Senior Software Engineer - Advanced Projects

Mission Summary

Motional’s CORE team is responsible for our vehicle’s Compute and Onboard Runtime Environment. We are creating a world class AI compute platform for autonomous vehicles. This is the system that executes the software and neural networks that make our vehicles autonomous. If you love the idea of working with software development, machine learning, and running software, data, and neural networks on the most powerful embedded AI hardware and software systems,  we would love to talk with you. 

The Advanced Projects team is part of CORE. We work at the intersection of software engineering, machine learning, and compute platforms. Our mission is to guide Motional’s product and engineering decision-making. If we are successful, we provide a map of the territory that de-risks engineering projects across Motional, contributing to a technology roadmap that helps ensure Motional remains at the forefront of AV development. We influence future platform design choices through developing working prototypes and proofs-of-concept informed by researching the latest advances in software engineering, machine learning, and compute platforms. 

What You’ll Be Doing

Our engineers play a key role in making the vehicle of the future a reality by developing technologies that deliver a fully autonomous driving system for our customers.  As a software engineer in the CORE Advanced Projects team, you will influence what technologies we need to use, and how best to use them, to achieve our goal of creating a fully-autonomous vehicle. You will work with small, cross-functional teams of engineers and researchers to explore and shape the future of autonomous vehicle (AV) development. 

Specifically, you will:

• Design, implement, test, integrate, migrate platform software on a variety of AI compute architectures.
• Participate in shaping our future frameworks and APIs that provide access to sensors, mapping data, health monitoring, configuration management, and other vehicle platform subsystems.
• Conduct code and design reviews for work done by peers, and advising peers and management on technical matters.
• Use your expertise and experience to define the future of our on-vehicle software execution environment.
• Lead designs and work together with specialized autonomy teams to determine the needs of the system and how to best meet those needs with a robust infrastructure.
• Work with the team to drive implementation of these designs and incorporate feedback from the teams leveraging your designs.

What We’re Looking For

• You are a generalist software engineer, curious and passionate about a wide range of technology topics including, but not limited to, software development, systems, neural networks, microarchitectures, compilers, middleware, operating systems, sensors, and security.
• You have experience with at least one major programming language, e.g., one or more of C++, C, Python, Rust, Java, Go, Python (or similar languages) and associated software ecosystems. The primary languages we use are C++ and Python in a Unix/Linux environment.
• You bring a solid foundation in modern software engineering principles and practices including software design, patterns, source control management, build processes, continuous integration, code reviews, testing methods.
• You are comfortable reading source code from different sources. You are comfortable with exploring and experimenting with different technology stacks.
• You have a passion for self-driving technology and its potential impact on the world.
• You are comfortable identifying R&D opportunities, justifying R&D goals, and executing towards those goals. 
• You are comfortable with experimenting and evaluating different options as we work towards finding solutions that work.
• You have a BS in Software Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical or Electronics Engineering, or similar technical field of study, or you have equivalent knowledge gained through your practical experience.

Bonus Points (not required)

• A demonstrated ability to develop proofs-of-concept and ship technology products using a variety of technology stacks. 
• Experience with distributed systems development, middleware development, and related technologies and frameworks.
• Experience working in a MLOps or DevOps environment.
• Experience with developing software for ARM platforms, including embedded software.
• Experience working with technologies relevant to Motional’s industry and business context, e.g., autonomous vehicles, advanced driver-assistance systems, robotics. 
• Experience with TensorFlow, PyTorch and/or other Machine Learning frameworks. 
• Experience with developing software for different computing architectures such as FPGAs, GPUs, NPUs, MCUs, SoCs and their associated hardware computing platforms.
• Experience with a variety of networking and communication technologies and protocols.