Staff Software Engineer, Motion Planning

Methodfi; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology company in the UK seeks an experienced Technical Lead to architect and lead the development of planning systems for autonomous vehicles. This role involves leading a team, setting the direction for the planning stack, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality systems. Candidates should have a strong background in C++ or Python, proven project management skills, and experience in the autonomous systems field. A market-defining opportunity in a collaborative environment awaits.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in developing planning modules for autonomous systems.
• Proven ability to manage and deliver complex engineering projects.
• Strong programming skills in C++ (preferred) or Python.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning team and set clear goals.
• Develop and maintain the planning module roadmap.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to create an integrated autonomous driving system.

Skills

C++ programming

Python programming

Leadership

Communication skills

Proactiveness

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in relevant field

Job description

Who We Are

AeroVect is transforming ground handling with autonomy, redefining how airlines and ground service providers around the globe run day-to-day operations. We are a Series A company backed by top-tier venture capital investors in aviation and autonomous driving. Our customers include some of the world’s largest airlines and ground handling providers. For more information, visit www.aerovect.com.

Job Description

We are looking for an experienced Technical Lead who can architect and lead the development of best-in-class planning systems for autonomous driving in structured, low-speed environments.

In this role, you'll lead the planning team, own the planning module roadmap, and ensure the delivery of high-quality planning systems. Leveraging your experience in building production-grade planners, you'll drive the development of the mission planner, behavior planner, and motion planner, achieving category-defining vehicle autonomy for the airside.

This opportunity offers a seasoned leader the chance to develop a market-defining enterprise product that combines autonomous vehicle technology with a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) business model. This role reports to our Head of Autonomy and works closely with the autonomy engineering team.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the planning team, set clear goals, and foster a collaborative environment to deliver high-quality planning systems.
• Set the short and long-term technical direction for the planning stack and balance leadership responsibilities with hands‑on technical work.
• Develop and maintain the planning module roadmap, ensuring timely delivery of milestones by directing schedules and removing obstacles for your team.
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with other teams to create an integrated autonomous driving system, contributing to strategic decision‑making in the planning system architecture.
• Establish and promote best practices in software development, functional safety, and systems engineering within the planning team.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Math, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Physics, or a related field.
• Extensive experience in developing planning modules for autonomous systems, with prior leadership or team management experience.
• Proven ability to manage and deliver complex engineering projects.
• Strong programming skills in C++ (preferred) or Python, and experience with Linux‑based operating systems.
• Excellent communication skills, proactiveness, and a strong sense of ownership.

Desired Qualifications

• MS or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field.
• Mastery of Modern C++ (14 and beyond) and safety‑critical coding practices (e.g., MISRA, ISO 26262).
• 5+ years of industry experience in planning for robotic ground vehicles.
• In‑depth understanding of DDS frameworks like ROS/ROS2 or other networking middleware.
• Experience in startup environments, demonstrating adaptability to rapidly changing priorities.