Senior Motion Planning Engineer – Trajectory Optimization

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize motion planning algorithms including trajectory generation, trajectory selection, behavior planning, and optimization‑based planning approaches for autonomous trucks.
• Develop planning solutions leveraging techniques such as graph search, sampling‑based planning, optimization‑based planning, spline/B‑spline trajectories, convex optimization, and Frenet‑frame approaches.
• Incorporate vehicle kinematic and dynamic constraints into planning systems to ensure safe, feasible, and comfortable vehicle behavior.
• Develop production‑quality software using modern C++ within a Linux environment while adhering to quality, safety, testing, and deployment best practices.
• Participate in software architecture discussions and contribute to technical designs that support scalable and maintainable autonomy systems.
• Develop and execute validation strategies across Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SiL), Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HiL), and Vehicle‑in‑the‑Loop (ViL) environments.
• Collaborate closely with Safety, Controls, Perception, Validation, and Simulation teams to develop safe and reliable autonomous driving behaviors.
• Investigate and debug vehicle behavior by reproducing issues in simulation, analyzing system performance, and implementing software improvements.
• Support vehicle integration, deployment activities, and post‑deployment investigations to ensure reliable autonomy performance.
• Participate in technical design reviews, code reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives across the Behaviors organization.
• Mentor junior engineers through collaboration, technical guidance, and knowledge sharing.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field with 5+ years of industry experience; OR Master’s degree with 3+ years of experience; OR PhD with 1+ years of experience.
• Strong proficiency in modern C++ development within Linux‑based environments.
• Experience developing robotics, autonomous vehicle, ADAS, or other complex real‑time software systems.
• Strong experience developing motion planning, trajectory generation, trajectory optimization, behavior planning, or decision‑making systems for robotics or autonomous systems.
• Solid understanding of vehicle dynamics, vehicle kinematics, trajectory feasibility, and planning system architecture.
• Strong foundation in linear algebra, numerical optimization, geometry, and robotics algorithms.
• Strong understanding of software engineering fundamentals, system design principles, and scalable development practices.
• Experience working across the full software development lifecycle, from design and implementation through validation, deployment, and operational support.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to debug complex system‑level issues.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills within cross‑functional engineering teams.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively within a highly collaborative environment.

Demonstrates expertise in motion planning algorithms, including trajectory generation and optimization, while developing production‑quality software in modern C++ within Linux environments. Strong understanding of vehicle dynamics and kinematics, along with experience in collaborative, cross‑functional engineering teams.

• Modern C++ Development
• Motion Planning Algorithms
• Trajectory Optimization
• Vehicle Dynamics
• Robotics Algorithms

• Motion Planning
• Trajectory Generation
• Behavior Planning
• Convex Optimization
• Graph Search Techniques
• Sampling‑Based Planning
• Software Development Lifecycle
• Numerical Optimization
• Linear Algebra
• System Design Principles

• Problem‑Solving
• Communication
• Collaboration
• Mentoring
• Technical Guidance

• Autonomous Vehicles
• ADAS
• Real‑Time Software Systems
• Vehicle Integration
• Safety Standards

• Linux Environment
• Software‑in‑the‑Loop (SiL)
• Hardware‑in‑the‑Loop (HiL)
• Vehicle‑in‑the‑Loop (ViL)
• Simulation Tools