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Autonomous Driving Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

AeroVect

Staff Autonomy Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

If you have a passion for applying autonomous driving technologies to impact the flow of goods for millions of people, we want to talk to you! We are looking for a Staff Engineer who knows how to ...

AeroVect

Staff Autonomy Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

If you have a passion for applying autonomous driving technologies to impact the flow of goods for millions of people, we want to talk to you! We are looking for a Staff Engineer who knows how to ...

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All JobsAutonomous Driving Engineer JobsAutonomous Driving Engineer Jobs in California

Autonomous Driving Engineer information

See California salary details

$58.2K

$135.5K

$193.9K

How much do autonomous driving engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 4, 2026, the average yearly pay for autonomous driving engineer in California is $135,511.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $100,200.00 and $193,400.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Autonomous Driving Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Autonomous Driving Engineer, you need strong expertise in robotics, computer vision, sensor fusion, and machine learning, generally backed by a relevant engineering or computer science degree. Familiarity with programming languages like Python or C++, frameworks such as ROS (Robot Operating System), and simulation tools like CARLA or MATLAB is typically required. Problem-solving, teamwork, and clear communication are important soft skills that help you excel when debugging complex systems and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams. These skills ensure the ability to develop innovative autonomous driving solutions that are safe, efficient, and effective in real-world environments.

What are some common challenges Autonomous Driving Engineers face on the job?

Autonomous Driving Engineers often work on highly complex systems where integrating hardware and software, ensuring sensor reliability, and maintaining safety standards can pose significant challenges. Collaborating across teams—such as hardware engineers, data scientists, and software developers—is a daily part of the role, requiring strong coordination and flexibility. Debugging scenarios in both real-world and simulated environments, handling vast datasets, and keeping up with rapidly evolving technology are also regular parts of the job. These challenges make the work both demanding and rewarding, offering continual learning and professional growth opportunities.

What is an Autonomous Driving Engineer job?

An Autonomous Driving Engineer develops software, algorithms, and systems that enable vehicles to drive autonomously. They work on perception, sensor fusion, path planning, and control systems using AI, computer vision, and robotics. Their role involves testing and refining autonomous systems in simulations and real-world environments to ensure safety and reliability.

What are the most commonly searched types of Autonomous Driving Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Autonomous Driving Engineer jobs in California are:
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Autonomous Driving Engineer jobs near you
Deep Learning Senior Engineer, End-To-End Autonomous Driving

Deep Learning Senior Engineer, End-To-End Autonomous Driving

Nvidia

Santa Clara, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

At NVIDIA, we are seeking exceptional engineers to join our autonomous driving teamto design, implement, and deploy cutting-edge end-to-end autonomous driving systems, running on NVIDIA chips in mass-production vehicles. Our strategy has evolved fromAI 1.0 - building a driver from scratch - to AI 2.0 - teaching an intelligent agent to drive. This next phase leveragesLLMs, VLMs, and VLAsto bring unprecedented reasoning, planning capabilities, andinteractivity with the driving systemto autonomous vehicles and general robotics. Let's build the future of autonomy-together!

What You'll Be Doing:

  • Design and train innovative large-scale models-including generative, imitation, and reinforcement learning-to improve the planning and reasoning capabilities of our driving systems.

  • Build, pre-train, and fine-tune LLM/VLM/VLA systems for deployment in real-world autonomous driving and robotics applications.

  • Explore novel data generation and collection strategies to improve diversity and quality of training datasets.

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deploy AI models in production environments, ensuring performance, safety, and reliability standards are met.

  • Integrate machine learning models directly with vehicle firmware to deliver production-quality, safety-critical software.

What We Need to See:

  • Hands-on experience building LLMs, VLMs, or VLAs from scratchora proven track record as a top-tier coder passionate about autonomous systems.

  • Deep understanding of modern deep learning architectures and optimization techniques.

  • Proven record of deploying production-grade ML models for self-driving, robotics, or related fields at scale.

  • Strong programming skills in Python and proficiency with major deep learning frameworks.

  • Familiarity with C++ for model deployment and integration in safety-critical systems.

  • PhD with 4+ years, MS (or equivalent experience) with 6+years of relevantexperience in Computer Science,Computer Engineering, or a relatedtechnical field.

Ways to Stand Out from the Crowd:

  • Experience with LLM/VLM/VLA systems deployable to autonomous vehicles or general robotics.

  • Publications, open-source contributions, or competition wins related to LLM/VLM/VLA systems.

  • Deep understanding of behavior and motion planning in real-world AV applications.

  • Experience building and training large-scale datasets and models.

  • Proven ability to optimize algorithms for real-time performance in resource-constrained environments and strong track record of taking projects from concept to production deployment.

Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 184,000 USD - 287,500 USD for Level 4, and 224,000 USD - 356,500 USD for Level 5.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until March 26, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

NVIDIA is committed to fostering a diverse work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.#deeplearning
Nvidia logo

About Nvidia

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

NVIDIA has been transforming computer graphics, PC gaming, and accelerated computing for more than 25 years. It's a unique legacy of innovation that's fueled by great technology--and amazing people. Today, we're tapping into the unlimited potential of AI to define the next era of computing. An era in which our GPU acts as the brains of computers, robots, and self-driving cars that can understand the world. Doing what's never been done before takes vision, innovation, and the world's best talent.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Santa Clara, CA, US

Year founded

1993

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