Staff Autonomy Software Engineer, Localization

Kodiak; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation with equity

Annual bonuses

Mountain View office

Catered lunch & perks

Wellbeing programs

Job summary

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. in Mountain View, CA is seeking a Staff Autonomy Software Engineer focused on Calibration, Localization and Mapping (CLAM).

You will set the technical direction for onboard navigation and pose estimation, and lead sensor fusion across IMU, camera and lidar systems. You will mentor engineers, design robust state estimation solutions, and define metric-driven evaluation methodologies to ensure high-reliability performance in a heterogeneous sensing suite.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in navigation, localization, or odometry.
• Expert in C++ with strong problem-solving and software engineering skills.
• Experience transforming raw sensor data (GNSS, IMU, wheel speed) into 6-DOF pose using Kalman Filtering or factor graphs.
• Experience with computer vision or lidar/point-cloud odometry.
• Experience mentoring engineers and elevating technical practices.

Responsibilities

• Set technical strategy and architecture for onboard navigation and pose estimation.
• Lead design of sensor fusion across IMU, camera, and lidar.
• Drive visual and lidar odometry algorithms and assess build-vs-adopt tradeoffs.
• Define navigation metrics and evaluation methodologies used across the org.
• Serve as escalation point for complex localization problems.
• Evaluate sensor performance and optimize sensor selection.
• Verify correct sensor calibrations and uncertainty characterizations.

Skills

C++ expert

State estimation

Sensor fusion

Kalman filtering

Computer vision

Mentoring

Team collaboration

Software architecture

Education

BS/MS/ PhD in navigation/localization/odometry

Job description

Staff Autonomy Software Engineer, Localization

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 has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

We are looking for a Staff Engineer on our Calibration, Localization and Mapping (CLAM) team - a technical leader with deep expertise in state estimation, inertial navigation, and sensed odometry who can set technical direction across the team and organization.

In this role, you will:

• Set the technical strategy and architecture for our onboard navigation and pose estimation systems.
• Lead the design and development of advanced sensor fusion and pose estimation approaches across IMU, camera, and lidar sensors, anticipating failure modes before they arise in the field.
• Drive the direction of visual and lidar odometry algorithms, including evaluating build-vs-adopt tradeoffs for new techniques.
• Define and evangelize navigation metrics and evaluation methodology used across the org to assess algorithm and system performance.
• Serve as a technical escalation point for complex, ambiguous, or cross-cutting localization problems.
• Evaluate sensor performance and optimize sensor selection.
• Verify correct sensor calibrations, settings, and uncertainty characterizations.

What you'll bring:

• Strong technical background. BS, MS or PhD with academic or industry experience in building navigation, localization, and odometry systems.
• Expert in C++ and strong problem-solving skills.
• Strong software engineering skills and experience building high-reliability deployed applications . You write well-designed, highly maintainable code. Code is your craft.
• Deep experience transforming raw sensor data from GNSS, IMU, wheel speed, etc. into 6-DOF pose using Kalman Filtering, factor graphs, or comparable state estimation techniques - and judgment on when each approach is appropriate.
• Experience with computer vision, visual odometry, and/or odometry from point clouds
• A history of mentoring engineers and elevating the technical practices of a team.
• A team player. You take ownership and work with the team to deliver exceptional results. You are interested in the performance of the entire system across engineering disciplines.
• Ability to build and iterate quickly. You enjoy working fast and smart, and you are comfortable in defining and building lasting infrastructure components from scratch.
• Hands on. Curious. Flexible. Interested in new domains to expand your horizons and provide a complete system wide solution.
• Great communicator. You have experience writing clear, concise design documentation to gather feedback from across the team to find the best solution.

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
• Wellbeing 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

The pay range listed below reflects the base salaryin our SF/Silicon Valley location,across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits package

$200,000 - $260,000 USD

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 that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate's residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate's residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak's sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.