Principal Software Engineer, ML Infrastructure

Our teams are made up of engineers, researchers, innovators, dreamers, and doers. Together, we can change the world. As we continue to build and deploy our technology, we put our people first.

Infrastructure

Our team builds the foundational infrastructure that empowers Machine Learning Engineers to develop the next generation of self-driving technology. We design and operate the high-performance, large-scale systems that process petabytes of vehicle data, run massive simulations, and train complex models. This is a software engineering role focused on building robust platforms, not an SRE position.

As a Principal Engineer, you will be the technical cornerstone of the team, setting the architectural vision and leading the development of critical infrastructure used by hundreds of engineers.

What you'll be doing:

• Architect and lead the development of highly scalable, distributed infrastructure services on Kubernetes.
• Set the technical vision and roadmap for the team, making high-impact decisions that accelerate AV development.
• Mentor and guide other engineers on the team, elevating the group's technical abilities through design reviews, pair programming, and direct feedback.
• Get hands‑on to build and deploy the most complex components of the platform, from high‑throughput data processing services to core compute orchestration.

What we're looking for:

• 7+ years of professional software engineering experience.
• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science or a related technical field.
• Hands‑on experience with Kubernetes (k8s) is a must. You have designed, built, and operated critical services on Kubernetes at a significant scale.
• Proven experience building large‑scale infrastructure. You have a deep understanding of the challenges in developing high‑throughput, reliable distributed systems.
• Expertise in Python, Go, or a similar language.
• Strong experience with a major cloud provider (AWS, GCP, Azure).
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross‑functional projects from concept to production.

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. The estimated compensation range listed in this job posting reflects base salary only. 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.

Salary Range

$174,000 — $234,250 USD

Motional is a driverless technology company making autonomous vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality. We’re driven by something more.

Our journey is always people first.

We aren't just developing driverless cars; we're creating safer roadways, more equitable transportation options, and making our communities better places to live, work, and connect. Our team is made up of engineers, researchers, innovators, dreamers and doers, who are creating a technology with the potential to transform the way we move.

We’re creating first‑of‑its‑kind technology that will transform transportation. To do so successfully, we must design for everyone in our cities and on our roads. We believe in building a great place to work through a progressive, global culture that is diverse, inclusive, and ensures people feel valued at every level of the organization. Diversity helps us to see the world differently;

it’s not only good for our business, it’s the right thing to do.

Scale up, not starting up.

Our team is behind some of the industry’s largest leaps forward, including the first fully‑autonomous cross‑country drive in the U.S, the launch of the world's first robotaxi pilot, and operation of the world's longest‑standing public robotaxi fleet. We’re driven…