About the role#
We are looking for a PhD student to join our team as a Motion Planning Engineer. You will work on developing next-generation planning capabilities for autonomous vehicles by applying your research background in robotics and autonomous systems.
What you'll do#
- Implement novel solutions for Behavioral Planning, including decision-making for lane changes, merges, and multi-agent interactions.
- Design and optimize motion planning algorithms that combine geometry-based path reasoning with context-aware speed reasoning.
- Develop core geometry and velocity planning systems to ensure vehicle feasibility, compliance, and comfort.
- Model complex driving environments and agent behaviors to improve planning under uncertainty.
- Formulate cost functions and optimization frameworks to balance safety and efficiency.
- Analyze, test, and debug system performance using simulation and real-world data.
- Collaborate with the Perception, Prediction, and Control teams to maintain a reliable autonomy stack.
What you'll need#
- Recently completed or soon-to-complete PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- Research or internship experience in motion planning algorithms, trajectory optimization, or multi-agent interaction modeling.
- Proven research ability shown through publications in top-tier conferences such as RSS, ICRA, IROS, CVPR, NeurIPS, or CoRL.
- Hands-on experience using C++ to implement complex, real-time algorithms.
- Strong analytical and communication skills.
Location & details#
- Location: San Jose, California.
- Type: Paid, full-time internship.
- Term: Rolling basis.
- Note: Top-performing interns may be considered for a full-time position upon program completion.
About DiDi Autonomous Driving
DiDi Autonomous Driving develops Level 4 autonomous driving technology. The company operates as an independent entity focused on research, development, and product application. It holds public road testing licenses in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, and California. Founded in 2016, the firm currently employs between 501 and 1,000 people and maintains its headquarters in Beijing.
How to get in at DiDi Autonomous Driving
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