Senior Vehicle Integration Engineer - Defense

Reposted 6 Days Ago
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Mountain View, CA, USA
In-Office
180K-210K Annually
Senior level
Automotive • Robotics • Software • Transportation
The Role
The Senior Vehicle Integration Engineer will lead system-level integration of autonomous vehicle components, manage full integration lifecycle, develop test plans, and ensure documentation and quality for new platform developments.
Summary Generated by Built In

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 Senior Vehicle Integration Engineer with deep experience in new platform development and system-level integration. This role is at the forefront of bringing next-generation autonomous vehicle platforms to life — from early-stage concept through integration, validation, and deployment. You will work closely with hardware, systems, and manufacturing teams to drive new platform development, with a focus on integration quality, test rigor, and technical execution.

In this role, you will:

  • Lead system-level integration of sensors, compute, actuation, and vehicle systems for new platform development programs
  • Drive the full integration lifecycle: architecture definition, build planning, bring-up, validation, and sign-off
  • Develop and execute structured test plans to validate new platform functionality, performance, and reliability
  • Coordinate and lead cross-functional build and integration events with Mechanical, Electrical, Manufacturing, and Systems teams
  • Provide Design-For-Manufacturing and Design-For-Test feedback to ensure new platforms are built for quality and scale
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive platform documentation including drawings, schematics, BOMs, build instructions, and test reports
  • Identify, triage, and resolve integration issues through systematic debugging and root cause analysis
  • Partner with systems and hardware engineering teams to define integration requirements and acceptance criteria for new platforms

What you'll bring:

  • Strong technical background. BS or MS in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
  • 6+ years of experience in the autonomous vehicle, automotive, or a related industry
  • Demonstrated experience leading new platform or new product integration programs from early development through validation
  • Strong systems thinking and problem-solving skills; you are energized by complex, multi-disciplinary integration challenges
  • Hands-on. You are equally comfortable with a wrench and a keyboard. Confident with automotive electronics and familiar with communication protocols and tools such as Ethernet and CAN
  • Experience with scripting and data analysis languages such as Python or MATLAB
  • Understanding of Linux-based systems and computer networking
  • CAD experience with packages such as SolidWorks
  • A team leader. Whether formally or informally, you have played the lead role on multiple integration or development programs. You take ownership and drive teams to deliver results
  • Great communicator. You write clear, concise, and detailed technical documentation, and are skilled at leading and participating in cross-functional design and integration reviews
  • Proven ability to drive testing through development, execution, analysis, corrective actions, and final report-outs across all stages of product development
  • U.S. person required

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$210,000 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 [email protected] with "Separate Review Request" in the email subject line.

Skills Required

  • BS or MS in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering
  • 6+ years of experience in the autonomous vehicle or automotive industry
  • Experience leading new platform or new product integration programs
  • Hands-on experience with automotive electronics and related protocols
  • Experience with scripting and data analysis languages (Python, MATLAB)
  • CAD experience with SolidWorks
  • Great communicator with clear technical documentation skills
  • Ability to drive testing through all stages of product development

Kodiak Robotics Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Kodiak Robotics and has not been reviewed or approved by Kodiak Robotics.

  • Fair & Transparent Compensation Pay is considered market-competitive for core engineering roles, with role postings indicating strong senior bands and offers aligned to autonomy peers. Salary ranges visible on listings reinforce competitiveness for experienced technical hires.
  • Equity Value & Accessibility Equity grants are commonly included with standard multi‑year vesting, and listings frequently note salary plus bonus and equity as part of offers. This makes ownership a regular component of total rewards for technical hires.
  • Healthcare Strength Health coverage includes medical, dental, and vision alongside life and short‑/long‑term disability, with FSA/HSA options available. Wellness partners such as mental‑health and primary‑care services are highlighted alongside core plans.

Kodiak Robotics Insights

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The Company
HQ: Mountain View, CA
81 Employees
Year Founded: 2018

What We Do

Kodiak Robotics is an autonomous technology company redefining the long-haul trucking industry. We believe self-driving trucks will be the first economically viable application of autonomous vehicle technology. We founded Kodiak in the spring of 2018 to make that belief a reality. Safety is our top priority. We are taking a safe and responsible approach to developing and testing our technology. We are proud to work with some of the best in the business. We’ve built a world class team of technologists from leading autonomous driving programs who know the industry inside and out. Our combined experience and commitment to the vision will allow us to put self-driving technology on the road in the safest and most effective way.

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