Senior Motion Planning Engineer – Trajectory Optimization

Jobtailor; Missouri; On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking an experienced Robotics Software Engineer in Missouri to design and optimize motion planning and behavior planning for autonomous trucks. You will implement trajectory generation, optimization, and validation across SiL/HiL/ViL environments, collaborating with Safety, Controls, Perception, and Validation teams to ensure safe, reliable autonomy.

The role emphasizes production‑quality C++ development, cross‑functional teamwork, and mentoring junior engineers in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field with 5+ years of industry experience; OR Master’s with 3+ years; OR PhD with 1+ year.
• Strong proficiency in modern C++ development within Linux environments.
• Experience developing robotics, autonomous vehicle, ADAS, or other real‑time software systems.
• Strong experience developing motion planning, trajectory generation, trajectory optimization, behavior planning, or decision‑making systems for robotics or autonomous systems.
• Solid understanding of vehicle dynamics, vehicle kinematics, trajectory feasibility, and planning system architecture.
• Strong foundation in linear algebra, numerical optimization, geometry, and robotics algorithms.
• Strong understanding of software engineering fundamentals, system design principles, and scalable development practices.
• Experience across full software development lifecycle from design to deployment and support.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize motion planning algorithms including trajectory generation, trajectory selection, behavior planning, and optimization‑based planning for autonomous trucks.
• Develop planning solutions using graph search, sampling‑based planning, optimization, spline/B‑spline trajectories, convex optimization, and Frenet‑frame approaches.
• Incorporate vehicle dynamics into planning for safe, feasible vehicle behavior.
• Develop production‑quality software in modern C++ on Linux while following quality, safety, testing, and deployment practices.
• Participate in software architecture discussions and contribute to scalable autonomy systems.

Skills

Motion Planning

Trajectory Generation

Behavior Planning

Modern C++

Problem-Solving

Collaboration

Communication

Mentoring

Robotics Algorithms

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Robotics/EE

Master’s degree

PhD

Tools

Linux Environment

SiL/HiL/ViL

Simulation Tools

Job description

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize motion planning algorithms including trajectory generation, trajectory selection, behavior planning, and optimization‑based planning approaches for autonomous trucks.
• Develop planning solutions leveraging techniques such as graph search, sampling‑based planning, optimization‑based planning, spline/B‑spline trajectories, convex optimization, and Frenet‑frame approaches.
• Incorporate vehicle kinematic and dynamic constraints into planning systems to ensure safe, feasible, and comfortable vehicle behavior.
• Develop production‑quality software using modern C++ within a Linux environment while adhering to quality, safety, testing, and deployment best practices.
• Participate in software architecture discussions and contribute to technical designs that support scalable and maintainable autonomy systems.
• Develop and execute validation strategies across Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SiL), Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HiL), and Vehicle‑in‑the‑Loop (ViL) environments.
• Collaborate closely with Safety, Controls, Perception, Validation, and Simulation teams to develop safe and reliable autonomous driving behaviors.
• Investigate and debug vehicle behavior by reproducing issues in simulation, analyzing system performance, and implementing software improvements.
• Support vehicle integration, deployment activities, and post‑deployment investigations to ensure reliable autonomy performance.
• Participate in technical design reviews, code reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives across the Behaviors organization.
• Mentor junior engineers through collaboration, technical guidance, and knowledge sharing.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field with 5+ years of industry experience; OR Master’s degree with 3+ years of experience; OR PhD with 1+ years of experience.
• Strong proficiency in modern C++ development within Linux‑based environments.
• Experience developing robotics, autonomous vehicle, ADAS, or other complex real‑time software systems.
• Strong experience developing motion planning, trajectory generation, trajectory optimization, behavior planning, or decision‑making systems for robotics or autonomous systems.
• Solid understanding of vehicle dynamics, vehicle kinematics, trajectory feasibility, and planning system architecture.
• Strong foundation in linear algebra, numerical optimization, geometry, and robotics algorithms.
• Strong understanding of software engineering fundamentals, system design principles, and scalable development practices.
• Experience working across the full software development lifecycle, from design and implementation through validation, deployment, and operational support.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to debug complex system‑level issues.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills within cross‑functional engineering teams.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a highly collaborative environment.

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in motion planning algorithms, including trajectory generation and optimization, while developing production‑quality software in modern C++ within Linux environments. Strong understanding of vehicle dynamics and kinematics, along with experience in collaborative, cross‑functional engineering teams.

Highest‑signal resume keywords

• Modern C++ Development
• Motion Planning Algorithms
• Trajectory Optimization
• Vehicle Dynamics
• Robotics Algorithms

Hard Skills

• Motion Planning
• Trajectory Generation
• Behavior Planning
• Convex Optimization
• Graph Search Techniques
• Sampling‑Based Planning
• Software Development Lifecycle
• Numerical Optimization
• Linear Algebra
• System Design Principles

Soft Skills

• Problem‑Solving
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Mentoring
• Technical Guidance

Industry Keywords

• Autonomous Vehicles
• ADAS
• Real‑Time Software Systems
• Vehicle Integration
• Safety Standards

Tools & Technologies

• Linux Environment
• Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SiL)
• Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HiL)
• Vehicle‑in‑the‑Loop (ViL)
• Simulation Tools