Sr. Staff Engineer, Motion Planning and Controls, Autonomous Driving

Lucid Motors USA, Inc.; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 217,000 - 318,000; Full time

Job summary

Lucid Motors USA, Inc. is seeking a Senior Staff Software Engineer in Newark, CA to advance motion planning and controls for autonomous parking and low-speed autonomy. You will develop trajectory optimization, improve local planners, and scale the planning stack for production.

On-site five days a week. Ideal candidates have 10+ years in autonomous driving, expertise in C/C++, and a track record of delivering ADAS features through the full lifecycle.

Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Robotics, Control, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 10+ years of software development experience in autonomous driving, ADAS, or robotics.
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ with solid understanding of software engineering design principles and best practices.
• Proven track record of delivering ADAS/AD features through the full production lifecycle: requirements analysis, architecture/design, implementation, unit testing, feature tuning, SIL/HIL validation, and in-vehicle deployment.
• Hands-on experience with software integration on embedded platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Xavier/Orin, Infineon Aurix).
• Demonstrated ability to build reliable production-grade systems, including large-scale architectures, evaluation pipelines, and performance-optimized models.
• Leadership experience.

Responsibilities

• Motion Planning & Trajectory Optimization: Develop and enhance trajectory optimization algorithms for low-speed scenarios.
• System Architecture & Performance Optimization: Refactor and scale planning stack for maintainability and extensibility; optimize CPU usage and explore parallel/GPU acceleration.
• Debugging, Validation, and Production Integration: Investigate and resolve real-world issues; validate with simulations and logs; multi-scenario testing.
• Research, Prototyping, and Innovation: Evaluate new planning approaches; prototype ML-driven planning; benchmark for production viability.
• Cross-Team Collaboration & Knowledge Transfer: Drive technical discussions; maintain documentation; track work via Jira.

Skills

C/C++

Software engineering

ADAS

Real-time systems

Leadership

Trajectory planning

Algorithm development

Production-grade systems

Performance optimization

Cross-team collaboration

Education

M.S./Ph.D. in Robotics/Control/Electrical Eng

Tools

NVIDIA Xavier/Orin

Infineon Aurix

Job description

About Lucid

At Lucid, we are creating exceptional mobility experiences through innovation to drive the world forward. Built on Lucid’s proprietary technology and software-defined vehicle architecture, our award-winning vehicles bring our “Compromise Nothing™” approach to the global automotive market. That means refusing to choose between performance and sustainability, design and engineering, ambition and integrity. In Lucid Air and Lucid Gravity, we have designed and built vehicles that have redefined their segments, combining exceptional range, performance, design, and expansive space in a single experience.

We achieve this through deep vertical integration, with design, engineering, and productionhappening in-houseacross our global offices andmanufacturingfacilities.Ourteamscomefromindustriesaround the world, united by a shared commitment to excellence.By refusing to settle, youcanhelpredefinewhat’spossible andshape the future of mobility.

Senior Staff Software Engineer, Motion Planning and Controls, Autonomous Driving

Leading the future in luxury electric and mobilityAt Lucid, we set out to introduce the most captivating, luxury electric vehicles that elevate the human experience and transcend the perceived limitations of space, performance, and intelligence. Vehicles that are intuitive, liberating, and designed for the future of mobility.We plan to lead in this new era of luxury electric by returning to the fundamentals of great design – where every decision we make is in service of the individual and environment. Because when you are no longer bound by convention, you are free to define your own experience.Come work alongside some of the most accomplished minds in the industry. We’re providing a community for innovators who want to make an immediate and significant impact. If you are driven to create a better, more sustainable future, then this is the right place for you.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Senior Staff Software Engineer to support the auto-parking and low-speed autonomy stack. This role focuses on trajectory optimization, path smoothing, and local planning, with direct impact on parking features such as Auto Park, Summon, and Park-to-Park. The ideal candidate will combine strong algorithmic foundations with production-grade software execution, driving both system performance and scalability. This role is based in Newark, CA. and requires employees to be onsite five days a week.

Key Responsibilities:

• Motion Planning & Trajectory Optimization
  • Develop and enhance trajectory optimization algorithms (e.g., iLQR / MPC-based approaches) for low-speed scenarios
  • Design and implement constraint-aware optimization, including
  • Improve local planners to generate control-friendly trajectories
• System Architecture & Performance Optimization
  • Refactor and scale planning stack architecture for maintainability and extensibility
  • Optimize CPU usage and explore parallel/GPU acceleration opportunities
  • Improve system-level behaviors such as:
    • Stability under dynamic constraints
    • Scalability across scenarios and vehicle platforms
• Debugging, Validation, and Production Integration
  • Investigate and resolve real-world issues such as: Curvature discontinuities, velocity/trajectory mismatches, and edge-case steering behavior
  • Validate solutions using:
    • Simulation and vehicle logs
    • Multi-scenario testing and benchmarking
• Research, Prototyping, and Innovation
  • Evaluate and prototype new approaches (e.g., learned models, barrier functions, ML-based planning)
  • Benchmark and compare planning algorithms for production viability
  • Contribute to next-gen planning initiatives, including ML-driven planning
• Cross-Team Collaboration & Knowledge Transfer
  • Drive technical discussions and share algorithm insights across teams
  • Maintain high-quality documentation and support knowledge transfer
  • Track work via Jira with clear metrics and reproducible results

Required Qualifications:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Robotics, Control, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years of software development experience in autonomous driving, ADAS, or robotics, with a focus on large-scale data and real-time systems
• Strong programming skills in C/C++ with solid understanding of software engineering design principles and best practices
• Proven track record of delivering ADAS/AD features through the full production lifecycle: requirements analysis, architecture/design, implementation, unit testing, feature tuning, SIL/HIL validation, and in-vehicle deployment
• Hands-on experience with software integration on embedded platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Xavier/Orin, Infineon Aurix)
• Demonstrated ability to build reliable production-grade systems, including large-scale architectures, evaluation pipelines, and performance-optimized models
• Leadership experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• ML-based planning approaches
• GPU or parallel computing for planning
• Track record of production deployment in real vehicles

At Lucid, we don’t just welcome diversity - we celebrate it! Lucid Motors is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, marital status, and any other characteristic protected under applicable State or Federal laws and regulations.

Salary Range

The compensation range for this position is specific to the locations listed below and is the range Lucid reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions, including job-related knowledge; skillset; experience, education and training; certifications; and other relevant business and organizational factors.

Base Pay Range (Annual)

$216,600 — $317,680 USD

Lucid offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance; life and disability coverage; paid time off; paid holidays, paid sick leave; and a401(k) retirementplan. Hourly/non-exempt employees accrue up to 120 hours paid time off, and salaried/exempt employee accrue up to 160 hours paid time off. Eligible employees may also participate in Lucid’s equity program and/or a discretionary annual cash incentive program. Incentive and equity awards, if applicable, are determined based on individual performance, role scope, market considerations, and overall company results, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans.

Equal Opportunity:

At Lucid, we believe diversity strengthens everything we build. Lucid Motors is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing an inclusive workplace for all. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state or federal laws and regulations.

Accessibility:

Lucid Motors is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need any accommodation to participate in the application process, please contact us at TA-Operations <@> lucidmotors.com. This email address is designated solely for accommodation requests and is not monitored for job applications or resume submissions. To be considered for employment, all applications must be submitted through the Lucid Motors Careers website.

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Lucid Motors does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to Lucid Motors. Lucid Motors is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.