Senior ML Engineer (Autonomous Driving)

TL;DR

Senior ML Engineer (Autonomous Driving): Architecting and optimizing distributed data pipelines to process multi-sensor logs for autonomous trucking with an accent on scenario mining and automated event tagging. Focus on implementing ML-assisted algorithms, integrating Vision-Language Models (VLMs), and building a robust data flywheel for system validation.

Location: Must be based in the US (Remote or Ann Arbor, MI)

Salary: $177,300 - $212,800 USD

Company

A leader in autonomous driving since 2007, now part of the Daimler family, focusing on developing software for automated trucks to transform freight movement.

What you will do

• Architect and optimize distributed data pipelines to process massive multi-sensor logs and extract safety-critical driving events.
• Develop ML-assisted algorithms and explore VLMs or semantic vector search to classify complex environmental scenarios.
• Structure and format scenario data utilizing the Pegasus layer standard to ensure semantic consistency.
• Manage the ingestion of tagged events into the observations database for ML training, regression testing, and system validation.
• Collaborate with perception, simulation, and systems engineering teams to define and operationalize a continuous data loop.
• Mentor less-experienced engineers, lead design reviews, and establish coding standards.

Requirements

• BS or MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Engineering, or a STEM field.
• 6+ years of experience in data engineering, ML systems, or autonomous data curation.
• Strong proficiency in Python and SQL for processing massive time-series or unstructured datasets.
• Hands-on experience with Databricks and distributed compute frameworks (Ray, Spark, Beam).
• Expertise in cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) and experience parsing AV data formats.
• Work authorization and residency in the United States required.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with foundational models, auto-labeling pipelines, or zero-shot classification.
• Experience with vLLM, SGLang, or similar frameworks for high-throughput model serving.
• Knowledge of robotics formats (ROS bags, MCAP) and columnar storage (Parquet, Arrow).
• Experience building semantic retrieval systems or vector databases for automotive data.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive compensation package including bonuses and stock options.
• 100% paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees.
• 401K plan with a 6% employer match.
• Flexible scheduling and generous paid vacation.
• Company-wide holiday office closures.