PlusAI

Builds AI driving systems for commercial trucks

Senior/Staff Software Engineer - Motion Planning

Robotics & Autonomous SystemsConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeSanta Clara, CA, USA$130k - $220k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

A Master of Science degree with 1–2 years of relevant experience, or a PhD, in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field.
Strong production software development skills in C++.
Robotics expertise in one or more of path planning, motion planning, trajectory generation, behavior planning, or optimal control.
Strong fundamentals in geometry, analysis, probability, kinematics, and dynamics.
Experience designing, implementing, and refining planning algorithms on a real-world robotic or vehicle platform.
Strong oral and written communication skills and the ability to collaborate across teams and derive solutions from cross-functional input.

Responsibilities

Design and implement algorithms for decision-making and trajectory generation to ensure safety, comfort, and reliability across diverse driving conditions.
Bring novel robotics and machine learning techniques from research into a production-grade, safety-critical system.
Reason about complex, socially nuanced driving situations, including merges, junctions, and interactions with other road users under uncertainty.
Use modern C++ numerical optimization frameworks such as CasADi and Acados, along with tooling such as Git and ROS, to integrate planning algorithms into the production stack.
Partner with machine learning and prediction teams to integrate, refine, and act on probabilistic and multi-future representations of scenario evolution.
Perform system-level diagnostics and tuning using in-house and open-source visualization tools such as Webviz.
Collaborate cross-functionally and communicate clearly while producing system designs for high-level review and approval before implementation.

Desired Qualifications

Python experience.
A PhD with 1–2 years or a Master of Science degree with 3–4 years of relevant experience.
Exposure to machine learning techniques such as deep learning, imitation learning, transformer-based models, or diffusion-based models, particularly for decision-making or scenario generation.
Familiarity with safety frameworks for autonomy, including RSS and collision avoidance or MRM logic.
Prior experience working on safety-critical systems.

Salary Range: 130000 to 220000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

PlusAI is a Physical AI company pioneering AI-based virtual driver software for factory-built autonomous trucks. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in the United States and Europe, Plus was named by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Partners including TRATON GROUP’s Scania, MAN, and International brands, Hyundai Motor Company, Iveco Group, Bosch, and DSV are working with Plus to accelerate the deployment of next-generation autonomous trucks. If you’re ready to make a huge impact and drive the future of autonomy, Plus is looking for talented individuals to join its fast-growing teams.

About the Team
The Planning team is responsible for making sure PlusAI’s trucks make the right decision in every driving situation, safely, smoothly, and predictably for other road users, even when working with noisy, uncertain, or incomplete information about the world. This is a cross-functional problem that requires close collaboration with Perception, Prediction, Controls, and Safety, and a willingness to work at the edge of research and production: bringing state-of-the-art decision-making and optimization techniques into a system that runs on real trucks, on real roads, today.

About the Role
As a Senior Software Engineer on the Motion Planning team, you’ll research, develop, and implement planning technologies that let PlusAI’s trucks handle complex, real-world driving scenarios in a safe and human-like manner. You’ll work across the full decision-making stack, from reasoning about what the truck should do to determining precisely how it should get there, while accounting for the many ways a scenario could unfold.

Responsibilities

Design and implement algorithms for decision-making and trajectory generation, ensuring safety, comfort, and reliability across a wide range of driving conditions.

Bring novel robotics and machine learning techniques from research into a production-grade, safety-critical system.

Reason about complex, socially-nuanced driving situations, such as negotiating merges, junctions, and interactions with other road users, under uncertainty.

Utilize modern C++ numerical optimization frameworks (e.g., CasADi, Acados) and industry-standard tooling (git, ROS, etc.) to integrate new planning algorithms into the production stack.

Partner closely with the ML and prediction teams to integrate, refine, and act on probabilistic and multi-future representations of how a scenario might evolve, shaping how these outputs are consumed by planning decisions.

Perform system-level diagnostics and tuning using in-house and open-source visualization tools (e.g., webviz).

Collaborate cross-functionally and communicate clearly, producing system designs that are reviewed and approved at a high level before implementation begins.

Required skills

MS with 1-2 years of relevant experience, or PhD, in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field.

Strong production software development skills in C++; Python experience a plus.

Robotics expertise in one or more of: path planning, motion planning, trajectory generation, behavior planning, optimal control.

Strong math (geometry, analysis, probability) and physics (kinematics, dynamics) fundamentals.

Experience designing, implementing, and refining planning algorithms on a real-world robotic or vehicle platform.

Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams and derive solutions from cross-functional input

Preferred skills

PhD + 1-2 years or MS + 3-4 years of relevant experience.

Bonus: exposure to machine learning techniques such as deep learning, imitation learning, transformer-based models, or diffusion-based models, particularly as applied to decision-making or scenario generation.

Familiarity with safety frameworks for autonomy (e.g., RSS, collision avoidance/MRM logic).

Prior experience working on safety-critical systems.

Your opportunities joining PlusAI

Work, learn and grow in a highly future-oriented, innovative and dynamic field.

Wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development.

Catered free lunch, unlimited snacks and beverages.

Highly competitive salary and benefits package, including 401(k) plan.

About the Company

PlusAI

Builds AI driving systems for commercial trucks

PlusAI develops AI driving software for commercial trucks, working with vehicle manufacturers and logistics partners to automate freight transport. Its SuperDrive system combines sensors, onboard computing, and AI models to understand roads, plan maneuvers, and control a truck within defined operating conditions. Truck manufacturers integrate the software into their vehicles, and PlusAI engineers develop and validate the virtual driver for use on freight routes. It also sells autonomous-driving data and development tools through HyperFoundry, and plans to charge for SuperDrive according to truck usage. PlusAI was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

Company size: 201-500
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Santa Clara, CA
Founded: 2016

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