The role involves designing controllers, implementing them in C++ on embedded platforms, testing in flight, and iterating. A hands-on opportunity on a small team with cutting-edge autonomy work.

Qualifications

• Deep controls fundamentals: linear/nonlinear systems, stability analysis, controller tuning.
• Excellent knowledge of C++ and embedded systems.
• Dynamics modeling and simulation with aerodynamics knowledge.
• Experience developing and tuning flight controllers interfacing with state estimation.
• Motion planning algorithms knowledge: trajectory optimization, A*/D*/RRT.
• Experience with sensorless brushless DC motor control.
• Built or owned a robot control stack end-to-end.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop flight control, motion planning, and mission planning algorithms for robust drone delivery.
• Design controllers and implement in C++ on embedded platforms.
• Test in flight and iterate on controllers.
• Develop, tune, and test fault-tolerant control strategies.
• Build a trajectory motion planner with obstacle avoidance.
• Support high-level mission route planner with fallback locations.

Skills

Flight control

C++

Embedded systems

Motion planning

Control theory

Education

MS/PhD in EE/ME/CS/Robotics

Tools

PX4

Embedded platforms

Job description

DoorDash Labs is an independent team within DoorDash focused on robotics and automation for last mile logistics. We are hiring a Planning & Controls Engineer to own flight control, motion planning, and mission planning algorithms for robust drone delivery.

The role involves designing controllers, implementing them in C++ on embedded platforms, testing in flight, and iterating. A hands-on opportunity on a small team with cutting-edge autonomy work.