Senior Motion Planning Engineer – Safety Layer

Motional

. Design, implement, and test algorithms for synthesizing and selecting trajectories across asynchronous generation sources .

Posted 10/16/2026full-timeRemote • United StatesSenior💰 $172,000 - $229,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in developing motion planning and collision avoidance algorithms, with a strong foundation in modern C++ programming and experience in evaluating safety-critical scenarios. Proficient in quantitative analysis of vehicle data and familiar with dynamic simulation environments and multi-modal prediction models.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Motion Planning Algorithms DevelopmentCollision Avoidance SystemsModern C++ Programming (C++17, C++20)Trajectory Generation and SelectionQuantitative Data Analysis

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Motion Planning AlgorithmsCollision Avoidance AlgorithmsModern C++ ProgrammingTrajectory GenerationNumerical OptimizationSampling-Based ApproachesMulti-Modal Prediction ModelsGeometric Collision DetectionTime-Series Data ProcessingData Visualization

Soft Skills

Cross-Functional CommunicationRoot-Cause Analysis

Tools & Technologies

Linux-Based Operating SystemsDynamic Simulation EnvironmentsTest and Analysis Tooling

Certifications & Qualifications

E-Verify Employment Eligibility

Industry Keywords

Autonomous Vehicle IndustryControl TheoryRoboticsApplied Mathematics

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

LinuxC++

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Design, implement, and test algorithms for synthesizing and selecting trajectories across asynchronous generation sources
Develop evasive maneuver planning algorithms with low-level control systems for collision avoidance
Evaluate multiple perception sensor modalities for identifying safety-critical scenarios
Construct test and analysis tooling for isolated and system-level safety-layer evaluation
Select test parameters and analyze test results
Validate and improve dynamic simulation environments, including validation against real-world data
Define and implement performance, comfort, and safety metrics
Perform quantitative analysis of fleet-wide vehicle data
Support root-cause analysis of simulation, closed-course, and public-road events
Travel for in-person vehicle testing at Motional and partner deployment and test-track locations, typically once every 4 to 6 months
Maintain cross-functional relationships across the organization and communicate impacts on overall autonomous-vehicle performance

Requirements

What you’ll need

MS or PhD preferred in Control Theory, Robotics, Computer Science, Applied Math, or a related field
3+ years of experience developing motion planning and collision avoidance algorithms and components in an industrial setting, preferably in the AV industry
Strong background in modern C++ programming (C++17, C++20), emphasizing high-performance and reliable systems
Experience with trajectory generation through numerical optimization and sampling-based approaches
Experience with cost- and heuristic-based trajectory selection
Experience with multi-modal prediction models
Experience with geometric and physics-based collision detection
Experience with time-series data processing and data visualization
Familiarity with dynamic collision modeling, convex set processing, state machine logic, and multi-rate decision-making processes
Familiarity with agentic-based development tooling
Familiarity with Linux-based operating systems
E-Verify employment eligibility verification for newly hired employees

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
401(k) with a company match
Health savings accounts
Life insurance
Pet insurance
Potential bonus compensation
Potential company equity
Inclusive and diverse work environment