---
title: 'Senior Motion Planning Engineer at Motional'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-motion-planning-engineer-motional-boston-massachusetts-g8z0k5fkgzqs'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-06'
---

# Senior Motion Planning Engineer at Motional

- **Company:** Motional
- **Location:** Boston Massachusetts, United States / Las Vegas Nevada, United States / Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
- **Compensation:** $172k–$229k
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-09-02
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-06
- **Apply:** https://motional.com/open-positions/?gh_jid=7984262003#/7984262003

## Job description

Mission Summary:

On our Motion Planning team, you'll apply your passion in robotics and software development for production-ready autonomous vehicles. In this role you'll perform cutting-edge research, develop advanced algorithms, and build robust software to generate safe, comfortable, and intuitive routes and motions.

Role responsibilities:

- Lead the research and development of novel algorithms for motion planning in autonomous driving, including but not limited to advanced search-based methods, sophisticated geometry-based methods, and decision making under uncertainty with a strong emphasis on probabilistic approaches.
- Architect and integrate complex combinations of motion planning and prediction algorithms, driving their evaluation and refinement for real-world deployment.
- Design and build a robust, scalable, and high-performance codebase that facilitates rapid exploration, prototyping, and rigorous evaluation of innovative motion planning approaches and algorithms.
- Drive technical collaboration and interface seamlessly with perception and prediction components upstream and trajectory optimization, tracking and control components downstream, ensuring end-to-end system performance.
- Leverage your deep software development and research expertise to teach others better software practices and principles, fostering a culture of technical excellence.
- Guide and mentor junior team members, cultivating a culture of product-focused engineering, rigorous research, and advanced development.

What we're looking for:

- PhD preferred in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; or a Master's degree with 2+ years of experience in the robotics (preferably AV industry)
- 5+ years of research experience in robotics / motion planning, with a proven track record of contributing to state-of-the-art solutions
- 3+ years of C++ software development, with an emphasis on developing high-performance and reliable systems
- Past experience owning and leading technical development on complex features from problem formulation through research, implementation, and deployment in a production environment.
- Thirst for knowledge, continuous innovation, and a drive to push the boundaries of autonomous driving technology.

Bonus points(not required):

- Experience with probabilistic models, including but not limited to Gaussian mixture models, Hidden Markov Models, and Particle Filters.
- Experience with Bayesian modeling and inference techniques for decision making under uncertainty.
- Experience with the Bazel build framework

We encourage a hybrid schedule with in-office time at one of our locations in Boston, Pittsburgh, or Las Vegas to support collaboration, or this role can be fully remote.

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 $172,000—$229,000 USD

Motional is a driverless technology company making autonomous vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality. We’re driven by something more.

Our journey is always people first.

We aren't just developing driverless cars; we're creating safer roadways, more equitable transportation options, and making our communities better places to live, work, and connect. Our team is made up of engineers, researchers, innovators, dreamers and doers, who are creating a technology with the potential to transform the way we move.

Higher purpose, greater impact.

We’re creating first-of-its-kind technology that will transform transportation. To do so successfully, we must design for everyone in our cities and on our roads. We believe in building a great place to work through a progressive, global culture that is diverse, inclusive, and ensures people feel valued at every level of the organization. Diversity helps us to see the world differently; it’s not only good for our business, it’s the right thing to do.

Scale up, not starting up.

Our team is behind some of the industry's largest leaps forward, including the first fully-autonomous cross-country drive in the U.S, the launch of the world's first robotaxi pilot, and operation of the world's longest-standing public robotaxi fleet. We’re driven to scale; we’re moving towards commercialization of our technology, and we need team members who are ready to embrace change and challenges.

Formed as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional is fundamentally changing how people move through their lives. Headquartered in Boston, Motional has operations in the U.S and Asia. For more information, visit  [www.Motional.com](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=3300142-1&h=1642745316&u=https%3A%2F%2Fc212.net%2Fc%2Flink%2F%3Ft%3D0%26l%3Den%26o%3D3253528-1%26h%3D3781125006%26u%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fc212.net%252Fc%252Flink%252F%253Ft%253D0%2526l%253Den%2526o%253D3089636-1%2526h%253D3468778127%2526u%253Dhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fc212.net%25252Fc%25252Flink%25252F%25253Ft%25253D0%252526l%25253Den%252526o%25253D2881693-1%252526h%25253D646020682%252526u%25253Dhttps%2525253A%2525252F%2525252Furldefense.com%2525252Fv3%2525252F__http%2525253A%2525252Fwww.motional.com%2525252F__%2525253B!!KT8c38mO!j78LjnhAm2VK7Fu23VO6KlwqDXvVTQFMzmyzieKQqZDQksh2tpWEseK4to8eKzwsEwI%25252524%252526a%25253Dwww.Motional.com%2526a%253Dwww.Motional.com%26a%3Dwww.Motional.com&a=www.Motional.com) and follow us on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/motionaldrive), [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/67123512/), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/motionaldrive/) and [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr__mGPkBb-KMoYWbSGuA9w).

Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E-Verify. All newly-hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.

## About Motional

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Motional is an autonomous vehicle technology company developing Level 4 driverless systems for robotaxi and delivery services.
- **Entity Type**: Private (joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv)
- **Headquarters**: Boston, Massachusetts, USA (with offices in Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Santa Monica, and Singapore)
- **Founded**: 2020 (formed as a joint venture; predecessor companies nuTonomy and Ottomatika founded in 2013)
- **Founders**: Motional was created as a joint venture; predecessor companies nuTonomy was co-founded by Karl Iagnemma and Emilio Frazzoli, and Ottomatika was founded by Raj Rajkumar

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Autonomous Vehicle Technology / Self-Driving Systems
- **Target Customers**: B2B partnerships with mobility networks (ride-hail and delivery platforms like Uber), enterprise fleet operators, and mobility service providers
- **Mission**: To make driverless vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality, fundamentally changing how the world moves.

## Products & Services
- **Robotaxi Service (Motional Driverless)**: A fully driverless, Level 4 autonomous vehicle platform designed for ride-hail services. Currently operating commercial robotaxi services on Uber in Las Vegas as of March 2026.
- **Autonomous Delivery**: The same robotaxi platform is designed to support autonomous delivery services, complementing the ride-hail offering.
- **nuScenes Open Source Dataset**: An industry-leading open-source dataset for autonomous vehicle research, demonstrating Motional's commitment to safety-focused data sharing.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not disclosed (private joint venture)
- **Key Metric**: Over 130,000 autonomous rides provided with zero at-fault incidents since predecessor companies began in 2013.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Hyundai Motor Group (joint venture partner), Aptiv (joint venture partner), Uber (commercial robotaxi partnership launched in Las Vegas, March 2026).
- **Growth Signals**: Commercial launch of robotaxi service on Uber in Las Vegas (March 2026), over a decade of autonomous driving development, significant scaling of driverless testing operations.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Industry-Leading Safety Record**: Zero at-fault incidents across 130,000+ autonomous rides, with safety as the company's bedrock principle.
- **Unique Joint Venture Structure**: Combines Hyundai's manufacturing expertise (vehicle production, global scale) with Aptiv's automotive technology leadership (sensors, software, integration).
- **Proven Commercial Deployment**: First-mover advantage with a live, paying robotaxi service integrated into Uber's platform in a major US city.
- **Open Source Leadership**: The nuScenes dataset is a widely used industry benchmark, establishing Motional as a thought leader and attracting top talent.

## Strategic Focus
- **Commercialization at Scale**: Expanding the Las Vegas robotaxi service and replicating the model in new markets.
- **Platform Versatility**: Developing the same core technology for both ride-hail and delivery to maximize revenue per vehicle and market opportunity.
- **Safety-First Approach**: Continuing to lead the industry in transparency and safety data sharing to build public trust and regulatory confidence.
- **Partnership Ecosystem**: Deepening integration with Uber and pursuing additional mobility network partnerships globally.

## Why Work Here
- **Purpose-Driven Mission**: Employees are motivated by a clear social purpose: creating safer roads, more equitable transportation, and reducing emissions — not just building technology for profit.
- **Cutting-Edge Engineering Challenges**: Work on the hardest problems in robotics, machine learning, AI, software, and sensor fusion, with direct impact on a product already on the streets.
- **Culture & Values**: Described as "more human than big tech and more structured than start-ups." Core values include Safety as Bedrock, Build for Everyone (diversity & inclusion), Take Ownership, and Deliver the Future.
- **Global, Collaborative Team**: Offices across the US (Boston, Las Vegas, Pittsburgh, Santa Monica) and Asia (Singapore), with a culture that emphasizes collaboration across teams and disciplines.
- **Career Growth & Benefits**: Competitive benefits package, investment in employee development, and a "people first" approach that values career growth and well-being. Remote/hybrid policy not explicitly stated but global office presence suggests flexibility.

## Sources
1. [Motional Website](https://motional.com/)
2. [Motional Careers Page](https://motional.com/careers)
3. [Motional - What We Do](https://motional.com/what-we-do)
4. [Motional - Life at Motional](https://motional.com/life-motional)
5. [Motional - Open Positions](https://motional.com/open-positions)

## Other roles at Motional

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- [Senior AV Test Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-av-test-engineer-motional-pittsburgh-pennsylvania-9cm1ww7bjgwc) — Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
- [IT Support Specialist [6 Month Contract]](https://feeny.ai/job/it-support-specialist-6-month-contract-motional-singapore-yjd8zt6j89g8) — Singapore
- [Sr. QA Automation Test Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-qa-automation-test-engineer-motional-las-vegas-nevada-4ba9xexjqtd9) — Las Vegas Nevada, United States
- [Virtual Test Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/virtual-test-engineer-motional-las-vegas-nevada-23wwdc1kar11) — Las Vegas Nevada, United States / Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, United States
- [Autonomous Driving Test Operator](https://feeny.ai/job/autonomous-driving-test-operator-motional-las-vegas-nevada-mjcw16vqtcmr) — Las Vegas Nevada, United States
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- [Associate Accounts Executive [1 Year Contract]](https://feeny.ai/job/associate-accounts-executive-1-year-contract-motional-singapore-0yf40b71reec) — Singapore
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