Principal Software Engineer, Team Lead - Perception Platforms

About the Role

Join the Perception team to collaborate with top-tier ML engineers and researchers dedicated to advancing self-driving vehicle technology. As part of the Perception Platform team, you will engage in developing foundational frameworks, evaluation pipelines, and tools that empower the Perception team to scale their efforts. Your work will directly support the technology stack responsible for perceiving the dynamic environments encountered by our robo-taxis.

Our core systems encompass extensive data pipelines essential for efficient ML development cycles, including data transformation, model training, and evaluation, covering both on-car and off-car perception solutions. Additionally, you will contribute to the creation of evaluation and visualization tools that deliver clear insights into dataset characteristics, model performance, system reliability, and exceptional case scenarios. A key focus will also be on enhancing the active learning workflow that continuously integrates valuable data to elevate model accuracy and robustness over time.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a high-performing team responsible for developing, maintaining, and optimizing internal data, training, and evaluation pipelines tailored to perception modeling.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and promote career growth opportunities within your team.
• Establish and align team objectives, priorities, and roadmaps with overarching company goals.
• Collaborate closely with ML engineers to identify and solve technical issues proactively, while personally contributing to code implementation and system improvements.
• Troubleshoot and enhance machine learning workflows to ensure maximum efficiency and performance across development stages from concept to deployment and maintenance.
• Conduct design and code reviews, uphold high quality standards, and ensure adoption of best engineering practices.
• Promote cross-functional teamwork, ensuring alignment with broader organizational objectives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Minimum of 7 years in software engineering roles, including at least 3 years in leadership or mentorship responsibilities.
• Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Computer Science or a related technical discipline.
• Committed to hands-on development with a demonstrated ability to contribute high-quality, production-ready code within a shared codebase.
• Proficient in Python, with experience in data processing libraries such as NumPy and Pandas.
• Strong background in backend development and architecture design for complex software systems.
• Solid understanding of machine learning or perception domain to effectively steer pipelines and tools strategy.
• Experience designing and delivering data visualization solutions or internal dashboards that foster insight and informed decision-making.
• Expertise in software engineering best practices, including source control, build processes, code reviews, and testing methodologies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to convey technical visions and inspire teams.

Additional Advantages

• In-depth knowledge of concurrency, parallel processing, and database systems influencing architecture choices.
• Experience working with distributed computing frameworks such as Kubernetes and Ray.
• Background in developing and deploying perception systems for autonomous vehicles or robotics applications.
• Ph.D. in a relevant field or comparable industry experience reflecting dedication to continuous learning.
• Competency in modern C++ standards (C++14/17 or later).
• Experience developing products involving current large language models (LLMs) and MCP protocols.
• Skills in GPU-accelerated data processing.
• Familiarity with machine learning platforms like PyTorch and TensorFlow.
• Proven project management experience with a track record of delivering complex technical initiatives successfully.

About Motional

Motional is spearheading the driverless vehicle revolution, committed to delivering safe, reliable, and widely accessible autonomous transportation solutions. Our mission emphasizes people-first innovation aimed at enhancing road safety, fostering equitable transport, and enriching community life through advanced technology. Our diverse team of engineers, researchers, and innovators is building transformative technology that will change how people navigate cities and roads.

We value diversity and inclusivity, cultivating a global culture where every individual feels valued and empowered. Our pioneering efforts include milestones such as the first fully autonomous cross-country drive in the United States, launching the world’s initial robotaxi pilot, and operating the longest-standing public robotaxi fleet. As a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, headquartered in Boston with operations across the U.S. and Asia, Motional is scaling up to bring autonomous vehicles into mainstream use.

Additional Information

Motional AD Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for all employees and ensuring compliance with federal employment verification systems.