Principal Engineer / Director, Motion Planning
Hybrid Santa Clara Full-time Director Engineering Leadership
At a glance
Director-level Engineering Leadership role at PlusAI. Santa Clara · full-time · $200,000–$280,000 base.
SalaryStated by PlusAI
$200,000 – $280,000
Base salary for this role, in USD per year, as published in the posting.
This role, from PlusAIOur estimate for the market: $231,545–$240,000Median $233,250
The range includes the market median of $233,250 for lead engineering leadership roles in Santa Clara.
Worked out from 9 postings that stated pay, median $233,250. Last updated Oct 22, 2026.
RoleEngineering Leadership
SeniorityDirector
LocationSanta Clara
WorkplaceHybrid
EmploymentFull-time
Base pay$200,000–$280,000
PostedOct 8, 2024 · 2y ago
Role brief
techroles summary, based on the employer's posting.
What you'll do
- Lead and expand the motion forecasting and planning team building safety-critical software for self-driving vehicles
- Own project delivery for autonomous driving work, while coding and prototyping new algorithm ideas
- Scale machine-learning pipelines from data preparation through model training, validation, deployment and monitoring
- Update senior leaders and cross-functional teams on progress, and meet customer, regulatory and quality requirements
- Monitor team quality and QMS compliance, then drive process improvements
What you bring
- Seven to ten years building data-driven systems that can withstand faults
- A record of delivering a system based on deep learning
- A computer science master’s or doctorate, or equivalent practical experience
- Extensive modern planning-system design is a plus, alongside strong C++ and Python skills
Who this fits
This director-level role suits someone who can lead a motion planning team and still code and prototype. It is a hybrid position in Santa Clara.
From the employer
PlusAI is a Physical AI company pioneering AI-based virtual driver software for factory-built autonomous trucks. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in the United States and Europe, Plus was named by Fast Company as one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies. Partners including TRATON GROUP’s Scania, MAN, and International brands, Hyundai Motor Company, Iveco Group, Bosch, and DSV are working with Plus to accelerate the deployment of next-generation autonomous trucks. If you’re ready to make a huge impact and drive the future of autonomy, Plus is looking for talented individuals to join its fast-growing teams.
Your opportunities joining PlusAIWork, learn and grow in a highly future-oriented, innovative and dynamic field.Wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development.Catered free lunch, unlimited snacks and beverages.Highly competitive salary and benefits package, including 401(k) plan.
Responsibilities:
- Develop safety-critical software for self-driving vehicles by leading, managing, and expanding a team focused on the motion forecasting & planning.
- Assume responsibility for the overall planning, execution, and success of autonomous driving related projects Actively code and develop prototypes to test novel algorithms and ideas.
- Foster a culture of experimentation and innovation, while promoting technical excellence and accountability within the team.
- Scale end-to-end ML pipelines for research and production, from data ingestion and pre-processing to model training, validation, deployment, and monitoring.
- Stay on top of the latest trends, technologies, and best practices in machine learning and artificial intelligence.
- Present the progress to senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Ensure that technical work meets customer requirements, regulatory standards, and company quality policies.
- Ensure that your work is performed in accordance with the company’s Quality Management System (QMS) requirements and contribute to continuous improvement efforts.
- Ensure team compliance with QMS, monitor quality, and drive process improvements.
Required Skills:
- 7-10 years of experience building data-driven, fault-tolerant systems
- Proven record of delivering a DL based system
- MS or PhD in Computer Science or equivalent practical experience
- Extensive experience designing and building modern planning systems a big plus
- Passionate about writing amazing, robust, safety-critical, efficient C++ and Python
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in deep learning, mobile robotics, geometric modeling and trajectory generation
Salary Range
- $200,000 - 280,000
Your opportunities joining PlusAIWork, learn and grow in a highly future-oriented, innovative and dynamic field.Wide range of opportunities for personal and professional development.Catered free lunch, unlimited snacks and beverages.Highly competitive salary and benefits package, including 401(k) plan.
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