Staff Software Engineer - Machine Learning

Description

The Smart Agents group builds the machine learning models and system that simulate road users, such as other vehicles, bikers, and pedestrians, to generate scenarios for testing and training autonomous vehicle driving policies.

Think of it as the non-player characters in a video game that self-driving cars learn from. The team designs them to behave realistically as the vehicle moves through a scene.

The team uses generative AI models (GPT) and reinforcement learning (RL) policies, and works closely with Simulation, Behaviors, Perception, and Safety Engineering.

The work may cover ML and RL model development, training loops, optimization, integration, ML infrastructure, metrics, and data pipelines, supporting both production deployment and fast experimentation.

Responsibilities

• Help the team build machine learning and reinforcement learning models, including training loops and optimization.
• Streamline integration and build ML infrastructure, metrics, and data pipelines for production deployment and rapid experimentation.
• Work within an ML team and bring strong software engineering skills to it.
• Help speed up project timelines in Autopilot, Lane Keep, and autonomous vehicle technology.

Requirements

• 4+ years of experience in robotics or latency-sensitive backend services.
• Experience working with machine learning teams, algorithms, and models.
• Strong programming skills in modern C++ or Python.
• Proven background in machine learning and classification, with familiarity with TensorFlow or PyTorch.
• A track record of deploying perception, prediction, or AV models into real-world environments.
• Experience with RL and sequence prediction models.
• Ability to design architectures that are scalable, efficient, fault-tolerant, and easy to extend over time without major disruption.
• Ability to design across multiple systems, going deep in complex areas while understanding adjacent systems.
• Ability to move between coding, design, technical strategy, and mentorship, with good judgment about where you are needed most.
• Highly desirable: experience in simulation and robotics, ideally from AV or robotics companies rather than solely cloud-focused ones.
• Bonus: experience building highly performant ML and system pipelines.
• Bonus: experience profiling CPU and/or GPU software, process scheduling, and prioritization.
• Interest in self-driving car technology and its impact on the world.

Conditions

The base salary range is $144,700 to $284,100. The actual offer within that range depends on factors relevant to the position.

This pay figure is a good faith estimate based on what a successful applicant might be paid under applicable state laws, and it may not reflect positions outside New York, Colorado, California, or Washington.

The role is remote, but if you live within a 50-mile radius of Atlanta, Austin, Detroit, Warren, Milford, or Mountain View, you must report to that location at least three times a week.

The role is also categorized as hybrid, so the selected candidate must report to a specific location at least 3 times a week, or as often as their manager sets.

The role may be eligible for relocation benefits.

The company does not provide immigration sponsorship for this role. Do not apply if you will need company immigration sponsorship now or in the future, including direct sponsorship, the company as employer of record on a government form, or any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company, such as H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, or J-1.

Applicants may be required to complete a role-related assessment and/or a pre-employment screening before starting.

The company aims for a workplace free of unlawful discrimination that also fosters inclusion and belonging.

Benefits

• Health and wellbeing programs including medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, and an employee assistance program.
• A retirement savings plan, paid time off and holidays, tuition assistance, and company vehicle discounts, among other perks.
• Incentive pay based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.