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Robotic Motion Planning Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Motional

Senior Motion Planning Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site +1

$168K - $225K/yr

On our Motion Planning team, you'll apply your passion in robotics and software development for ... Develop a culture of product focused engineering, research, and development What we're looking for:

Motional

Senior Motion Planning Engineer

Boston, MA

$168K - $225K/yr

On our Motion Planning team, you'll apply your passion in robotics and software development for ... Develop a culture of product focused engineering, research, and development What we're looking for:

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Robotic Motion Planning Engineer information

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$29K

$105.6K

$169K

How much do robotic motion planning engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for robotic motion planning engineer in the United States is $105,605.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,500.00 and $127,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by Robotic Motion Planning Engineers when working on real-world robot deployment?

Robotic Motion Planning Engineers often encounter challenges translating simulation results to real-world environments due to factors like sensor noise, hardware limitations, and unpredictable obstacles. Ensuring that planned paths are both efficient and safe in dynamic settings requires close collaboration with hardware engineers and field testing teams. Additionally, balancing computational efficiency and motion accuracy, especially for complex robots or crowded spaces, is a frequent hurdle. Overcoming these issues typically involves iterative tuning, robust software development, and interdisciplinary teamwork.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Robotic Motion Planning Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Robotic Motion Planning Engineer, you need a solid background in robotics, computer science, and mathematics, typically supported by a relevant bachelor's or master's degree. Familiarity with tools such as ROS (Robot Operating System), Python/C++, and simulation platforms like Gazebo, as well as experience with motion planning algorithms, is essential. Strong problem-solving abilities, effective communication, and teamwork skills set candidates apart in this field. These skills are crucial for developing reliable, efficient, and safe robotic systems that can operate in complex real-world environments.

What does a Robotic Motion Planning Engineer do?

A Robotic Motion Planning Engineer is responsible for designing algorithms that enable robots to move efficiently and safely within their environment. This involves creating paths or trajectories for robots to follow while avoiding obstacles and optimizing for speed, energy, or other factors. They use knowledge from robotics, computer science, and mathematics to develop software that allows robots to perform complex tasks autonomously. These engineers often work with sensors, simulation software, and real-world robotic systems to test and refine their motion planning solutions.

What is the difference between Robotic Motion Planning Engineer vs Robotic Software Engineer?

AspectRobotic Motion Planning EngineerRobotic Software Engineer
Primary FocusDeveloping algorithms for robot path planning and navigationDesigning and implementing software for robotic systems
Required SkillsRobotics algorithms, motion planning, C++, PythonSoftware development, robotics frameworks, C++, Python
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, robotics companies, industrial automationRobotics companies, tech firms, automation industries
Common CertificationsRobotics certifications, programming certifications

Robotic Motion Planning Engineers focus on creating algorithms for robot navigation, while Robotic Software Engineers develop broader software solutions for robotic systems. Both roles require programming skills and often overlap in work environments, but their core responsibilities differ in scope and specialization.

More about Robotic Motion Planning Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Robotic Motion Planning Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Robotic Motion Planning Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Robotic Motion Planning Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Robotic Motion Planning Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Robotic Motion Planning Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Robotic Motion Planning Engineer jobs are:
Robotic Motion Planning Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Robotic Motion Planning Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 38% Full Time, 58% Part Time, 3% Temporary, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 98% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 1% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $105,605 per year, or $50.8 per hour.
Senior Motion Planning Engineer

Senior Motion Planning Engineer

Motional

Boston, MA • On-site, Remote

$168K - $225K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement

Posted 22 days ago

Job description

On our Motion Planning team, you'll apply your passion in robotics and software development for production-ready autonomous vehicles. In this role you'll perform research, develop algorithms, and build software to generate safe, comfortable, and intuitive routes and motions.
Role responsibilities:
  • Develop a variety of algorithms on planning for autonomous driving, including but not limited to search-based methods, sampling-based methods, optimization-based methods, linear-temporal logic, and decision making under uncertainty.
  • Integrate and evaluate combinations of motion planning and prediction algorithms
  • Design and build robust and scalable codebase that enables rapid exploration and evaluation of different motion planning approaches and algorithms.
  • Interface with perception and prediction components upstream and trajectory optimization and tracking & control components downstream
  • Participate in code reviews and mentoring sessions with senior team members
  • Develop a culture of product focused engineering, research, and development

What we're looking for:
  • Bachelor's required, Masters or PhD degree preferred in Robotics, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
  • Proven impact and expertise in the robotics / autonomous vehicle field.
  • 2+ years of research experience in robotics / motion planning
  • 2+ years of C++ software development
  • Past experience taking projects from problem formulation through implementation and deployment
  • Thirst for knowledge and continuous innovation

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.
Salary Range
$168,000-$225,000 USD
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.

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