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Staff Software Engineer, Behavior Planning

Kodiak AI· Motion Planning
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Mountain View, CA$240k - $265kFull-timePosted 4mo ago

About the role

Staff Software Engineer to build and improve behavior and motion planning systems for autonomous driving, owning planning features end to end from design to validation and deployment.

Responsibilities

  • Design, implement, and improve behavior planning and motion planning features.
  • Own planning projects from problem definition through deployment.
  • Debug autonomy behavior using logs, simulation, metrics, and real-world data.
  • Improve how the autonomy system balances safety, comfort, progress, and operational constraints.
  • Collaborate with teams across Prediction, Controls, Perception, ML, Simulation, Systems, and Safety.
  • Define success metrics and validation plans for planning features.
  • Write production-quality C++ software.
  • Participate in technical design reviews, code reviews, and architecture discussions.
  • Mentor junior and senior engineers.

Qualifications

  • Experience in behavior planning, motion planning, decision-making, robotics, autonomous vehicles, or related areas.
  • Strong software engineering skills, preferably in C++.
  • Experience building autonomy software in industrial, production, or near-production environments.
  • Ability to debug complex robotics or autonomy behavior using logs, metrics, and simulation.
  • Strong system-level judgment around safety, comfort, and deployment readiness.
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills.

Skills

Required:Behavior planning and motion planningC++ programmingDebugging autonomy systemsCross-functional collaboration

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 located in Mountain View, CA
  • Dog-friendly office, free catered lunch, fully stocked kitchen, 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.

autonomousdriverlessground transportationAI
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