Software Engineer, Map Fusion & Planning

DiDi; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 141,000 - 282,000; Full time

Job summary

DiDi Autonomous Driving seeks a Software Engineer/Senior Software Engineer to advance map fusion, perception integration, and motion planning for autonomous vehicles. You’ll bridge semantic HD maps with real-time perception to generate safe, efficient trajectories.

The role emphasizes scalable software infrastructure, advanced geometry and deep learning techniques, and end-to-end model deployment from training to production, with a focus on performance and safety.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years (Software Engineer) / 5+ years (Senior) in autonomous driving, robotics, or spatial computing.
• Proficient in production-grade C++ and Python prototyping.
• Strong knowledge of path planning and motion planning fundamentals.

Responsibilities

• Architect data flow pipelines and APIs for map fusion, real-time map vectorization, and planning modules.
• Design and deploy frameworks integrating offline HD maps with online perception data.
• Develop BEV map element generation using DETR-style networks and vector decoding.
• Own end-to-end deployment pipelines for deep learning mapping models (Python training to ONNX/TensorRT).

Skills

C++ (Modern C++14/17/20)

Python prototyping

ROS2

DDS middleware

Education

B.S./M.S./Ph.D. in CS/Robotics/EE

Tools

HD map formats (Lanelet2/OpenDRIVE)

ONNX export / TensorRT deployment

Trajectory optimization (MPC/QP)

Job description

About The Company

DiDi's autonomous driving unit was established in 2016 with the mission of developing Level 4 autonomous driving (AD) technology to make transportation safer and more efficient. In August 2019, the unit became an independent company, DiDi Autonomous Driving, dedicated to advanced AD R&D, product application, and business expansion. We believe integrating AD technology into a shared-mobility fleet will generate immense social value. By leveraging DiDi's specialized technology, operational expertise, and integrated ecosystem, we are positioned to build and operate a highly efficient, user-oriented autonomous fleet.

About The Role

We are seeking a Software Engineer / Senior Software Engineer to develop the next-generation map fusion and motion planning systems for our autonomous vehicles. In this role, you will bridge the gap between semantic HD maps, real-time sensor perception, and vehicle trajectory generation. You will design scalable software infrastructure, implement advanced geometric and deep learning frameworks, and develop the planning algorithms that enable our vehicles to navigate complex, dynamic environments safely and predictably.

Responsibilities

• System Architecture: Architect the data flow pipelines and APIs for map fusion, real-time map vectorization, and behavior/motion planning modules.
• Algorithm Deployment: Design and deploy robust software frameworks that integrate offline High-Definition (HD) maps with online perception data to create a unified local environment model.
• Advanced Mapping Networks: Implement and optimize state-of-the-art networks utilizing DETR-style, query-based vector decoding in bird's-eye-view (BEV) for online map element generation.
• Motion Planning & Optimization: Design, implement, and validate core motion planning algorithms, establishing a tight feedback loop between vectorized map features, path generation, and trajectory optimization.
• Model Deployment Pipelines: Own the end-to-end deployment pipeline for deep learning mapping models—from Python-based training and ONNX optimization to highly efficient runtime execution in C++.
• Safety & Anomaly Detection: Develop real-time map anomaly and scene-change detection algorithms to ensure planning system reliability under varying or outdated map conditions.
• Performance Optimization: Optimize system latency, CPU/GPU memory footprint, and multi-threaded execution of safety-critical C++ modules.

Qualifications

• Education: B.S./M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 3+ years (Software Engineer) / 5+ years (Senior Software Engineer) of experience in autonomous driving, robotics architecture, or spatial computing.
• Software Mastery: Expert proficiency in production-grade C++ (Modern C++14/17/20, multi-threading, memory management) and strong prototyping proficiency in Python.
• Motion Planning Fundamentals: Robust foundational knowledge in path planning (e.g., A*, Dijkstra, Hybrid A*, sampling-based planners like RRT*) and kinematic/dynamic vehicle models.
• Robotics Core: Deep understanding of robotics fundamentals, including coordinate transformations, spatial geometry, and state estimation.
• System Design: Strong system design skills with a solid understanding of middleware (e.g., ROS2, DDS) and distributed software architectures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Trajectory Optimization: Hands-on experience with numerical trajectory optimization methods (e.g., MPC, QP/Nonlinear optimization, interior-point methods) and optimization solvers (e.g., OSQP, Ipopt, Ceres Solver).
• Advanced Mapping Experience: Hands-on experience working with HD map formats (Lanelet2, OpenDRIVE) and modern end-to-end learning frameworks (e.g., MapTR, VectorNet) that leverage query-based BEV perception.
• Deep Learning Runtime & Deployment: Proven track record of exporting complex deep learning architectures via ONNX and deploying them into real-time C++ production environments using TensorRT.
• Anomaly Detection: Proven track record of developing algorithms for map anomaly detection, sensor-to-map misalignments, or online scene-change identification.
• Safety-Critical Systems: Knowledge of real-time operating systems (RTOS), deterministic software execution, and safety-critical software design principles.

The base salary range for the Software Engineer position is $141,463-$235,182 annually, and for the Senior Software Engineer position is $169,783-$282,264 annually, in addition to bonus, equity, and benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by the role, level, and location. Within the applicable range, individual compensation is based on the work location as well as other factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education and training.

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