Senior Motion Planning Engineer — Trajectory & MPC (Hybrid)

Motional; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 205,000 - 272,500; Full time

Job summary

Motional is seeking a senior technical leader to drive motion planning and trajectory optimization for production‑ready autonomous vehicles. You will architect scalable software, own critical design decisions, and guide cross‑functional teams in safety‑critical vehicle behavior.

Hybrid work is encouraged with in‑office time at Boston, Pittsburgh, or Las Vegas locations; remote options may be considered. Salary range reflects the US market and a base compensation package.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of production‑grade C++ software development in real‑time or safety‑critical contexts.
• Solid background in robotics, computer science, or related field.
• Proven ownership of large‑scale technical initiatives from problem framing to on‑vehicle deployment.
• Deep experience with motion planning, MPC, and planning under uncertainty.

Responsibilities

• Define long‑term technical strategy for motion planning and trajectory optimization.
• Lead architectural reviews and drive cross‑functional alignment on safety‑critical solutions.
• Develop roadmaps and proposals spanning multiple subsystems.
• Mentor senior and junior engineers to foster product‑focused engineering.

Skills

C++ production

MPC

Motion planning

Real-time

Python

Algorithm design

Education

Robotics/CS/CE degree

Tools

IPOPT

Gurobi

CasADi

OSQP

Job description

Motional is seeking a senior technical leader to drive motion planning and trajectory optimization for production‑ready autonomous vehicles. You will architect scalable software, own critical design decisions, and guide cross‑functional teams in safety‑critical vehicle behavior.

Hybrid work is encouraged with in‑office time at Boston, Pittsburgh, or Las Vegas locations; remote options may be considered. Salary range reflects the US market and a base compensation package.