Staff Motion Planning Engineer

Motional; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

401k with company match

Health saving accounts

Pet insurance

Job summary

Motional is seeking a Senior Motion Planning Engineer to join our robotics team in Boston. In this role, you will lead the development of advanced algorithms for motion planning in autonomous vehicles, mentoring junior team members and ensuring the integration of complex systems.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in a related field, extensive experience in robotics, and a strong background in C++. The position offers a competitive salary, benefits, and opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of research experience in robotics/motion planning.
• 3+ years of C++ software development for high-performance systems.
• Past experience owning and leading technical development.

Responsibilities

• Lead research and development of algorithms for motion planning.
• Architect and integrate complex motion planning and prediction algorithms.
• Guide and mentor junior team members.

Skills

C++ software development

Robotics and motion planning

Probabilistic models

Bayesian modeling

Education

PhD in Robotics, Computer Science or related field

Master's degree with 2+ years of experience in robotics

Tools

Bazel build framework

Job description

Senior Motion Planning Engineer (Evergreen)

On our Motion Planning team, you'll apply your passion in robotics and software development for production-ready autonomous vehicles. In this role you'll perform cutting‑edge research, develop advanced algorithms, and build robust software to generate safe, comfortable, and intuitive routes and motions.

Role responsibilities

• Lead the research and development of novel algorithms for motion planning in autonomous driving, including but not limited to advanced search‑based methods, sophisticated geometry‑based methods, and decision making under uncertainty with a strong emphasis on probabilistic approaches.
• Architect and integrate complex combinations of motion planning and prediction algorithms, driving their evaluation and refinement for real‑world deployment.
• Design and build a robust, scalable, and high‑performance codebase that facilitates rapid exploration, prototyping, and rigorous evaluation of innovative motion planning approaches and algorithms.
• Drive technical collaboration and interface seamlessly with perception and prediction components upstream and trajectory optimization, tracking and control components downstream, ensuring end‑to‑end system performance.
• Leverage your deep software development and research expertise to teach others better software practices and principles, fostering a culture of technical excellence.
• Guide and mentor junior team members, cultivating a culture of product‑focused engineering, rigorous research, and advanced development.

What we’re looking for

• PhD preferred in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; or a Master’s degree with 2+ years of experience in robotics (preferably AV industry).
• 5+ years of research experience in robotics / motion planning, with a proven track record of contributing to state‑of‑the‑art solutions.
• 3+ years of C++ software development, with an emphasis on developing high‑performance and reliable systems.
• Past experience owning and leading technical development on complex features from problem formulation through research, implementation, and deployment in a production environment.
• Thirst for knowledge, continuous innovation, and a drive to push the boundaries of autonomous driving technology.

Skills appreciated

• Experience with probabilistic models, including but not limited to Gaussian mixture models, Hidden Markov Models, and Particle Filters.
• Experience with Bayesian modeling and inference techniques for decision making under uncertainty.
• Experience with the Bazel build framework.

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors including but not limited to specific skills, experience and expertise, role location, certifications, licenses, and business needs. This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

Candidates for certain positions are eligible to participate in Motional’s benefits program. Motional’s benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401k with a company match, health saving accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more.

Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E‑Verify. All newly‑hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.