Senior Software Engineer, Controls; MATLAB

Senior Software Engineer, Controls (MATLAB)

Mountain View, CA

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. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi‑truck to a customer.

Kodiak is also leveraging its software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the  U.S.  Department of Defense.

We are looking for an experienced Controls Software Engineer passionate about safety‑critical motion control to join our Motion Planning & Controls team.

• Design and implement feedback, control, and actuation strategies using established and novel techniques.
• Architect, develop, and test reliable, redundant, safety‑critical software that controls fully‑loaded trucks on the road.
• Characterize the vehicle platform (steering, braking, throttle/engine management, dynamics) to develop models for precise motion planning, simulation, and controls.
• Work on redundant actuation, degraded operation, and fail‑safe control problems.
• Collaborate with hardware, embedded systems, and systems engineering teams to deliver a robust vehicle control architecture.
• Create requirement specifications, implement features, plan testing, and document results.

• Experience with automatic code generation from MATLAB / Simulink to embedded C / C++.
• Development, testing, and tuning of controllers for mobile autonomous robots, ideally trucks, cars, or flying vehicles.
• System identification, modeling, simulation, and characterization of systems with complex dynamics.
• A strong theoretical foundation paired with practical experience in controls, system modeling, and redundant architectures.
• A focus on end‑to‑end vehicle safety.

• Effective production C++ development.
• Expertise with hardware‑in‑the‑loop (HIL) testing.
• Experience with software design and implementation in safety‑critical domains (automotive, aerospace, medical, etc.).
• Written low‑level drivers for software/hardware interfacing using protocols such as CAN or Ethernet.
• Efficient code running on resource‑constrained embedded systems with a real‑time operating system.
• Experience with formal verification methods, writing requirements, and systems engineering processes.
• Drafted safety goals and requirements with traceability, following the ISO
  26262 process.

• Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses.
• Excellent medical, dental, and vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and Met Life (including infertility benefits).
• Met Life Legal Services, identity & fraud protection, hospital indemnity insurance, accident insurance, and critical illness insurance.
• Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies.
• Office located centrally in Mountain View, CA with dog‑friendly policy, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging.
• Well‑being benefits – Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, and Rula (mental health navigation).
• Fidelity 401(k) with matching.
• Commuter, FSA, dependent care FSA, and HSA options.

Compensation: $190,000 – $260,000 USD (base salary in the SF/Silicon Valley location; actual starting pay considers factors such as location, experience, education, skill level, and performance).

We are an equal‑opportunity employer and strongly discourage any harassment. We commit to hiring based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected basis under applicable law.