Staff Software Engineer, Learned & Hybrid Behavior Planning

Kodiak


Job Location:

Mountain View, CA - USA

Monthly Salary: $ 240000 - 265000
Posted on: 3 days ago
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Kodiak Robotics Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous 2024 Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

We are looking for a Staff Software Engineer to help shape how learned models are integrated into behavior planning for autonomous this role you will sit at the intersection of Planning and Machine Learning working closely with ML engineers and autonomy teams to bring learned components into a production autonomy stack.

This is a high-impact role for someone who understands both the practical constraints of real-world planning systems and the opportunities enabled by modern learned models. You will help shape how ML improves autonomy behavior while ensuring that new capabilities are safe measurable debuggable and deployable.

What Youll Do

  • Lead Planning-side integration of learned models into the behavior planning stack.
  • Collaborate closely with ML teams on model improvements requirements evaluation and deployment.
  • Work on learned planning components as well as other ML-driven planning signals such as behavior classification actor intent understanding and data-driven decision-making.
  • Design integration strategies that balance learned components with existing heuristic planning systems.
  • Define validation fallback monitoring and safety criteria for learned planning components.
  • Debug and analyze model behavior using simulation logs metrics and real-world autonomy data.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams across Perception ML Planning Simulation Systems and Safety.
  • Lead technical designs and mentor other engineers.

What Were Looking For

  • Strong experience in autonomous vehicles robotics or a related autonomy domain.
  • Deep technical background in behavior planning decision-making or motion planning.
  • Strong software engineering skills with proficiency in C. Python proficiency is a plus.
  • Experience working with heuristic or classical planning systems.
  • Experience integrating or developing learned behavior policies behavior classification trajectory prediction or actor intent models.
  • Ability to reason about safety system behavior evaluation and deployment risk.
  • Excellent cross-functional communication and technical leadership skills.

The pay range listed below reflects the base salaryin our SF/Silicon Valley locationacross several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location experience relevant training education skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay equity bonus and a competitive benefits package

California Pay Range

$240000 - $265000 USD

At Kodiak we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race ethnicity religion gender identity sexual orientation age disability or veteran status or any other basis protected by applicable law.
In alignment with its business operations Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes regulations and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidates residence U.S. person status and/or citizenship status. Should the position require and Kodiak determines that a candidates residence U.S. person status and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license bar the candidate from the position or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiaks sole discretion or as an alternative opt not to proceed with the candidates application. If applicable Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.
We use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) to assist in the initial screening of applications. As part of the evaluation process we provide Endorsed with job requirements and candidate-submitted applications. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team and no automated system makes the ultimate decision regarding hiring. Certain features of the platform may qualify it as an Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) under applicable regulations. We began using Endorsed on January 1 2026. You can review the independent bias audit report covering our use of Endorsed here( By submitting your application you acknowledge that your application may be processed by AI systems as part of the screening and selection process. If you have any questions or would like to request a separate review of your application please contact with Separate Review Request in the email subject line.


Required Experience:

Staff IC

Kodiak Robotics Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector....