Robotics Researcher – Motion Planning and Control - Honda Research Institute USA

Robotics Researcher – Motion Planning and Control

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Robotics Researcher – Motion Planning and Control

Job Number: P24F07
Honda Research Institute USA (HRI-US) is seeking a talented Robotics Research and Software Engineer to join our innovative team. This role uniquely combines research and practical software development, emphasizing motion planning, trajectory optimization, and control for autonomous driving and robotic navigation systems. You will integrate cutting-edge research with robust software engineering practices, significantly advancing the performance and capabilities of autonomous systems.
Mountain View, CA

 

Key Responsibilities

 

  • Research, design, implement, and deploy advanced motion planning and control algorithms for autonomous vehicles and robotic platforms.
  • Develop low-latency, high-performance software prototype modules and rigorously integrate, test, and validate them in simulation environments and real autonomous driving vehicles.
  • Continuously enhance the existing software stack architecture for optimal performance (in terms of speed and memory), scalability, modularity, and robustness.
  • Utilize object-oriented and structured programming techniques as well as best software development practices to ensure a high-quality software and enhance readability, extensibility, portability, and maintainability of the software product.
  • Develop and maintain essential software infrastructure and tools, such as test scenarios, baseline algorithms, module interfaces, and debugging tools, facilitating team-wide development and research efforts.
  • Perform software testing (including regression, unit, integration, system testing), conduct experimental validation, analyze outcomes, and iterate algorithms for continuous performance improvement.
  • Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to translate research advancements into practical software solutions.
  • Document research methodologies, technical solutions, and software implementations clearly and effectively for publications and presentations.

 

Minimum Qualifications

 

  • Master's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated expertise in developing motion planning, robotics, and control algorithms, and their integration into autonomous systems.
  • Experience in designing and developing a production-quality software for a large-scale project or safety-critical system.
  • Proficiency in modern C++, Python, MATLAB, and Robot Operating System (ROS).
  • Strong object-oriented programming skills, data structures and algorithms knowledge, and software design experience.
  • Strong fundamentals in numerical techniques, optimization methods, and computational geometry.
  • Proven experience implementing motion planning and trajectory optimization algorithms on robotic or autonomous vehicle systems.
  • Hands-on experience with modern software engineering tools, including Git and containerization technologies (e.g., Docker).
  • Experience in developing multi-threaded and parallel processing software for high-performance deployment.
  • Research experience in autonomous driving systems or robotics through academic or industry projects.
  • Experience in taking projects from problem formulation through implementation and deployment.

 

Bonus Qualifications

 

  • Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
  • Strong publication record demonstrating expertise in autonomous driving, motion planning, robotics, or high-performance computing.
  • Industry experience specifically in autonomous driving research and practical implementation of motion planning software within autonomous driving stacks.
  • Experience leading software development projects and managing technical objectives and timelines effectively.
  • Extensive familiarity with robotics simulation and testing frameworks (e.g., ROS/ROS2, Gazebo, Carla Simulator).
  • Proven ability to collaborate effectively within interdisciplinary teams, balancing innovative research with practical software development objectives.

 

Desired Start Date 10/1/2025
Years of Work Experience Required 3 - 5 years
Position Keywords Motion Planning, Control, Robotics, Software Engineering

Alternate Way to Apply

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