Software Engineer, Localization

Kodiak Robotics, Inc. was founded in 2018 and has become a leader in autonomous ground transportation committed to a safer and more efficient future for all. The company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack purpose-built for commercial trucking and the public sector. The company delivers freight daily for its customers across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak became the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. Kodiak is also leveraging its commercial self-driving software to develop, test and deploy autonomous capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

We are looking for a Localization Engineer --- a problem solver with solid expertise in state estimation, inertial navigation, and sensed odometry.

In this role, you will:

• Develop and integrate onboard navigation and pose estimation algorithms.


• Optimize sensor fusion and pose estimation using IMU, camera, and lidar sensors.


• Develop visual and lidar odometry algorithms.


• Develop navigation metrics for evaluating algorithms specifically for the autonomous trucking domain.


• Troubleshoot, problem solve, innovate, create, and collaborate.


• Evaluate sensor performance and optimize sensor selection.


• Verify correct sensor calibrations, settings, and uncertainty characterizations.

What you’ll bring:

• Strong technical background. BS, MS or PhD with academic or industry experience in building navigation, localization, and odometry systems.


• Skilled in C++ and strong problem-solving skills.


• Strong software engineering skills and experience building high-reliability deployed applications . You write well-designed, highly maintainable code. Code is your craft.


• Experience with IMUs, and wrangling IMU data, especially in the automotive domain.


• Experience with computer vision, visual odometry, and/or odometry from point clouds


• Solid understanding of metrics, data analysis, and scientific evaluation.


• A team player. You take ownership and work with the team to deliver exceptional results. You are interested in the performance of the entire system across engineering disciplines.


• Ability to build and iterate quickly. You enjoy working fast and smart, and you are comfortable in defining and building lasting infrastructure components from scratch.


• Hands on. Curious. Flexible. Interested in new domains to expand your horizons and provide a complete system wide solution.


• Great communicator. You have experience writing clear, concise design documentation to gather feedback from across the team to find the best solution.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation package including equity and biannual bonuses


• Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, and Guardian (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)


• Flexible PTO and generous parental leave policies


• Our office is centrally located in Mountain View, CA


• Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging


• Long Term Disability, Short Term Disability, Life Insurance


• Wellbeing Benefits - Headspace, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health


• Fidelity 401(k)


• Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA


• Various incentive programs (referral bonuses, patent bonuses, etc.)

Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Please note that the compensation details listed above are base salary only and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.

California Pay Range

$180,000 - $215,000 USD

Actual salary ranges will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location. Please note that the compensation details listed above are base salary only and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.

At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.