Senior Robotics Engineer

We are seeking a highly skilled and autonomous Senior Robotics Engineer to play a critical role in investigating and diagnosing complex autonomous vehicle (AV) behaviors across on-road, resimulation, and synthetic simulation environments. This engineer will be responsible for taking end-to-end ownership of ambiguous problem spaces, utilizing Python, custom Spaceship tooling, and data visualization platforms to effectively perform root-cause analysis on emergent behaviors across our autonomy stack. Their work will directly contribute to accelerating the development of safe and reliable autonomous technologies by transforming deep technical debugging into clear summaries that support unified release narratives and executive insights. What You'll Be Doing • System Diagnosis & Root Cause Analysis: Perform deep technical investigations of undesirable AV behaviors across simulation, HIL, and on-road operations. Take end-to-end ownership of complex investigations, driving solutions autonomously from initial triage to final resolution with little to no oversight. • Cross-Subsystem Debugging: Debug behaviors across perception, prediction, localization, planning, controls, and vehicle systems. Reason across subsystem boundaries to diagnose emergent behaviors resulting from component interactions. • Data Analysis & Tooling: Analyze large datasets from system logs, telemetry, and software outputs using Python. Develop automated diagnostic workflows and custom internal tooling using Python and Spaceship to increase the speed and scale of investigations. • Performance Visualization: Design and build interactive dashboards using Python frameworks and Business Intelligence tools (e.g., Looker) to effectively measure, analyze, and report on the performance of our AV systems. • Hypothesis Generation: Develop technical hypotheses from incomplete or ambiguous evidence, distinguish behavioral symptoms from underlying root causes, and design analyses to systematically test potential causes. • Problem Space Identification: Autonomously identify recurring undesirable behaviors, regressions, and emerging system-level performance issues, categorizing them into meaningful failure modes. • Technical Storytelling & Synthesis: "Dive deep" into technical complexities to uncover root causes, then step back to synthesize findings. Translate raw performance metrics into clear summaries that support executive-level reporting, unified release narratives, and cross-functional communication. What We're Looking For • Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Computer Science, Electrical, Systems, Robotics) or equivalent work experience, with a Master's degree considered a strong plus. • Robotics Experience: 5+ years of professional software or systems engineering experience working on safety-critical, complex systems such as Autonomous Vehicles, Robotics, Medical Devices, or Aerospace. Thorough understanding of robotics systems including sensors, actuators, and software autonomy stacks. • Data & Analytics Expertise: Strong proficiency in Python for data analysis and scripting, backed by a strong understanding of modern software development principles. Experience building data visualizations using Python frameworks, with a willingness to learn Business Intelligence tools (e.g., Looker). • Systems Thinking & Quality: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for complex system performance evaluation. Ability to think logically, remove bias, perform root cause analysis using system logs, and maintain a strict commitment to data quality and rigorous testing. • Engineering Workflows: Proficient with Git and standard version control workflows, and entirely comfortable working in a fast-paced, agile, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD) environment. • Autonomy & Communication: Proven ability to work both independently and effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team. Excellent communication skills with the ability to synthesize complex technical findings into clear summaries that support cross-functional teams and executive leadership. Bonus Points (not required) • Experience using AV-specific software diagnostic and visualization tools (e.g., Planner Analyzer) to troubleshoot complex autonomy behaviors. • Knowledge of statistical analysis and machine learning techniques relevant to performance evaluation. Success Metrics • Core Diagnosis & RCA: Effective execution of deep technical investigations that accurately isolate the underlying root causes of complex, cross-subsystem AV behaviors and translate them into actionable engineering resolutions. • Diagnostic Automation: Successful implementation of robust, automated diagnostic workflows that significantly reduce the time required to triage and resolve anomalous AV behaviors. • Technical Synthesis & Insights: Consistent delivery of accurate, high-impact data visualizations and clear summaries that directly accelerate AV development and system maturity. This is a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact at Motional by enhancing our diagnostic capabilities, improving system reliability, and accelerating development speed for our industry-leading autonomous vehicle ecosystem. We take pride in having some of the brightest and most dedicated talent in the world on our team. If you're innovative, driven, and eager to tackle challenges, we'd love to have you join us! The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors including but not limited to specific skills, experience and expertise, role location, certifications, licenses, and business needs. The estimated compensation range listed in this job posting reflects base salary only. This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process. Candidates for certain positions are eligible to participate in Motional's benefits program. Motional's benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401k with a company match, health saving accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more. Salary Range $149,000-$198,500 USD