Mission Summary
Our team builds the foundational infrastructure that empowers Machine Learning Engineers to develop the next generation of self-driving technology. We design and operate the high-performance, large-scale systems that process petabytes of vehicle data, run massive simulations, and train complex models. This is a software engineering role focused on building robust platforms, not an SRE position.
As a Principal Engineer, you will be the technical cornerstone of the team, setting the architectural vision and leading the development of critical infrastructure used by hundreds of engineers.
What You'll Do:
As a Principal Tech Lead Manager, you will operate in a hybrid role that is both technically deep and managerially impactful. You will build the team and set the technical vision for your team while mentoring and growing a talented group of engineers. You'll be responsible for the end-to-end creation of AI agents that can perform tasks like intelligently provisioning resources, debugging complex model training jobs, optimizing data pipelines, and proactively identifying infrastructure bottlenecks. Your work will directly multiply the productivity and impact of every ML practitioner at the company. In this role you will:
- Define the Vision: Develop and execute a long-term technical roadmap for AI agents within the ML infrastructure. Identify key pain points in the ML lifecycle and translate them into opportunities for agent-based automation.
- Lead and Mentor: Recruit, hire, and manage a high-performing team of engineers. Foster a culture of innovation and technical excellence.
- Architect and Build: Lead the design and implementation of sophisticated AI agentic systems. This includes selecting the right LLMs, designing agentic control flows, developing tools for agents to use, and building robust evaluation frameworks.
- Hands-On Contribution: Serve as the team's senior-most technical contributor. You'll be expected to write code, conduct design reviews, and prototype complex solutions to guide the team through ambiguity.
- Cross-Functional Partnership: Collaborate closely with stakeholders from other infrastructure and ML teams to ensure the agents you build solve real-world problems and integrate seamlessly into our platform.
- Drive for Impact: Establish and own the key metrics that measure the success and impact of your team's work, tying it directly to developer productivity and infrastructure efficiency.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
- 8+ years of professional software development experience, including experience in a technical leadership role.
- Strong programming proficiency in Python.
- Experience building, deploying, and maintaining systems on cloud platforms (e.g., GCP, AWS, Azure).
- Demonstrated experience in the following areas:
- Building applications using Large Language Models (LLMs) or related generative AI technology.
- Developing and operating core ML infrastructure, MLOps systems, or data-intensive platforms.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Master’s or PhD in Computer Science or a related field.
- 2+ years of experience in a formal people management role.
- Proven experience as a Tech Lead Manager, balancing hands-on work with management responsibilities at a senior level.
- Deep, hands-on experience building AI agents using frameworks like LangChain, LlamaIndex, or similar
- Expertise with the end-to-end ML lifecycle, including data processing, distributed training, model evaluation, and model serving.
- Experience defining a multi-quarter technical strategy for a new product area or team.
- A track record of successfully delivering complex, ambiguous, 0-to-1 projects with significant business impact.
The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors including but not limited to specific skills, experience and expertise, role location, certifications, licenses, and business needs. The estimated compensation range listed in this job posting reflects base salary only. This role may include additional forms of compensation such as a bonus or company equity. The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.
Candidates for certain positions are eligible to participate in Motional’s benefits program. Motional’s benefits include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, 401k with a company match, health saving accounts, life insurance, pet insurance, and more.
Motional is a driverless technology company making autonomous vehicles a safe, reliable, and accessible reality. We’re driven by something more.
Our journey is always people first.
We aren't just developing driverless cars; we're creating safer roadways, more equitable transportation options, and making our communities better places to live, work, and connect. Our team is made up of engineers, researchers, innovators, dreamers and doers, who are creating a technology with the potential to transform the way we move.
Higher purpose, greater impact.
We’re creating first-of-its-kind technology that will transform transportation. To do so successfully, we must design for everyone in our cities and on our roads. We believe in building a great place to work through a progressive, global culture that is diverse, inclusive, and ensures people feel valued at every level of the organization. Diversity helps us to see the world differently; it’s not only good for our business, it’s the right thing to do.
Scale up, not starting up.
Our team is behind some of the industry's largest leaps forward, including the first fully-autonomous cross-country drive in the U.S, the launch of the world's first robotaxi pilot, and operation of the world's longest-standing public robotaxi fleet. We’re driven to scale; we’re moving towards commercialization of our technology, and we need team members who are ready to embrace change and challenges.
Formed as a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Group and Aptiv, Motional is fundamentally changing how people move through their lives. Headquartered in Boston, Motional has operations in the U.S and Asia. For more information, visit www.Motional.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
Motional AD Inc. is an EOE. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. To comply with Federal Law, we participate in E-Verify. All newly-hired employees are queried through this electronic system established by the DHS and the SSA to verify their identity and employment eligibility.
Top Skills
Motional Santa Monica, California, USA Office
Work in the heart of 3rd Street Promenade, with all the modern amenities for productive work and play, steps away from the pedestrian mall and beaches
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