Staff Software Systems Engineer - Advanced Autonomy Systems Engineering Lead

Latitude AI; Marine City (MI); On-site; USD 218,000 - 327,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

Paid medical leave

Unlimited vacation

15 paid holidays

Monthly wellness stipend

Professional development reimbursement

Employee assistance program

Adoption/Surrogacy support program

Job summary

Latitude AI is leading Ford’s autonomous roadmap, building an in-house ADAS platform to debut on the Ford Fathom in 2027. You will drive high-level systems engineering for next-gen L3/L2+ autonomy, defining ODD, architecture, safety approaches, and verification across multiple teams in a fast-paced environment.

We seek a senior candidate with a strong background in autonomy, safety standards, and data-driven verification, ready to collaborate with Product, Hardware, and Software leads in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics or related field.
• 5+ years in automotive or robotics engineering or related field.
• Experience with autonomy functions (mapping, sensing, localization, etc.).
• Experience writing requirements and developing metrics.
• Experience with data-driven testing of complex systems.

Responsibilities

• Define ODD and vehicle-level behavioral requirements with Product team and exec mgmt.
• Develop HW/SW architecture in collaboration with hardware/software leads.
• Define metrics and verification methods with systems engineering teams and software leads.
• Establish high-level functional safety approach with the Functional Safety team.
• Design fail-safe and fail-functional architectures for SOTIF.
• Collaborate across autonomy functions and SW owners on mapping to perception to vehicle controls.
• Evaluate the in-car system from the customer’s perspective and provide feedback to development teams.

Skills

ODD definition

HW/SW architecture

Functional safety

System requirements

Python

C++

Git

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering/CS/EE/Robotics

Master's degree

PhD (robotics)

Tools

Python

C++

Git

Job description

Latitude AI (lat.ai) is building the future of Ford’s autonomy roadmap to make travel safer, less stressful, and more enjoyable for everyone. Bringing this vision to scale, our fully in-house developed hands-free ADAS platform will debut on the all-new Ford Fathom in 2027.

When you join the Latitude team, you’ll work alongside leading experts across machine learning and robotics, cloud platforms, mapping, sensors and compute systems, test operations, systems and safety engineering – all dedicated to redefining the relationship between people and their vehicles for millions of customers.

As a Ford Motor Company subsidiary, we operate independently to develop automated driving technology at the speed of a technology startup. Latitude is headquartered in Pittsburgh with engineering centers in Dearborn, Mich., and Palo Alto, Calif.

Meet the team:

Latitude’s Autonomy Systems Engineering Team spearheads the end-to-end development of autonomous vehicle systems. The team defines the ODD, establishes vehicle and sub‑system requirements, and leads sensor selection analysis. By partnering with software development and Functional Safety teams, they architect robust systems that prioritize safety and performance. Additionally, they decompose complex autonomy functions for verification and implement large‑scale metrics to ensure rigorous requirement compliance.

What you’ll do:

For the next generation of L3/L2+ autonomy systems at Latitude AI, you will lead the following work as an individual contributor working across the organization:

• The definition of the ODD: Negotiate product-level wants and define vehicle-level behavioral requirements, working closely with Latitude’s Product team and executive management
• The development of the HW/SW architecture: Collaborate with Latitude’s hardware and software leads
• High-level systems engineering: Define requirements, metrics, and verification methods in partnership with systems engineering teams and software leads
• Functional safety: Establish the high-level functional safety approach and HW/SW safety architecture, working closely with the Functional Safety team
• Fail-safe and fail-functional architectures: Design the frameworks necessary for functional safety and SOTIF

Additional Responsibilities:

• Collaborate across functions: Work with all autonomy functions (Systems Engineering) and SW owners on topics ranging from mapping to perception to vehicle controls
• System evaluation: Evaluate the in-car system from the customer’s perspective and provide critical, regular feedback to the development teams

What you'll need to succeed:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics or a related field and 7+ years of relevant experience (or Master's degree and 5+ years of relevant experience, or PhD and 2+ years of relevant experience)
• At least 5+ years of experience working in either automotive or robotics engineering, or a related field
• Experience working on autonomy functions such as mapping, sensing, localization, detection, routing, motion planning, motion control, etc.
• Experience writing requirements and developing metrics
• Experience with the analysis and testing of complex systems through data-driven approaches
• Experience with / knowledge of autonomy and safety related SW algorithms
• Experience with Python, C++, or other programming skills, as well as git experience
• Experience developing safety architectures to meet ISO 26262 or similar standards

Nice to have:

• Doctorate Degree with a focus in robotics
• Experience with autonomous vehicle development
• Experience with autonomous vehicle testing
• Experience developing robotics SW
• Experience developing FuSa SW

What we offer you:

• Competitive compensation packages
• High-quality individual and family medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Health savings account with available employer match
• Employer-matched 401(k) retirement plan with immediate vesting
• Employer-paid group term life insurance and the option to elect voluntary life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid medical leave
• Unlimited vacation
• 15 paid holidays
• Daily lunches, snacks, and beverages available in all office locations
• Pre-tax spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• Monthly wellness stipend
• Adoption/Surrogacy support program
• Backup child and elder care program
• Professional development reimbursement
• Employee assistance program
• Discounted programs that include legal services, identity theft protection, pet insurance, and more
• Company and team bonding outlets: employee resource groups, quarterly team activity stipend, and wellness initiatives

Learn more about Latitude’s team, mission and career opportunities at lat.ai!

The expected base salary range for this full-time position in California is $218,240 - $327,360 USD. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Latitude employees are also eligible to participate in Latitude’s annual bonus programs, equity compensation, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements.

Candidates for positions with Latitude AI must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a permanent basis. Verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire. Visa sponsorship is available for this position.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to a culturally diverse workforce. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or protected veteran status.