Senior Software Engineer, Behavior Prediction- Planning

Kodiak; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation package

Medical, Dental, and Vision plans

Flexible PTO

Dog-friendly office

Free catered lunch

Fully stocked kitchen

Free EV charging

Job summary

Kodiak in Mountain View, CA is seeking a Senior Software Engineer focused on enhancing behavior prediction for autonomous driving systems. The role involves working closely with planning and ML engineers to improve prediction quality and integrate models effectively.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience in vehicle prediction and software engineering skills in C++. The position offers a competitive compensation package, excellent health plans, flexible PTO, and unique office perks such as free catered lunch and EV charging.

Qualifications

• Strong experience in behavior prediction or related autonomous vehicle prediction problems.
• Proficiency in C++, Python is a plus.
• Experience with planning systems.

Responsibilities

• Own prediction improvements within the Planning team.
• Improve prediction-planning interfaces.
• Lead technical projects and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Behavior prediction

Trajectory prediction

C++

Python

Collaboration skills

Data analysis

Job description

Senior Software Engineer, Behavior Prediction- Planning

Mountain View, CA

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company develops an artificial intelligence‑powered technology stack purpose‑built for commercial trucking and the public sector, delivering freight daily across the southern United States and deploying autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

We are looking for a Senior Software Engineer to improve behavior prediction for autonomous driving. In this role you will work on how our autonomy system predicts the behavior, intent, and future motion of other road users, and how those predictions are used by the planning system to make safe, comfortable, and effective decisions.

This role is ideal for someone with deep experience in autonomous vehicle prediction, trajectory prediction, behavior modeling, or actor intent understanding. You will work closely with Planning and ML engineers to improve prediction quality, model integration, evaluation, and downstream planning behavior.

Through this high‑impact role you will improve prediction using the most effective approach for the problem, whether that means improving heuristic prediction logic, collaborating on learned prediction models, refining prediction‑planning interfaces, or changing how Planning consumes prediction outputs.

In this role, you will:

• Own prediction improvements within the Planning team—advance prediction models and collaborate closely with ML teams on learned prediction models, model outputs, uncertainty, and failure modes.
• Improve prediction‑planning interfaces, including confidence, uncertainty, intent representation, and fallback behavior.
• Collaborate on projects that improve planning behavior in scenarios where actor intent is uncertain or changing.
• Define metrics and evaluation frameworks for prediction quality as it relates to planning behavior; analyze prediction‑related planning failures using logs, simulation, metrics, and scenario‑based evaluation.
• Lead technical projects and mentor junior engineers.

What you’ll bring:

• Strong experience with behavior prediction, trajectory prediction, actor intent modeling, or related autonomous vehicle prediction problems.
• Strong software engineering skills with proficiency in C++. Python proficiency is a plus.
• Experience working with planning systems and understanding how prediction impacts planning, safety, comfort, and system behavior.
• Ability to analyze complex autonomy failures using logs, metrics, and simulation.
• Strong collaboration skills across Perception, Planning, ML, Simulation, and Systems teams.
• Strong system‑level judgment around prediction uncertainty, safety, and deployment and ability to reason across heuristic, learned, and hybrid prediction approaches.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses.
• Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits).
• MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance.
• Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies.
• Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA.
• Office perks: dog‑friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging.
• Well‑being benefits – Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation).
• Fidelity 401(k).
• Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA.

At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates who can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.