Staff Software Engineer – Localization (Lidar Odometry & Pose Graph Optimization)

Who we are

Gatik, the leader in autonomous middle-mile logistics, is revolutionizing the B2B supply chain with its autonomous transportation-as-a-service (ATaaS) solution and prioritizing safe, consistent deliveries while streamlining freight movement by reducing congestion. The company focuses on short-haul, B2B logistics for Fortune 500 retailers and in 2021 launched the world’s first fully driverless commercial transportation service with Walmart. Gatik's Class 3-7 autonomous trucks are commercially deployed across major markets, including Texas, Arkansas, and Ontario, Canada, driving innovation in freight transportation.

The company's proprietary Level 4 autonomous technology, Gatik Carrier™, is custom-built to transport freight safely and efficiently between pick-up and drop-off locations on the middle mile. With robust capabilities in both highway and urban environments, Gatik Carrier™ serves as an all-encompassing solution that integrates advanced software and hardware powering the fleet, facilitating effortless integration into customers' logistics operations.

About the role

We are seeking a Staff Software Engineer with deep expertise in localization for autonomous systems, especially in Lidar Odometry and Pose Graph Optimization. You will play a critical role in designing, implementing, and optimizing high-performance, real-time localization algorithms that enable robust and accurate navigation of autonomous vehicles. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in solving complex algorithmic and system-level problems and has a proven track record with C++ in large-scale production environments.

This role is onsite 5 days per week at our Mountain View, CA office.

What you'll do

• Design and develop high-performance localization modules using Lidar-based odometry and pose graph optimization techniques.

• Architect robust and scalable systems for real-time state estimation on autonomous platforms.

• Contribute to the full software lifecycle: design, implementation, testing, deployment, and maintenance.

• Collaborate closely with mapping, perception, and Control teams to integrate localization into the broader autonomy stack.

• Drive algorithmic innovation in SLAM, loop closure detection, outlier rejection, and sensor fusion.

• Optimize code for efficiency, robustness, and real-time performance on embedded and edge compute systems.

• Provide technical leadership, mentorship, and code reviews to elevate the team's overall engineering quality.

• Stay current with the latest research in the localization and SLAM domain and evaluate opportunities to apply new techniques.

What we're looking for

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

• 6+ years of total experience and 3+ years of hands-on experience working with Lidar Odometry and Pose Graph Optimization in real-world applications.

• Expert proficiency in modern C++ (C++14/17/20) and strong software engineering fundamentals (design patterns, concurrency, memory management).

• Strong understanding of SLAM, factor graphs, optimization frameworks (e.g., g2o, Ceres, GTSAM).

• Experience with 3D point cloud processing, ICP, scan matching, and Lidar SLAM pipelines.

• Familiarity with ROS/ROS2 and real-time robotics software development.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience working on autonomous vehicles, robotics platforms, or drone systems.

• Knowledge of sensor fusion techniques combining IMU, GPS, Lidar, and camera.

• Familiarity with Linux-based development, CI/CD pipelines, and performance profiling.

• Publications or open-source contributions in the area of localization or SLAM.

Salary Range - $200,000- $260,000

More about Gatik

Founded in 2017 by experts in autonomous vehicle technology, Gatik has rapidly expanded its presence to Mountain View, Dallas-Fort Worth, Arkansas, and Toronto. As the first and only company to achieve fully driverless middle-mile commercial deliveries, Gatik holds a unique and defensible position in the AV industry, with a clear trajectory toward sustainable growth and profitability.

We have delivered complete, proprietary AV technology - an integration of software and hardware - to enable earlier successes for our clients in constrained Level 4 autonomy. By choosing the middle mile – with defined point-to-point delivery, we have simplified some of the more complex AV challenges, enabling us to achieve full autonomy ahead of competitors. Given extensive knowledge of Gatik’s well-defined, fixed route ODDs and hybrid architecture, we are able to hyper-optimize our models with exponentially less data, establish gate-keeping mechanisms to maintain explainability, and ensure continued safety of the system for unmanned operations.

Visit us at Gatik for more company information and Careers at Gatik for more open roles.

Notable News

• Forbes: Forget robotaxis. Upstart Gatik sees middle-mile deliveries as the path to profitable AVs

• Tech Brew: Gatik AI exec unpacks the regulations that could shape the AV industry

• Business Wire: Gatik Paves the Way for Safe Driverless Operations (‘Freight-Only’) at Scale with Industry-First Third-Party Safety Assessment Framework

• Auto Futures: Autonomous Trucking Group Gatik Secures Investment From NIPPON EXPRESS HOLDINGS

• Automotive News: Gatik foresees hundreds of self-driving trucks on road soon, and that's just the beginning

• Forbes: Isuzu And Gatik Go All In To Scale Up Driverless Freight Services

• Bloomberg: Autonomous Vehicle Startup Takes Off by Picking Off Easier Routes

• Reuters: Driverless vehicles on limited routes bump along despite US robotaxi scrutiny

Taking care of our team

At Gatik, we connect people of extraordinary talent and experience to an opportunity to create a more resilient supply chain and contribute to our environment’s sustainability. We are diverse in our backgrounds and perspectives yet united by a bold vision and shared commitment to our values. Our culture emphasizes the importance of collaboration, respect and agility.

We at Gatik strive to create a diverse and inclusive environment where everyone feels they have opportunities to succeed and grow because we know that together we can do great things. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse team. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status or any legally protected status.