Senior Motion Planning Engineer - Trajectory Generation

Motional AD Inc.; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 172,000 - 229,000; Full time

Job summary

Motional AD Inc. is looking for an experienced software engineer to advance production‑ready autonomous vehicle technologies. You will contribute to motion planning, trajectory optimization, and onboard control algorithms on a hybrid in‑office/remote basis in the US.

Proven expertise in C++ and MPC is required, with Python as a bonus. You will collaborate with ML decision/behavior planning teams, participate in design reviews, and help shape long‑term roadmaps while mentoring junior engineers.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of C++ software development.
• Degree in Robotics/CS/EE preferred.
• Experience with MPC, motion planning, and simulation environments.

Responsibilities

• Understand and explain trade-offs and complex concepts to peers and leaders to drive decisions.
• Collaborate with ML decision/behavior planning, prediction, and vehicle control teams to build integrated solutions.
• Create project proposals that drive long‑term technical roadmaps across subsystems.
• Mentor junior engineers to foster product‑focused engineering and development.

Skills

C++

Model Predictive Control (MPC)

Motion planning

Python (bonus)

Education

Bachelors/Masters/PhD in Robotics/CS/EE

Tools

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
• Provide 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:

• Understand and explain trade‑offs and 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.
• Create 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.

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors including but not limited to specific skills, experience and expertise, role location, certifications, licenses, and business needs. The estimated compensation range listed in this job posting reflects base salary only. This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

Salary Range

$172,000 — $229,000 USD

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.

Candidates for certain positions are eligible to participate in Motional’s benefits program. 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.