---
title: 'Senior Staff/Principal Software Engineer - GPU System Software, Onboard Execution at Zoox'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-principal-software-engineer-gpu-system-software-onboard-execution-ata3mv055s59'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-27'
---

# Senior Staff/Principal Software Engineer - GPU System Software, Onboard Execution at Zoox

- **Company:** Zoox
- **Location:** Foster City, CA
- **Compensation:** $339k–$455k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-10-22
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-27
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/zoox/a30574c9-8ef3-408f-bc85-39aad54ad115

## Job description

Zoox is building the world's most advanced self-driving hardware and software solution. The efficiency demands of such a system require an expert fine tuning of both the compute hardware architecture as well as the algorithms and middleware that runs on it to achieve maximum throughput at the most optimal power levels.

The Software Performance team keeps the main onboard computer healthy and performant to ensure that our on-bot autonomy software meets its latency targets while also accommodating its safety goals. We are responsible for the efficient allocation of onboard compute resources (CPU/GPU/Memory/accelerators) ensuring contention is minimized and the autonomy stack executes harmoniously.

As the Onboard Execution team leader within the Performance team,  you will lead a highly specialized team of software performance engineers in aggressively optimizing on-bot software runtime. This is a high impact role that sits at the intersection of ML Platform, Core, and Autonomy Software - ensuring that efficient compute utilization is a central tenet emphasized across the organization.

In this role, you will:

- Architect onboard GPU execution. Define how perception, prediction, and planning workloads share onboard GPUs, including scheduling, multi-tenancy, isolation, and deterministic latency under contention.
- Drive compute reduction. Own the multi-year roadmap to cut onboard compute per vehicle by setting latency and utilization budgets and landing the biggest levers across models, runtimes, middleware, and hardware in real releases.
- Shape hardware and platform direction. Guide next-generation compute decisions (GPU and SoC selection, topology, memory budgets) with workload models and performance projections that justify them, then lead performance bring-up of each new platform.
- Lead inference performance at scale. Set direction for the inference stack (TensorRT, CUDA, custom kernels, quantization) and partner with ML teams so models are designed for the hardware they ship on.
- Provide technical leadership. Lead and mentor senior engineers, align directors and VPs through design docs, and make the hard calls when performance, safety, and schedule conflict.

## Qualifications

- BS in computer science, computer engineering, or related field and 10+ years in systems or performance engineering, including leading GPU or accelerator architecture across teams, or building and leading a performance engineering team.
- Deep CUDA platform (programming model, runtime, and driver) and NVIDIA GPU microarchitecture expertise (Ampere through Blackwell, Orin, Thor).
- Proven record setting technical direction and delivering large, measurable end-to-end gains in latency, utilization, or cost.
- Working knowledge of ML inference optimization (TensorRT, XLA, Triton, quantization, fusion) and expert C++ on Linux.
- Ability to align ML, systems, hardware, and leadership on a shared technical plan.

Bonus Qualifications

- Real-time or embedded GPU experience: autonomy, robotics, AR/VR, games, or HPC. Production GPU multi-tenancy (MPS, MIG, priority streams). New GPU architecture or platform bring-up, benchmarking methodology, or workload modeling and projections.

## About Zoox

Zoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.

Follow us on LinkedIn

Accommodations If you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to accommodations@zoox.com or your assigned recruiter.

A Final Note: You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.

## About Zoox

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Zoox is building a fully autonomous, all-electric, purpose-built robotaxi service to give the world a better way to ride.
- **Entity Type**: Private (independent subsidiary of Amazon, acquired in 2020)
- **Headquarters**: Foster City, California, USA (with offices in Las Vegas, San Francisco, Austin, Miami, Atlanta, Los Angeles)
- **Founded**: 2014
- **Founders**: Not specified in provided sources

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Autonomous ride‑hailing / Self‑driving electric vehicles
- **Target customers**: B2C – individual riders seeking safe, convenient, and sustainable urban transportation
- **Mission**: “Give the world a better way to ride” – providing safer, cleaner, autonomous ride‑hailing for everyone [zoox.com](https://zoox.com/about)

## Products & Services
- **Zoox Robotaxi**: A purpose‑built, fully autonomous electric vehicle designed from the ground up for ride‑hailing. Features bidirectional driving, four‑wheel steering, and no steering wheel or pedals. The service handles all charging, maintenance, and fleet management – riders simply get in and enjoy the ride [zoox.com](https://zoox.com).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not disclosed (Zoox is a private subsidiary of Amazon)
- **Key Metric**: Not publicly available (revenue and funding details are not reported as a stand‑alone entity)
- **Notable Investors / Partners**: Amazon (parent company)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Received authorization from the Nevada DMV to operate robotaxis on public roads [zoox.com/about](https://zoox.com/about)
  - Expanded testing and operations to Las Vegas, Seattle, San Francisco, and other cities
  - Continues to scale its engineering and operations teams (multiple open roles on the careers page as of 2026)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Purpose‑built design**: Unlike retrofitted vehicles, Zoox’s robotaxi is designed from scratch for autonomous ride‑hailing (symmetrical, bidirectional, four‑wheel steering, no driver controls)
- **Amazon backing**: Deep financial resources, supply chain expertise, and cloud infrastructure (AWS) support rapid development and scaling
- **Full‑stack autonomy**: In‑house AI, computer vision, and sensing stack integrated directly into the vehicle design
- **Safety‑first approach**: Comprehensive testing, safety‑critical system design, and focus on public road validation

## Strategic Focus
- Achieving commercial launch of the Zoox ride‑hailing service in select U.S. cities
- Continuing to mature the autonomous driving system through real‑world testing and simulation
- Expanding the “Go‑to‑Market” strategy and building out operations teams (see CRM Lead, Go‑to‑Market Manager roles) [jobs.lever.co/zoox](https://jobs.lever.co/zoox)
- Scaling manufacturing and prototyping to prepare for fleet deployment

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Diverse, supportive community with inclusion‑focused strategy. Crew‑led groups for personal and professional development. Emphasis on trust, humility, and openness [zoox.com/careers](https://zoox.com/careers)
- **Work environment**: Hybrid? The careers page lists many roles as “On‑site” in Foster City, CA, with other office locations available. In‑office perks include a famous food program with daily changing local and sustainable dishes, plus a busy calendar of events and sports teams.
- **Benefits**: Comprehensive health plans (Cigna), mental health support, wellbeing program, flexible time off, generous family planning and caregiver support, and a commitment to work‑life balance.
- **Growth opportunities**: Work on cutting‑edge autonomous vehicle technology alongside some of the brightest minds in AI, engineering, computer vision, and more. Offers internships and re‑entry programs (via Path Forward) for career returners.
- **Recruitment process**: Uses AI tools to assist in reviewing applications but final decisions are human. No fees are charged at any stage – watch for recruitment scams [zoox.com/journal/landing-a-job-zoox](https://zoox.com/journal/landing-a-job-zoox)

## Sources
1. [Zoox official website](https://zoox.com)
2. [Zoox About page](https://zoox.com/about)
3. [Zoox Careers page](https://zoox.com/careers)
4. [Zoox job openings on Lever](https://jobs.lever.co/zoox)
5. [Zoox hiring and interview process](https://zoox.com/journal/landing-a-job-zoox)

## Other roles at Zoox

- [System Test Engineer, System Behavioral Analysis](https://feeny.ai/job/system-test-engineer-system-behavioral-analysis-zoox-foster-city-3wssg7qvs2vb) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior Radar Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-radar-engineer-zoox-foster-city-ks7rf3gq9xt0) — Foster City, CA
- [Team Lead, Vehicle Operations (1st Shift)](https://feeny.ai/job/team-lead-vehicle-operations-1st-shift-zoox-phoenix-jjpzpfytq187) — Phoenix, AZ
- [Administrative Business Partner, Product](https://feeny.ai/job/administrative-business-partner-product-zoox-foster-city-06wqfb2p8gn8) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior Quality Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-quality-engineer-zoox-foster-city-f2ppyyq8ayfr) — Foster City, CA
- [Data Scientist, Fleet Orchestration Algorithms](https://feeny.ai/job/data-scientist-fleet-orchestration-algorithms-zoox-foster-city-wexh01ras510) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior Program Manager, Executive Operations & Strategy](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-program-manager-executive-operations-strategy-zoox-foster-city-2e4zazs9y220) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior Strategic Sourcing Manager, IT Software & Services](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-strategic-sourcing-manager-it-software-services-zoox-foster-city-x9f17pkzg3at) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior/Staff Software-Hardware Integration Technical Program Manager - Autonomy](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-staff-software-hardware-integration-technical-program-manager-autonomy-7m74r0k1c4pj) — Foster City, CA
- [Senior Commercial Product Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-commercial-product-manager-zoox-foster-city-1fsd210k4d45) — Foster City, CA