Winter 2027 Intern, Motion Planning

Uncover; Mountain View (CA); Hybrid; USD 6,000 - 10,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dog-friendly office

Free catered lunch

Mountain View facility

Competitive pay

Medical, dental, & vision benefits

Job summary

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. seeks a Behavior Planning Intern to help develop core decision‑making and motion planning algorithms for autonomous trucks. You will work with a production‑level codebase, deploy code to real trucks, and gain exposure to state‑of‑the‑art AV technology in Mountain View, CA.

Ideal candidates are juniors/seniors or graduate students studying CS, EE, ML, or related fields with strong C++ and Python skills and a solid foundation in kinematics, geometry, and calculus.

Qualifications

• Pursuing a degree at an accredited university.
• Juniors, Seniors, or graduate students.
• Strong C++ and Python programming skills.
• Solid understanding of motion planning and trajectory optimization.

Responsibilities

• Receive mentorship from robotics engineers and work on decision‑making and motion planning algorithms.
• Advance a state‑of‑the‑art autonomous trucking platform.
• Deploy code on autonomous trucks operating in the real world.
• Gain hands‑on experience with industry‑standard robotics tools and methodologies.
• Strengthen coding skills with a production‑level codebase in C++.
• Collaborate in a dynamic team and design solutions to complex robotics problems.
• Explore opportunities for full‑time roles after the internship.

Skills

C++ programming

Python programming

Kinematics

Linear algebra

Calculus

Optimization

Computational geometry

Motion planning

Decision-making

Trajectory optimization

Education

Computer Science

Electrical Engineering

Machine Learning

Aerospace Engineering

Mechanical Engineering

Related field

Job description

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.

Join Kodiak as a Behavior Planning Intern!

As an intern on our Motion Planning team, you will work on developing core decision‑making and motion planning algorithms that drive our autonomous trucks. Intern projects may include improving strategies for navigating complex highway merges, optimizing lane change behaviors, and refining low‑speed behavior in industrial operations. This role offers a hands‑on opportunity to contribute to cutting‑edge AV technology while gaining valuable experience in real‑world autonomous driving scenarios.

In this role, you will:

• Receive mentorship from top‑level robotics engineers.
• Advance a state‑of‑the‑art autonomous trucking platform.
• Deploy code on autonomous trucks operating in the real world.
• Gain hands‑on experience with industry‑standard tools and methodologies used in robotics and autonomous vehicles.
• Strengthen your coding skills by working with a production‑level codebase, with a focus on modern C++.
• Work in a collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Design and implement solutions to complex robotics problems.
• Have potential opportunities for full‑time roles.

What you’ll bring:

• Field(s) of study: Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Machine Learning, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or other related fields.
• Are currently pursuing a degree at an accredited university.
• Juniors, Seniors, or graduate students.
• Strong C++ and Python programming skills.
• Strong kinematics, linear algebra and calculus.
• Ability to solve basic optimization problems.
• Ability to solve basic computational geometry problems.
• Solid understanding of motion planning, decision‑making, and trajectory optimization for autonomous systems.

Internship Program Details:

• Start Date: January 2027.
• Our internship program is 12‑16 weeks; the end date is flexible based on individual needs.
• Location: Mountain View, CA.
• Housing: Interns are responsible for housing.

What we offer:

• A fast‑paced environment where we work with talented, committed, and supportive teammates.
• Competitive pay.
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• A beautiful facility in Mountain View.
• We love our dogs, so we are a dog‑friendly office!
• Free catered lunch.
• The pay range listed below reflects the base salary in 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.

California Pay Range $10,000 — $10,000 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.