Engineer/Senior Engineer - Perception Capabilities

Motional; United States; On-site; USD 136,500 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

401k with company match

Health savings accounts

Life insurance

Pet insurance

Job summary

Motional is seeking an engineer to contribute to the perception stack for self-driving vehicles. The ideal candidate will have a Master's or Ph.D. in a relevant field and solid experience with deep learning and computer vision. Responsibilities include designing perception components, analyzing system performance, and collaborating with teammates to solve technical challenges. Competitive salary range is $136,500 to $225,000, with additional compensation options and extensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in a relevant field or equivalent industry experience.
• Solid understanding of deep learning and computer vision.
• Experience building, training, or evaluating neural networks.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design and improvement of perception components.
• Analyze system performance and participate in improvement efforts.
• Explore creative solutions to long-tail challenges.

Skills

Deep learning concepts

Computer vision techniques

Python

Version control

Clear communication skills

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Robotics

Tools

PyTorch

C++

Job description

You’re an engineer who is excited to work on cutting-edge software products and solutions using state-of-the-art computer vision and deep learning. You have a solid foundation in areas like detection, classification, segmentation, or tracking—whether through previous roles, internships, or research—and you’re eager to apply those skills in an impactful, production-focused environment.

You’re curious, motivated, and ready to learn from experienced teammates. You enjoy solving challenging technical problems, asking thoughtful questions, and collaborating with others to build high-quality software.

You’re excited about contributing to the perception stack for self-driving vehicles and learning what it means to build technology for safety-critical, open-world applications.

What you’ll be doing:

• Contribute to the design, development, and improvement of perception components that support downstream modules within the autonomy system.
• Help analyze perception system performance to identify areas for improvement and participate in efforts to address them.
• Work with teammates to explore creative approaches to “long-tail” challenges—for example, experimenting with synthetic data, data mining techniques, or new model architectures.
• Depending on your background and interests, you may also help optimize and deploy models to the vehicle, ensuring they operate within the constraints of our onboard hardware and meet our functional requirements and interface specifications.
• Interface with systems and safety engineers, test engineers, and data analysts to ensure appropriate requirements, test coverage, and performance metrics.

What We’re Looking for:

• Master's or Ph.D. in Machine Learning, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field; or equivalent industry experience
• Solid understanding of fundamental deep learning concepts and computer vision techniques
• Experience building, training, or evaluating neural networks
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with libraries like PyTorch or similar
• Exposure to software engineering fundamentals—version control, code reviews, testing, and collaborative development
• Clear communication skills and willingness to ask questions, share ideas, and work with others

Bonus Points:

• Previous experience with sensor fusion and/or previous exposure to the AV industry
• Experience shipping a “real” product and balancing ongoing support with next-generation innovation
• Exposure to safety-critical products or components
• Strong programming skills in C++ and/or CUDA programming
• Experience with TensorRT and model quantization

The salary range for this role is an estimated base salary of $136,500 USD to $225,000 USD. The role may also include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. Candidates may be eligible to participate in Motional’s benefits program, which includes medical, dental, vision, 401k with company match, health savings accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more.

Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E-Verify. All newly-hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.