Software Engineer, Planning & Controls - Autonomy & Robotics, DoorDash Air

DoorDash; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 198,600 - 292,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with employer matching

Paid parental leave

Wellness benefits

Commuter benefits match

Job summary

DoorDash Labs is seeking a Planning & Controls Engineer for the Autonomy Software team to advance drone delivery capabilities.

You will own flight control and motion planning algorithms, design controllers in C++ for embedded platforms, and validate them through flight tests and simulations.

This role requires deep background in controls, dynamics, and robotics, with experience in state estimation and MPC. The role offers a competitive salary, equity grants, and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• MS/PhD in EE, ME, CS, Robotics, or related technical field.
• Strong C++ and embedded systems knowledge.
• Deep understanding of controls, stability analysis, and controller tuning.
• Experience building robot control stacks end-to-end from design to hardware testing.
• Experience with flight controllers and state estimation integration.
• Familiarity with PX4 internals is a nice‑to‑have.

Responsibilities

• Own and develop flight control, motion planning, and mission planning algorithms for multi-rotor drone delivery.
• Design controllers and implement them in C++ on embedded platforms, test in flight.
• Develop and tune low-level flight control for multirotor and hybrid aircraft on embedded platforms.
• Own the dynamics simulation and aerodynamics modeling of the aircraft.
• Bring up and tune flight controllers on new drone platforms.
• Develop, tune, and test fault-tolerant control for motor loss and emergency behaviors.
• Build a trajectory motion planner for smooth flight and obstacle avoidance.
• Help develop the high-level mission route planner with fallback locations.

Skills

Controls fundamentals

C++

Embedded systems

Flight control

Motion planning algorithms

State estimation integration

Dynamics modeling

A*/D*/RRT variants

MPC

Open-source robotics contributions

Education

MS/PhD in EE/ME/CS/Robotics or related field

Tools

PX4

Embedded platforms

Job description

Overview

DoorDash Labs is an independent team within DoorDash that explores robotics and automation to transform last mile logistics. We are hiring a Planning & Controls Engineer in our Autonomy Software team.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and develop flight control, motion planning, and mission planning algorithms for robust, fault-tolerant drone delivery.
• Design controllers and implement them in C++ on embedded platforms, test in flight, and iterate.
• Develop and tune low-level flight control algorithms for overactuated multirotor and hybrid aircraft on embedded platforms.
• Own the dynamics simulation and aerodynamics modeling of the aircraft.
• Bring up and tune flight controllers on new drone platforms.
• Develop, tune, and test fault-tolerant control (loss of one or more motors, safe landing, emergency behaviors).
• Build a trajectory motion planner for smooth flight and obstacle avoidance within the operating envelope.
• Help develop the high-level mission route planner with fallback locations.

Qualifications

• Deep controls fundamentals: linear and nonlinear systems, stability analysis, controller synthesis and tuning, frequency domain analysis, optimization, and linear algebra.
• Excellent knowledge of C++ and embedded systems.
• Dynamics modeling and simulation experience with aerodynamics knowledge.
• Experience developing and tuning flight controllers, interfacing with state estimation.
• Excellent knowledge of motion planning algorithms (trajectory optimization, nonlinear optimization, A*/D*/RRT variants).
• Experience with sensorless brushless DC motor control.
• Built or owned a robot control stack end‑to‑end, from design through implementation to hardware testing.
• MS/PhD degree in EE, ME, CS, Robotics, or related technical field.
• Nice to have:
  • Familiarity with PX4 internals (mixer, rate controller, position controller)
  • Experience with hybrid VTOL transition control
  • Experience with tethered or suspended payload dynamics
  • Contributions to open‑source flight stacks or robotics frameworks
  • Published papers in controls, motion planning, or aerial robotics
  • Experience developing a Model Predictive Controller (MPC), including formulation, solver, and deployment

Compensation & Benefits

Starting pay falls within the range $198,600—$292,000 USD, with equity grants. Base salary is localized to the employee’s work location and may be modified in the future.

Benefits include a 401(k) plan with employer matching, 16 weeks of paid parental leave, wellness benefits, commuter benefits match, paid time off and paid sick leave, medical, dental, vision, 11 paid holidays, disability and basic life insurance, family‑forming assistance, and a mental health program.

Paid Time Off details: For salaried roles: flexible PTO/vacation, plus 80 hours of paid sick time per year. For hourly roles: vacation accrues at about 1 hour for every 25.97 hours worked; paid sick time accrues at 1 hour for every 30 hours worked.

EEO Statement

Statement of Non‑Discrimination: In keeping with our beliefs and goals, no employee or applicant will face discrimination or harassment based on race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, age, gender, marital/domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability status, or veteran status. Above and beyond discrimination and harassment based on “protected categories,” we also strive to prevent other subtler forms of inappropriate behavior (i.e., stereotyping) from ever gaining a foothold in our office. Whether blatant or hidden, barriers to success have no place at DoorDash. We value a diverse workforce – people who identify as women, non-binary or gender non‑conforming, LGBTQIA+, American Indian or Native Alaskan, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, differently‑abled, caretakers and parents, and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.

If you need any accommodations, please inform your recruiting contact upon initial connection.