Senior Motion Planning Engineer - Trajectory Generation

Motional; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 172,000 - 229,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401k with company match

Life insurance

Pet insurance

Job summary

Motional is seeking a C++ Software Developer in Boston to enhance the capabilities of autonomous vehicles. You'll develop algorithms and software that ensure safe vehicle motion and collaborate with teams on machine learning and decision-making processes.

With a focus on mentorship, this role requires 3+ years of C++ experience and a relevant degree. The position offers a hybrid work environment with competitive salary and benefits.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in C++ software development.
• Experience in motion planning and vehicle dynamics.
• Knowledge of optimization solvers is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Drive decisions by explaining complex concepts to peers.
• Collaborate with machine learning and control teams.
• Mentor junior team members in product-focused engineering.

Skills

C++ software development

Motion planning

Robotics

Numerical optimization algorithms

Model Predictive Control (MPC)

Education

Bachelors, Masters, or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering

Tools

Python

IPOPT

Gurobi

Job description

Mission Summary: On our Motion team, you will leverage your expertise in motion planning, robotics, and software development to advance the capabilities of production-ready autonomous vehicles. In this role, you will conduct innovative research, lead design processes, and implement performance‑critical algorithms that enable safe, comfortable, and intuitive autonomous vehicle behaviors across Motional’s fleet of robotaxis. If you are passionate about autonomous driving, thrive on solving challenging optimization problems, and are eager to make a significant impact in a rapidly evolving field, we want to hear from you.

Technical Scope:

• Develop state‑of‑the‑art motion control and trajectory optimization algorithms to ensure safe and comfortable vehicle motion
• Design and build robust and scalable software that enables real on‑road impact by evaluating different control techniques and motion planning algorithms
• Provides high‑quality code and design reviews (C++) based on a deep understanding of the team’s services and technologies
• Leverage modern development toolchains, including testing, simulation, and continuous integration, to enable rapid development cycles

Role responsibilities:

• Understands and explains trade‑offs, complex concepts to peers and leaders to drive decisions
• Collaborate with teams working on ML decision/behavior planning, prediction, and vehicle control to build comprehensive and integrated solutions
• Creates project proposals that drive long‑term technical roadmaps and span multiple sub‑systems
• Mentor junior team members to develop a culture of product‑focused engineering, research, and development

What we're looking for:

• 3+ years of C++ software development
• Bachelors, Masters, or PhD degree preferred in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Experience with Model Predictive Control (MPC), motion planning, planning under uncertainty, vehicle dynamics and control, and simulation environments
• Understanding of numerical optimization algorithms (interior point method, sequential quadratic programming, etc)
• Experience with optimization solvers (IPOPT, Gurobi, etc)
• Past experience owning and leading technical development on features from problem formulation, algorithm design, through implementation
• Knowledge of Python is a bonus

We encourage a hybrid schedule with in‑office time at one of our locations in Boston or Pittsburgh to support collaboration, or this role can be fully remote.

Salary Range: $172,000 – $229,000 USD

Motional’s benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401k with a company match, health saving accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more

EEO statement: 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.