Pony.ai

Machine Learning Engineer - Reinforcement Learning

Pony.ai$150K — $250K *
Transportation
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or equivalent experience
  • Hands-on experience with production-grade ML and strong RL implementation
  • Expertise in deep learning, sequence modeling, and generative models
  • Proven track record of impactful ML systems demonstrated through publications
  • Experience with large-scale distributed training and data processing
  • Strong problem-solving skills in ambiguous technical environments

Responsibilities

  • Build scalable systems for training generative models that simulate realistic driving behaviors
  • Implement RL-style methods for high-fidelity simulated workflows
  • Develop deep learning solutions to automate workflows and analyze self-driving behaviors
  • Own ML production processes for fleet-scale model assessment
  • Design evaluation systems using human preferences for repeatable training loops
  • Collaborate with diverse teams to drive cross-cutting improvements

Benefits

  • Comprehensive health care plan (medical, dental & vision)
  • Retirement plan options (Traditional and Roth 401k)
  • Life insurance coverage (basic, voluntary & AD&D)
  • Generous paid time off policy including vacation and public holidays
  • Maternity and paternity family leave benefits
  • Short and long-term disability insurance
  • Complimentary food and snacks available
Full Job Description
Responsibility
  • Build scalable systems for training and fine-tuning large generative models that produce realistic, informative driving behaviors for evaluation and scenario coverage.
  • Implement and iterate on RL-style methods: algorithms, reward / preference objectives, and training setups suited to high-fidelity, insightful behaviors in simulation-aligned workflows (closed-loop evaluation mindset).
  • Ship deep learning solutions (including LLM / VLM where appropriate) that improve human-led triaging, automate high-volume workflows, and support nuanced analysis of self-driving behavior to surface critical anomalies.
  • Own production-oriented ML for fleet-scale assessment: training, optimization, monitoring, and iteration of models used to judge performance across large real-world exposure.
  • Design and evolve data + evaluation systems inspired by RL from human preferences (RLHF) and related paradigms-turning preference/judgment signals into repeatable, scalable training and evaluation loops.
  • Partner broadly with teams such as Prediction, Planning, Research, and platform/engineering leads to land cross-cutting improvements with clear metrics.

Requirements

  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or a related field-or equivalent practical experience.
  • Hands-on experience building and applying ML in production-grade settings, with a strong RL component (policy learning, preference/feedback optimization, or offline/online RL pipelines).
  • Depth in deep learning, sequence modeling, and generative models.
  • Demonstrated impact via strong publications or a clear history of shipping impactful ML systems end-to-end.
  • Experience with large-scale distributed training and large-scale data processing.
  • Ability to lead ambiguous technical work from problem framing through reliable delivery.


Preferred
  • Background in autonomous vehicles, robotics, or complex simulation environments.
  • Strong grasp of modern RL and post-training techniques in LLM, dLLM, VLA and video generations.
  • Hands-on integration of simulation platforms with ML training and evaluation workflows.
  • Python fluency and frameworks such as PyTorch
  • Experience defining and operating metrics for complex, safety-critical AI systems.
  • Technical leadership: influencing stakeholders, aligning teams, and raising the bar for evaluation rigor.
  • Excellent communication-simple explanations of complex trade-offs.


Compensation and Benefits

Base Salary Range: $150,000 - $250,000 Annually

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on many factors, including the candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Compensation and this role may be eligible for bonuses/incentives and restricted stock units.

Also, we provide the following benefits to the eligible employees:
  • Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
  • Retirement Plan (Traditional and Roth 401k)
  • Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
  • Paid Time Off (Vacation & Public Holidays)
  • Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
  • Short Term & Long Term Disability
  • Free Food & Snacks

About Pony.ai

Pony.ai is a Chinese-American company that develops autonomous driving technology. The company was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Fremont, California. Pony.ai has partnerships with automakers such as Toyota and Hyundai and has raised over $1 billion in funding. The company has expanded its services to include autonomous delivery and ride-hailing. Pony.ai has been recognized as one of the most innovative companies in the world by Fast Company.
Learn more about Pony.ai
Size
1,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2016

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Pony.ai

More Transportation Jobs

Find similar Machine Learning Engineer - Reinforcement Learning jobs: