Planning - Technical Lead

applied; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 231,295 - 300,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, vision insurance

401k retirement benefits with employer match

Learning and wellness stipends

Job summary

Applied Intuition in Sunnyvale, California is seeking a Technical Lead for Motion Planning. In this role, you will guide the development of motion planning modules for autonomous vehicles, mentor engineers, and ensure software quality and performance under strict timing constraints.

Join Applied Intuition to drive autonomy technology at scale and collaborate with cross-functional teams. The position offers a competitive salary range of $231,295 - $300,500 annually along with benefits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in production software teams focused on planning algorithms for autonomous vehicles.
• Proven ability to lead technical projects end-to-end and mentor junior engineers.
• Familiarity with safety-critical software development and automotive industry standards is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Guide development of sophisticated motion planning modules for autonomous vehicles.
• Mentor engineers and set technical direction for projects.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to drive autonomy technology.

Skills

Leadership and mentorship

Modern C++ proficiency

Problem-solving

Performance-critical software experience

Communication skills

Education

BS in Computer Science, Robotics, Applied Mathematics, or related field

Job description

About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments.

About the Role

As a Technical Lead for Motion Planning, you will guide the development of sophisticated motion planning modules for autonomous vehicles. You will lead efforts to design, implement, and deploy high-performance, kinematically-feasible planning algorithms that operate under strict timing constraints in diverse operational environments.

In this role, you will mentor engineers, set technical direction, ensure software quality, and partner with customers to understand requirements and deliver impactful solutions. You will collaborate cross-functionally and drive best practices to accelerate autonomy technology at scale.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Lead and mentor a team of software engineers focused on onroad behavior software and motion planning for autonomous navigation
• Develop state-of-the-art onroad behavior software and leverage ML components to achieve highway and city driving
• Leverage lightweight map data (SD maps) and the outputs of a perception system to determine driving costs to use for planning
• Architect and oversee the implementation of planning modules that integrate perception outputs, predictions, and lightweight map data for dynamic path planning
• Ensure deployment readiness by establishing testing protocols and validation on production hardware and real-world road conditions, partnering with evaluation and vehicle teams
• Collaborate directly with customer engineering teams, managing technical relationships to align deliverables with their autonomy goals
• Drive continuous improvement in software practices, performance optimization, and innovation within the planning domain
• Contribute technical leadership to internal project planning, prioritization, and roadmap development

We're looking for someone who has:

• BS in Computer Science, Robotics, Applied Mathematics, or related engineering field with focus on planning
• 5+ years of experience building and leading production software teams, specifically in planning algorithms for autonomous vehicles
• Proven ability to lead technical projects end-to-end and mentor junior engineers
• Fluency in modern C++ and experience with performance-critical software
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to deliver practical, scalable solutions in fast-paced environments
• Excellent communication skills for both technical leadership and customer-facing interactions

Nice to have:

• Advanced degree (MSc or PhD) in Computer Science, Robotics, Applied Mathematics, or related engineering field with focus on planning
• Experience with safety-critical software development and automotive industry standards
• Hands-on experience testing planning systems on autonomous vehicles
• Familiarity with machine learning applications in motion planning, combining traditional approaches with the state of the art

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $231,295 - $300,500 USD annually.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.