Senior Staff / Principal Machine Learning Engineer - Autonomy Behaviors

Zoox is hiring a Senior Staff / Principal Machine Learning Engineer - Autonomy Behaviors in Foster City, United States. It pays $340k-$492k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Zoox.

Level's read on this job

Level rates this machine learning engineer role Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
The listed pay starts 72% above the typical machine learning engineer posting on Level.
Level classifies it as a lead role.
Level lists 228 other open roles at Zoox.

AI in this role

The Autonomy Behaviors team is responsible for producing our vehicle’s driving trajectory. As a Principal ML Engineer, you will lead the technical development of machine learning algorithms for our next-generation ML Planner. Your impact will range from delivering innovations for immediate milestones to pioneering exploratory projects. You will collaborate closely with teams specializing in Foundation Models, Perception, Simulation, and Safety Validation, in influencing our autonomy stack. Your role will look at problems in a way that crosses team boundaries to prototype new approaches that influence the long term technical direction of multiple organizations within the company.

In this role, you will:

Set the technical direction of ML development for the future of our Planner
Push the frontiers of imitation learning, reinforcement learning, and model scaling to develop new ML models for our onboard Planner
Identify and drive force-multipliers for ML development, including metrics, data, and training frameworks
Develop new methods to leverage Zoox’s Foundation Models into the ML Planner
Provide technical mentorship to the broader group of ML developers at Zoox
Collaborate with engineers across Autonomy Software, Simulation, System Design and Mission Assurance, and other departments to solve the overall Autonomous Driving problem in complex urban environments

Qualifications

BS, MS, or PhD degree in computer science or related field
Proven track record of technical leadership in large-scale AI organizations
Significant experience with training and deploying Deep Learning models to production
Fluency in C++ or Fluency in Python with a basic understanding of C++
Extensive experience with programming and algorithm design-Strong mathematics skills, 10+ years of experience

Bonus Qualifications

Conference or Journal publications in Machine Learning or Robotics related venues
Prior experience with Prediction and Planning for autonomous vehicles

About ZooxZoox is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle fleet and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. Sitting at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and design, Zoox aims to provide the next generation of mobility-as-a-service in urban environments. We’re looking for top talent that shares our passion and wants to be part of a fast-moving and highly execution-oriented team.
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AccommodationsIf you need an accommodation to participate in the application or interview process please reach out to accommodations@zoox.com or your assigned recruiter.
A Final Note:You do not need to match every listed expectation to apply for this position. Here at Zoox, we know that diverse perspectives foster the innovation we need to be successful, and we are committed to building a team that encompasses a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and skills.

How we rate this

Senior Staff / Principal Machine Learning Engineer - Autonomy Behaviors at Zoox rates 98 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Senior Staff / Principal Machine Learning Engineer - Autonomy Behaviors is an open job at Zoox.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $340k-$492k a year.
The role is based in Foster City, CA.
The job was posted on November 4, 2025.
Seniority: lead.
Applications are handled by Zoox. Apply on Zoox