RiseMe
Zoox logo
Zoox Verified
Autonomous Vehicles, Robotics, Automotive, Technology

Senior Staff / Principal Software Engineer - Freeway Autonomy

Foster City, CAHybridFull TimePrincipalPosted 2 months agoVisa sponsorship available

Is this role right for you?

Upload your resume and get a skill-by-skill breakdown — see exactly where you match, where you're close, and what to highlight. Not a mystery percentage.

Get a tailored resume highlighting what this role needs.

Required skills

  • freeway driving
  • driverless operation
  • high-speed autonomous driving
  • behavior planning
  • motion planning
  • perception
  • prediction
  • simulation
  • systems engineering
  • technical leadership

Nice to have

  • safety cases
  • driver-out readiness criteria
  • C++

Role summary

Zoox is seeking a Senior Staff or Principal Software Engineer to lead the development of full-stack autonomous robotaxi solutions for freeway operation. The role requires deep technical expertise in an autonomy domain and proven experience in transitioning freeway driving programs from supervised to driverless operation. Responsibilities include setting technical vision, building roadmaps, identifying and closing high-risk gaps, developing algorithms, and communicating technical trade-offs to leadership. The position also involves mentoring engineers and raising the standard for autonomous driving design, testing, and validation.

Zoox is on an ambitious journey to develop a full-stack autonomous robotaxi solution, and freeways are the next frontier. We are looking for a Senior Staff or Principal Software Engineer who has played a significant role in removing the driver from an autonomous vehicle operating on freeways, and who can help Zoox navigate that same journey. You will bring deep technical expertise in a relevant autonomy domain — the specific domain is flexible — along with the hard-won judgment that comes from having taken a freeway driving program from supervised operation to driverless. This is a highly visible role with broad influence across the Autonomy organization.

In this role, you will:

  • Guide autonomy-wide initiatives toward driverless freeway operation, including setting the technical vision and strategy, building the roadmap, and driving cross-functional execution

  • Identify the highest-risk gaps between our current freeway capabilities and driver-out readiness, and lead the engineering work to close them

  • Develop algorithms that enable freeway driving capabilities, spanning architecture, design, implementation, integration, testing, and verification and validation

  • Communicate technical trade-offs, risk assessments, and readiness recommendations to diverse stakeholders, including senior and executive leadership

  • Mentor engineers across the freeway program and raise the bar for how we design, test, and validate high-speed autonomous driving

    • Qualifications:

  • 10+ years of industry software experience

  • Demonstrated technical leadership of removing the human driver from an autonomous vehicle operating on freeways or highways

  • Deep technical expertise in at least one autonomy domain, such as behavior/motion planning, perception, prediction, simulation, or systems engineering

  • Proven ability to lead large, cross-functional engineering efforts from ambiguity to shipped results

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical trade-offs for varied audiences including executives

    • Bonus Qualifications:

  • Experience scaling and operating a driverless service after driver removal

  • Experience constructing safety cases or defining driver-out readiness criteria for high-speed autonomous driving

  • Proficiency in C++

    • Ready to apply?
    You'll be redirected to Zoox's application page.

    Similar roles

    See how RiseMe works

    Match, tailor, and prep so you send fewer applications and land more interviews.