Software Engineer, Planner Architecture

Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We are looking for a Software Engineer to partner with our Planner Architecture team on this exciting journey. The Planner Architecture Team owns the software framework and systems integration that houses Aurora's core motion planning algorithms on the vehicle. The team defines and drives the world representation, data structures, and APIs for the Motion Planner, ensuring software quality, robustness, and real-time performance through continuous latency burn-down and architectural optimization. The team also develops the specialized tooling and infrastructure required to identify suboptimal on-road driving behaviors, enabling rapid diagnosis and data collection to improve the Aurora Driver.

• Collaborate within the Autonomy Integration group and with stakeholders across various autonomy subsystems to drive cross-functional design and implementation.
• Develop software that directly influences the on-road behavior of autonomous vehicles, including architecting the framework and interfaces that core Motion Planning algorithms integrate into.
• Build onboard infrastructure for detecting and capturing interesting scenarios and anomalous behaviors to accelerate the improvement of the autonomy stack.
• Enhance Planner robustness and maintainability by reducing faults and improving the flexibility, composability, and testability of the system.
• Architect and optimize code paths to minimize latency in safety-critical components, ensuring the Planner meets real-time constraints.
• Improve the Planner’s world representation and data encoding to support both learned and engineered planning approaches.

• Expertise in Modern C++, specifically for latency-sensitive and safety-critical applications.
• 2+ years of applied industry experience in software engineering, with a focus on robotics or distributed/asynchronous systems.
• Ability to thrive in a highly cross-functional environment, with the technical versatility to contribute across diverse domains ranging from software architecture and algorithms to data analysis and system validation.
• Solid understanding of software engineering best practices, including architecture design, code maintainability, test-driven development, and requirements verification.
• Demonstrated ability to execute independently: estimating work accurately, delivering on schedule, and communicating blockers effectively.
• Proficiency in Python for scripting, data analysis, and automation.

• An advanced degree in Robotics, Computer Science, or related fields, or equivalent professional experience in autonomous vehicles or robotics domains.
• Familiarity with Motion Planning algorithms or control systems within automotive, aerospace, robotics, or similar domains.
• Experience working in a regulated, safety-critical environment utilizing systems engineering or requirements-driven development methodologies.

The base salary range for this position is $126K - $181.5K per year. Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

#LI-JL261

#Mid-Senior