Senior Software Engineer, Controls (MATLAB)

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.

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. In 2025, Kodiak listed publicly on the NASDAQ.

We are looking for an experienced Controls Software Engineer who is passionate about safety-critical motion control to join our Motion Planning Controls team.

In this role, you will:

Be responsible for designing and implementing our feedback, control, and actuation strategies using both established novel techniques

Architect, develop, and test reliable, redundant, and safety-critical software that controls fully-loaded trucks driving on the road

Characterize the vehicle platform (e.g., steering, braking, throttle/engine management, dynamics) to develop models that can be used for precise motion planning, simulation, and controls

Work on fundamental problems in redundant actuation, degraded operation, and fail-safe control

Collaborate with other teams at Kodiak (e.g. hardware, embedded systems, and systems engineering) to deliver a robust vehicle control architecture

Create requirement specifications, implement features, plan testing, and document results

What you’ll bring:

Software development experience writing production-level MATLAB Simulink

Experience with automatic code generation from MATLAB / Simulink to embedded C / C++

Development, testing, and tuning of controllers for mobile autonomous robots, ideally trucks, cars, or flying vehicles

System identification, modeling, simulation, and characterization of systems with complex dynamics

A strong theoretical foundation paired with practical experience in controls, system modeling, and redundant architectures

A focus on end-to-end vehicle safety

Bonus points if you have:

Effective development of production C++

Expertise with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing

Experience with software design and implementation in safety-critical domains (e.g. automotive, aerospace, medical, etc)

Written low-level drivers for software/hardware interfacing using protocols such as CAN or ethernet

Written efficient code running on resource-constrained embedded systems with a real-time operating system

Experience with formal verification methods, writing requirements, and systems engineering processes

Drafted safety goals and requirements with traceability, following the ISO26262 process

What we offer:

Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses

Excellent Medical, Dental, and Vision plans through Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, and MetLife (including a medical plan with infertility benefits)

MetLife Legal Services, Identity Fraud Protection, Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness Insurance

Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, 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 through Cigna, Calm through Kaiser, One Medical, Gympass, Spring Health through Cigna, Rula (mental health navigation)

Fidelity 401(k)

Commuter, FSA, Dependent Care FSA, HSA

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

The pay range listed below reflects the base salary in our SF/Silicon Valley location, across several internal levels. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors including: work location, experience, relevant training, education, skill level and performance during interview. Total compensation at Kodiak includes base pay, equity, bonus and a competitive benefits package

California Pay Range

$190,000 $260,000 USD

At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse c…