Principal Software Engineer, Team Lead - Perception Platforms

Mission Overview

Join the Perception team at Motional, collaborating with elite ML engineers and scientists to advance autonomous vehicle technology. This role focuses on building fundamental frameworks, evaluation systems, and tools that empower the Perception teams to analyze and interpret the dynamic environment around our robotic taxis.

Key systems include extensive data pipelines critical for seamless ML development processes such as data transformation, model training, and evaluation for both on-vehicle and off-vehicle solutions. Also integral are tools for analyzing datasets, visualizing model behaviors, assessing overall system performance, and identifying edge cases. Additionally, the team drives an active learning cycle to continuously enhance model accuracy by integrating valuable data over time.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and inspire a highly skilled team dedicated to designing, maintaining, and refining internal data, training, and evaluation pipelines tailored for perception modeling.
• Offer expert technical mentorship and foster career growth opportunities within the team.
• Set clear team objectives, priorities, and development plans that align with broader company goals.
• Collaborate closely with ML engineers to identify and resolve technical issues, contributing hands-on to enhance machine learning processes—including troubleshooting and optimization for peak efficiency—and spearheading the implementation of innovative technologies from concept through deployment.
• Conduct design and code reviews to ensure high-quality standards and adoption of best engineering practices.
• Promote coordination across multiple teams to align efforts with organizational objectives.

Required Qualifications

• At least 7 years professional software engineering experience, with 3+ years in mentoring or leadership roles.
• Minimum 2 years experience managing or supporting distributed machine learning training across GPU clusters.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or a related field.
• Strong passion for hands-on coding with a record of delivering high-quality, production-grade code collaboratively.
• Proficiency in Python and familiarity with data manipulation libraries such as NumPy and Pandas.
• Established experience designing backend architectures for complex systems.
• In-depth knowledge of machine learning or perception domains to provide strategic guidance on pipeline and tooling development.
• Experience developing data visualization tools or internal dashboards that drive actionable insights.
• Advanced understanding of software engineering best practices including source control, build processes, code reviews, and testing strategies.
• Strong communication abilities to clearly articulate technical visions and motivate technical teams.

Desirable Skills

• Expertise in concurrency, parallel computing, and database systems influencing architectural choices.
• Familiarity with distributed computing frameworks such as Kubernetes and Ray.
• Experience developing and deploying perception systems within autonomous vehicle or robotics contexts.
• Doctorate degree or comparable industry experience indicating a commitment to continuous learning.
• Proficiency in modern C++ standards (C++14/17 or newer).
• Hands-on experience with large language models and MCP protocols.
• Knowledge of GPU-accelerated data processing methods.
• Experience using machine learning platforms like PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Proven project management skills with a history of delivering complex technical projects successfully.

About Motional

Motional is a pioneering driverless technology firm focused on creating autonomous vehicles that are safe, dependable, and accessible. Our efforts extend beyond vehicle technology towards enhancing road safety, promoting inclusive transportation options, and improving community life. Our diverse team of engineers, researchers, innovators, and creators is working on groundbreaking technology to transform urban and road mobility.

Our culture prioritizes diversity, inclusivity, and value for all team members, which we believe is essential for innovation and success. Motional has initiated significant industry milestones, including the first fully autonomous cross-country drive in the U.S. and ongoing robotaxi services. As we progress towards commercializing our technology, we seek team members ready to embrace rapid growth and change.

Founded as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional operates globally with headquarters in Boston and additional offices in the U.S. and Asia.

Compliance and Equal Opportunity

Motional AD Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment. We comply with federal regulations requiring employment eligibility verification through E-Verify for all new hires.