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Staff Autonomy Engineer, Perception

Kodiak AI· Perception
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Mountain View, CA$200k - $255kFull-timePosted 7mo ago

About the role

Staff Autonomy Perception Engineer role focused on state estimation, multi-object tracking, and perception stack improvements for Kodiak Driver, leveraging AI models to deploy scalable autonomous perception systems.

Responsibilities

  • Define and lead the technical direction for learned scene estimation within the Kodiak Driver
  • Architect and implement principled approaches for fusing information across multiple modalities: camera, radar, lidar, thermal, and IMU
  • Lead improvements to multi-target tracking including track initiation, measurement-to-track association, and track state maintenance — with a focus on reliability in the hardest real-world conditions
  • Develop novel algorithms that incorporate noisy, incomplete measurements into a robust foundational understanding of the world
  • Build the tooling, metrics, and visualization infrastructure that lets the team move faster and evaluate progress rigorously
  • Set a high technical standard across the Perception team through design reviews, code reviews, and mentorship
  • Partner with teams across autonomy to ensure perception performance translates into system-wide safety and reliability

Qualifications

  • BS or MS with at least 8 years of industry experience, or PhD with at least 5 years, building and deploying state estimation and sensor fusion systems
  • Deep domain expertise across sensor fusion, state estimation, Kalman filtering, particle filtering, and multi-object tracking
  • Strong experience with deep learning and learned scene estimation — you know when to use classical methods and when learned approaches win
  • Exceptional C++ skills and a track record of writing highly maintainable, production-quality code in high-reliability systems
  • The ability to define metrics, design rigorous evaluations, and use data to make principled engineering decisions
  • A history of technical leadership — you have driven projects from ambiguous problem to shipped solution and raised the level of the teams around you
  • Strong written and verbal communication; you write clear design docs and build alignment across disciplines

Skills

Required:State estimation and sensor fusionDeep learning and learned scene estimationC++

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses
  • Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)
  • MetLife Legal Services, Identity & Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, & Critical Illness Insurance
  • Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and generous parental leave policies
  • Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging
  • Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance
  • Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation)
  • Fidelity 401(k)
  • Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA
  • Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)
Last updated Oct 21, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Kodiak AI

Safely driving an autonomous future.

Our purpose-built autonomous solution, the Kodiak Driver, is the AV industry’s most advanced driverless technology, seamlessly integrating into any driving platform for reliable movement in any environment. Learn how we’re shaping the future of ground transportation.

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