
Senior Algorithm Engineer -- Autonomous Vehicles
Santa Clara, CAFull-time$184–357K/yrPosted 1w agoStill listed 1 day ago
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Job overview
The Senior Algorithm Engineer will develop autonomous-driving systems for NVIDIA’s DRIVE Road Structure, Online Mapping, and Context Fusion team. The role integrates map, perception, sensor, and external data into 3D world models and supports mapless driving in complex environments. The engineer will collaborate with perception and planning teams, lead technical initiatives, mentor engineers, and develop reliable algorithms that meet automotive quality and safety standards.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Join our DRIVE Road Structure, Online Mapping, and Context Fusion team as we shape the future of autonomous driving! In this role, you’ll play a key part in developing a comprehensive 3D world model by integrating map and perception data, enabling our vehicles to navigate even the most complex roads and intersections in the U.S. and Europe. Collaborate closely with our perception and planning teams to deliver robust solutions central to our vision for autonomous vehicles. If you’re passionate about advancing human-level AI for navigation in real-world, unconstrained environments, we want you on our team!
What you'll be doing:
- Develop Core Autonomous Driving Features: Create foundational systems for autonomous driving across diverse geographies by merging state-of-the-art perception DNNs and map data.
- Build Real-Time 3D World Models: Integrate sensor and external inputs to generate dynamic 3D models for planning and navigation.
- Enable HD Mapless Driving: Design enriched bird’s-eye-view (BEV) models to support autonomous driving in complex urban environments.
- Enhance AV Scenarios: Construct fused static obstacle and occupancy grids, and generate occlusion masks to improve scenario understanding.
- Lead Technology Initiatives: Guide the team in solving challenging AV problems and collaborate hands-on to drive innovation.
- Mentor and Grow the Team: Recruit, hire, and mentor talented engineers.
- Ensure Quality and Safety: Develop algorithms that perform reliably on large datasets across varied conditions, adhering to automotive quality and safety standards.
What we need to see:
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science or related field, or equivalent experience.
- 10+ years of experience, including at least 2 years in autonomous vehicles or robotics.
- 2+ years of technical leadership experience.
- Deep passion for robotics and autonomous vehicles.
- Eagerness to learn and solve impactful challenges.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills, especially with global teams.
- Strong independent and analytical software engineering abilities.
- Experience with embedded or automotive software development.
Ways to Stand Out from the Crowd:
- Expertise in 3D geometry, computer vision, sensor calibration, or state estimation (e.g., Kalman/particle filters).
- Significant industry experience with self-driving cars.
- Background in developing real-time computer vision systems.
- Strong skills in API and framework design.
At NVIDIA, we believe self-driving vehicles will be a transformative achievement for our generation, with the potential to save millions of lives. We have the resources, scale, and ambition—now we need your expertise. Join a team of forward-thinking innovators at one of the world’s most desirable technology employers. If you’re entrepreneurial, driven, and ready to make an impact, we’d love to hear from you!
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 October 30, 2026. This posting is for an existing vacancy. NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.
NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive 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.
How this job compares
Set against the 1,282 open Robotics Engineer jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 3, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$184–357K/yr
- California median$150–225K/yr305 salary ranges
- US median$144–220K/yr901 salary ranges
This range's midpoint, $270K, is 42% above the California median midpoint ($191K) — in the top quarter of Robotics Engineer salary ranges in California.
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 444 open Robotics Engineer jobs in California and 1,282 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Hiring the most in California
- Field Ai37 open
- Anduril23 open
- Anduril Industries20 open
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 10 years of experience — more than three in four Robotics Engineer postings that state a minimum ask for (median 5 years, across 912 postings).
- Education
- 545 of the 1,282 open Robotics Engineer jobs (43%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 3, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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