Software Engineer (Python, AI)

About The CompanyMotional is a pioneering driverless technology company dedicated to making autonomous vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality. Established as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional is headquartered in Boston with operations across the U.S. and Asia. The company is committed to transforming transportation by developing innovative autonomous vehicle solutions that enhance safety, equity, and community well-being. With a focus on scaling advanced autonomous systems, Motional has achieved significant milestones including the first fully-autonomous cross-country drive in the U.S., the launch of the world's first robotaxi pilot, and operating one of the longest-standing public robotaxi fleets. Driven by a mission to create safer roadways and more equitable transportation options, Motional fosters a diverse, inclusive, and collaborative culture that values innovation, excellence, and impact.About The RoleWe are seeking an experienced and visionary Staff Engineer to lead our new AI Data Engine team. This pivotal role involves driving the technical strategy, architecture, and execution of initiatives aimed at accelerating ML dataset generation and optimizing our data warehouse stack. The ultimate goal is to reduce development cycles for new pipelines and ML models, preparing us for a driverless future. As a hands-on technical leader, you will blend deep expertise in data systems and infrastructure with the ability to architect complex, highly scalable solutions. While primarily an individual contributor role, you will serve as a force multiplier by mentoring a high-performing team of engineers, setting rigorous technical standards, and fostering a culture of engineering excellence, innovation, and continuous improvement. Your leadership will be instrumental in shaping the future of autonomous vehicle technology through innovative data solutions.QualificationsBachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science or related field6+ years of professional experience in data platform engineering3+ years of experience in a technical lead, staff engineer, or senior architecture roleProven track record of driving cross-team technical initiatives and mentoring senior engineersExtensive experience managing large-scale data platforms (petabyte scale), including data warehouses, object storage, and ML training data storesExperience with workflow orchestration frameworks such as Airflow or Step FunctionsStrong programming skills in Python; C++ experience is a plusExperience designing, building, and deploying agentic workflows and multi-agent systems using frameworks like LangChain, LlamaIndex, DSPy, or custom LLM orchestration toolsKnowledge of modern data storage formats (Parquet, Iceberg), vector databases (LanceDB, Milvus, Qdrant), and retrieval architectures (RAG)Strong understanding of cloud infrastructure solutions (AWS, GCP), distributed compute, and scalable model servingPrior experience with building data warehouses, lakehouse architectures, or active-learning data loops in ML, robotics, or autonomous vehicle companiesResponsibilitiesServe as the technical anchor for a high-performing team of data and infrastructure engineers constructing Motional's Data StackInfluence the technical roadmap, architectural priorities, and project scope in alignment with broader engineering objectivesProvide deep technical guidance, mentorship, and establish rigorous engineering standards and best practicesDefine and execute the technical vision and architecture for storing metrics and generating ML datasets for large computer vision and behavioral modelsIdentify, evaluate, and prototype innovative technologies and methodologies to accelerate data loading, ingestion, and querying processesAct as a hands-on contributor for complex architectural challenges within the data engine spaceCollaborate with ML research, ML training platforms, and data engineering teams to understand requirements and co-design scalable solutionsDrive technical consensus and communicate complex strategies effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholdersBenefitsCompetitive salary range of $200,000 - $275,000 USDComprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage401(k) plan with company matchingHealth savings accounts (HSAs)Life insurance and pet insurance optionsFlexible hybrid work schedule with in-office collaboration at Boston, Pittsburgh, or Las Vegas locations, or fully remote optionsOpportunities for professional growth and development in a cutting-edge autonomous vehicle environmentParticipation in innovative projects that have a meaningful societal impactEqual OpportunityMotional is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive environment. We celebrate diversity and are dedicated to creating a workplace where all employees feel valued and respected. We participate in E-Verify to verify employment eligibility and ensure compliance with federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. We encourage candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply and join us in shaping the future of autonomous mobility.