Senior Software Engineer, Localization

Full Timesenior

Mountain View, CAPosted 12 days ago

Role Overview

Kodiak is hiring a Senior Software Engineer, Localization. This is a full-time role in Mountain View. Part of Kodiak's Qa hiring, posted last week. Full responsibilities, required qualifications, and the apply link are listed in the description below.

Salary Context

Salary is not disclosed in this posting. Market median for Senior-level Qa roles is $125k-$170k (based on 164 comparable listings). Many employers share specifics during the interview process or after an initial screen.

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Job description

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.

We are looking for a Localization Engineer --- a problem solver with solid expertise in state estimation, inertial navigation, and sensed odometry.

In this role, you will:

Develop and integrate onboard navigation and pose estimation algorithms.
Optimize sensor fusion and pose estimation using IMU, camera, and lidar sensors.
Develop visual and lidar odometry algorithms.
Develop navigation metrics for evaluating offboard and onboard performance of algorithms and systems in the autonomous trucking domain.
Troubleshoot, problem solve, innovate, create, and collaborate.
Evaluate sensor performance and optimize sensor selection.
Verify correct sensor calibrations, settings, and uncertainty characterizations.

What you’ll bring:

Strong technical background. BS, MS or PhD with academic or industry experience in building navigation, localization, and odometry systems.
Skilled in C++ and strong problem-solving skills.
Strong software engineering skills and experience building high-reliability deployed applications . You write well-designed, highly maintainable code. Code is your craft.
Experience with transforming raw sensor data from GNSS, IMU, wheel speed, etc into 6-DOF pose using common approaches like Kalman Filtering or factor graphs.
Experience with computer vision, visual odometry, and/or odometry from point clouds
Solid understanding of metrics, data analysis, and scientific evaluation.
A team player. You take ownership and work with the team to deliver exceptional results. You are interested in the performance of the entire system across engineering disciplines.
Ability to build and iterate quickly. You enjoy working fast and smart, and you are comfortable in defining and building lasting infrastructure components from scratch.
Hands on. Curious. Flexible. Interested in new domains to expand your horizons and provide a complete system wide solution.
Great communicator. You have experience writing clear, concise design documentation to gather feedback from across the team to find the best solution.

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

$180,000—$230,000 USD

At Kodiak, we strive to build a diverse community working towards our common company goals in a safe and collaborative environment where harassment of any kind is strictly prohibited. Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

In alignment with its business operations, Kodiak adheres to all relevant statutes, regulations, and administrative prerequisites. Accordingly, roles that carry more sensitive requirements may be limited to candidates that can satisfy additional scrutiny and eligibility for such positions may hinge on verification of a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status. Should the position require, and Kodiak determines that a candidate’s residence, U.S. person status, and/or citizenship status necessitate an export license, bar the candidate from the position, or otherwise fall under national security-related restrictions, Kodiak will consider the candidate for alternative positions unaffected by such restrictions, under terms and conditions set forth at Kodiak’s sole discretion, or, as an alternative, opt not to proceed with the candidate’s application. If applicable, Kodiak may provide visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.

We use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) to assist in the initial screening of applications. As part of the evaluation process, we provide Endorsed with job requirements and candidate-submitted applications. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team, and no automated system makes the ultimate decision regarding hiring. Certain features of the platform may qualify it as an Automated Employment Decision Tool (AEDT) under applicable regulations. We began using Endorsed on January 1, 2026. You can review the independent bias audit report covering our use of Endorsed [here](https://endorsed.com/local-law-144). By submitting your application, you acknowledge that your application may be processed by AI systems as part of the screening and selection process. If you have any questions or would like to request a separate review of your application, please contact careers@kodiak.ai with "Separate Review Request" in the email subject line.

About Kodiak

Kodiak

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for the Senior Software Engineer, Localization position at Kodiak?

Use the Apply button above to submit your application directly to Kodiak. Most applications take less than 5 minutes if your resume and contact details are ready, and you'll be routed to the employer's official application system to finish.

Where is the Senior Software Engineer, Localization position at Kodiak located?

This position is based in Mountain View. Kodiak has not indicated remote or hybrid options for this role, so candidates should plan for on-site work.

What does a Senior Software Engineer, Localization at Kodiak earn?

Kodiak has not disclosed a salary range in this posting. Many employers share specifics later in the interview process; you can also ask during a recruiter screen if compensation transparency is important to you.

When was the Senior Software Engineer, Localization role at Kodiak posted?

This role was posted on July 10, 2026 (12 days ago). It's still listed as actively hiring; we re-confirm openings against the source system multiple times per day and remove closed roles.

How much experience does the Senior Software Engineer, Localization role at Kodiak require?

This is a senior-level position. Most senior roles call for 5+ years of directly relevant experience. Kodiak lists their specific requirements in the description below, so review the must-have qualifications closely before applying.

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