Staff Autonomy Engineer - Localization

Essential Responsibilities

• Architect and lead the development of a production-grade, multimodal localization stack, integrating Cameras, LiDAR, Radar, GNSS, and IMU data to ensure centimeter-level accuracy and high availability.
• Design and implement advanced state estimation frameworks, such as Factor Graphs or sliding-window optimization (e.g., GTSAM, Ceres), optimized for real-time performance and robustness against sensor degradation and across diverse Operational Design Domains (ODDs).
• Own the localization integrity and safety strategy. Develop sophisticated uncertainty estimation and fault detection, isolation, and recovery (FDIR) mechanisms to meet stringent safety requirements.
• Drive technical roadmaps for next-generation localization techniques, including map and sparse landmark-based localization (Vision/LiDAR/Radar), visual-inertial odometry (VIO), and wheel-inertial odometry.
• Lead cross-functional system integration, developing software and system requirements while defining technical interfaces and performance contracts (e.g., state estimation and uncertainty bounds) between Localization and upstream and downstream modules like Perception, Behavior, Policy, and Prediction.
• Establish rigorous evaluation frameworks and metrics for localization performance, including pose accuracy, temporal consistency, and system-level reliability across diverse ODDs.
• Spearhead major feature development including high-level architecture design, code reviews, issue diagnosis, and technical resolution.
• Provide high-level technical mentorship to senior and junior engineers, conducting deep-dive design and code reviews and fostering a culture of engineering excellence and rigorous validation.
• Stay at the research frontier, evaluating and adapting cutting-edge techniques in SLAM, deep-learned localization features, and large-scale map-matching to deliver production-ready solutions.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates most successful in this role typically hold the following qualifications or comparable experience.