General Motors

Staff Software Engineer (Planning & Controls)

General Motors • $218K — $335K *
Mountain View, CA 94040Hybrid
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Reposted Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Ph.D. or M.S. in controls, optimization, path planning, or similar; B.S. with relevant experience may suffice.
  • 5+ years in motion planning or a related field.
  • Strong grasp of optimal controls and trajectory optimization algorithms.
  • Experience with control theory and techniques.
  • Solid understanding of vehicle dynamics.
  • Proven track record in developing autonomous software systems.
  • Expertise in Planning and Controls system design and proficiency in C++/Python within large teams.
  • Strong organizational and communication skills.

Responsibilities

  • Shape the technical vision and multi-quarter roadmap for vehicle dynamics and controls software.
  • Architect system designs and interface contracts with perception, prediction, and planning systems.
  • Lead technical reviews and advocate software engineering best practices.
  • Contribute to Active Safety, Driver Assistance, and Super Cruise features.
  • Guide developers in system design focusing on safety, comfort, and efficiency.
  • Establish validation strategies for vehicle dynamics and controls software through simulations and on-road testing.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams to generate onboard system requirements.

Benefits

  • Variety of health and wellbeing programs including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • Retirement savings plan with various options.
  • Paid vacation and holidays, and tuition assistance programs.
  • Employee assistance programs and GM vehicle discounts.
  • Opportunity to participate in a vehicle evaluation program with eligibility for a company vehicle.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Role:

As a Technical Lead you will be a senior individual contributor in the Local Planner Controller team within Embodied AI. We formulate and solve optimization problems online, considering kinematic feasibility, collision avoidance and ride comfort. In this role, you will provide cross-functional technical leadership for vehicle dynamics, estimation and controls systems used in GMs Super Cruise system.

You will define the technical vision and multi-quarter roadmap for vehicle dynamics and controls software, drive design quality from architecture through validation, and align multiple teams to ship reliable, scalable autonomy capabilities that meet company goals.

What you'll be doing:
  • Shape the technical vision by owning multi-quarter roadmap designs for vehicle dynamics and controls software.
  • Architect and implement system designs and interface contracts with perception, prediction and planning systems, ensuring deliverables meet performance targets and safety constraints.
  • Lead technical reviews and drive software engineering best practices across the team and the larger organization.
  • Contribute to Active Safety, Driver Assistance, and Super Cruise.
  • Guide other developers through system design and implementation focusing on safety, comfort, and compute efficiency.
  • Establish verification and validation strategies for the vehicle dynamics and controls software, including simulation and on-road testing validation gates.
  • Partner with Safety, Systems Engineering, and Product to generate requirements for onboard systems.
  • Lead root-cause investigations for complex integration issues, using data-driven techniques and principled experimentation, proactively creating test plans for new features and defining useful metrics for analyzing performance
  • Mentor engineers across teams, raising the bar on technical judgment, design quality, and execution discipline without direct people management responsibilities.
  • Improve and deliver reliable software through continuous integration, automated testing, and code reviews.
  • Develop and oversee top-tier software engineers within a dynamic, fast-paced, and inclusive setting.
  • Help define, build, and embody GM engineering culture and principles.


Qualifications:
  • Ph.D., M.S. in controls, optimization, path planning, or related. B.S. with strong work experience in the field may be considered
  • 5+ years of experience in motion planning or related field
  • Deep understanding of optimal controls and trajectory optimization algorithms
  • Good grasp of classical and modern feedback control theory and techniques
  • Solid understanding of vehicle dynamics
  • A demonstrated track record of building high quality autonomous software systems
  • Deep expertise in Planning and Controls system design
  • Experience with C++/Python in a large, distributed development environment
  • Strong organizational and communication skills
  • Passion for self-driving technology and its potential impact on the world


Bonus points!
  • A background in robotics, ROS, or the AV/ADAS industry
  • Experience in numerical optimization algorithms
  • Experience designing software applications for safety critical systems
  • Experience building and managing engineering teams


Remote: This role is based remotely but if you live within a 50-mile radius of Austin, Detroit, Warren, Milford or Mountain View, you are expected to report to that location three times per week, at minimum.

Compensation: The compensation information is a good faith estimate only. It is based on what a successful applicant might be paid in accordance with applicable state laws. The compensation may not be representative for positions located outside of the California Bay Area.
  • The salary range for this role is $218,800.00 to $335,300.00. The actual base salary a successful candidate will be offered within this range will vary based on factors relevant to the position.
  • Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance.


Benefits:
  • Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.


This job may be eligible for relocation benefits.

Company Vehicle: Upon successful completion of a motor vehicle report review, you will be eligible to participate in a company vehicle evaluation program, through which you will be assigned a General Motors vehicle to drive and evaluate. Note: program participants are required to purchase/lease a qualifying GM vehicle every four years unless one of a limited number of exceptions applies.

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About General Motors

General Motors Company engages in the manufacture and sale of cars and trucks in the United States, China, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy. It offers sedans, crossovers, sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, coupes, sports/convertibles and hybrid vehicles, hatchbacks/wagons, and vans, as well as mini cars in India. The company also provides parts and accessories, such as iPod and MP3 compatibility, mobility accessories, performance parts, AC parts and services, and merchandise. In addition, it offers vehicle safety, security, and information services. The company provides used vehicles. It offers its products through dealers and distributors. General Motors Company was formerly known as NGMCO, Inc. and changed its name to General Motors Company in July 2009. The company was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Detroit, Michigan. It operates manufacturing facilities in India, the United States, and Canada. General Motors Company operates as a subsidiary of the United States Department of The Treasury. General Motors led global vehicle sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 through 2007, longer than any other automaker, and is currently among the world's largest automakers by vehicle unit sales. General Motors acts in most countries outside the USA via wholly-owned subsidiaries but operates in China through 10 joint ventures. GM's OnStar subsidiary provides vehicle safety, security, and information services. In 2009, General Motors shed several brands, closing Saturn, Pontiac, and Hummer, and emerged from a government-backed Chapter 11 reorganization. In 2010, GM made an initial public offering IPOs to date and returned to profitability later that year.

General Motors Careers

Join the dynamic team at General Motors, a global leader in automotive innovation and technology. At General Motors, we offer unparalleled job opportunities that propel your career forward while contributing to a legacy of engineering excellence.

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Join Our Global Team

As part of our global workforce, you will collaborate with talented individuals who are passionate about shaping the future of transportation. General Motors offers a variety of career paths in engineering, design, IT, marketing, and more. With over 155,000 employees worldwide, our network provides expansive opportunities for networking and professional development.

Internship Programs and Employment Benefits

Start your career journey with a General Motors internship, where you can apply your academic knowledge to real-world projects. Our internships provide a robust foundation in the automotive industry, with mentorship from experienced leaders. Full-time employees enjoy a wealth of benefits, including comprehensive health care, retirement plans, and performance bonuses, ensuring that your hard work is rewarded.

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Learn more about General Motors
Size
157,000 employees
Market Cap
$46.9 billion
Industry
Manufacturing & Automotive
Net Income
$6.4 billion
Founded
1908
5 Year Trend
-3.2%
Revenue
$122.4 billion
NASDAQ
GM
* Ladders Estimates

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