Backend Tech Lead, Aurora
Dispatching & Partner Integrations
$212-340k
+ Annual bonus + Equity
3+ days a week in office
Self-driving technology company
Be an early applicant
Self-driving technology company
1001+ employees
Be an early applicant
$212-340k
+ Annual bonus + Equity
3+ days a week in office
1001+ employees
Company mission
To deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly.
Role
Who you are
- BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science or a related technical field, or equivalent practical experience
- 8+ years of industry experience in software development, with a proven track record of designing, building, and operating large-scale backend systems
- Deep expertise in cloud backend development, including scalable web services, distributed systems, and modern API design
- Experience working with Product Management and UI/UX Design teams to define & deliver features that impact end users at scale
- Proficiency with cloud infrastructure and DevOps practices (e.g., AWS, Kubernetes, Elasticache, CI/CD, and monitoring/alerting systems)
- Experience building large-scale gRPC services in Golang
- Experience in a leadership role, driving technical strategy, influencing architectural decisions, and mentoring senior engineers
- Experience defining technical roadmaps and driving long-term strategic projects that span multiple engineering teams
- Phenomenal communication skills. We build software with people and for people
- You know how to write an effective technical spec, provide feedback to others, translate technical concepts into lay terms, and incorporate feedback into your efforts
- You value and practice openness, empathy, kindness, and collaboration
- A preference for action. You will use good judgment to balance speed and quality. You will deliver products that are built in a responsible and sustainable way
- You will use a self-starter mentality to thrive in a growing environment where all hands are on deck, and consider no obstacle too big or too small. You will notice where there is a need and will hustle to fill it
Desirable
- Experience with safety and mission critical applications
- Experience in onboard C++ development for autonomous vehicles or other robotics
- Experience in operations research or optimization algorithms
- Experience in transportation, logistics, or other time-sensitive operations
- Experience with fleet management solutions for Robots, Vehicles or Aerial Drones
- Experience with external customer facing software including production rollout with real customers
What the job involves
- We are searching for an exceptional Senior Staff Backend Tech Lead to join the Aurora Services Engineering team and take on a critical role in building Aurora's suite of fleet management tools
- The Aurora Services Engineering team creates full-stack solutions including backend services, web apps, mobile apps, and real-time onboard code that enable commercial operation of autonomous vehicle fleets at scale
- Our mission is to build the software that drives the commercial side of our platform such as assigning work to autonomous vehicles, providing remote support, managing a fleet of vehicles, and receiving orders from customers
- As Aurora prepares to massively scale its fleet and integrate with partners on an API level, the tools we build are critical to the efficient daily operation of our business
- As the Backend Tech Lead for the Dispatching & Partner Integrations team, you will lead design & implementation of solutions for Autonomous Vehicle Fleet Management and Partner API integrations with some of the biggest companies in the trucking industry
- You will add new features to existing products and greenfield completely new ones to make a significant impact on the way commercial fleet operations function at Aurora
- Partner with Product Managers, Designers, Autonomy, and Operation Stakeholders to deliver the benefit of Self Driving Vehicles quickly, safely and broadly
- Architect and build scalable cloud backend services that power real-time and offline data flows essential for fleet optimization, autonomy improvement, and commercial operations
- Develop and deploy robust, well-engineered solutions, leveraging modern cloud technologies and building highly available, low-latency backend services, APIs, and data pipelines
- Design complex systems from the ground up. Partnering closely with Software, Hardware and infrastructure engineering teams
- Mentor and grow senior engineers, raising the technical bar for the entire organization through code reviews, design discussions, and promoting a culture of engineering excellence
- Translate complex operational data and autonomy metrics into actionable insights through scalable operator-facing tools and powerful APIs, directly improving our efficiency and product
Our take
In spite of emerging from stealth mode in 2018, Aurora is making strong waves in the flurry of startups racing to develop fully autonomous vehicles. Aurora’s hardware and software developments have historically focused on self-driving trucks, which it expects to launch commercially in 2024.
It recently named Ossa Fisher as its new President, who will focus on scaling operations ahead of this commercial launch. Passenger cars and associated services are expected to roll out following this launch. However, the self-driving industry is riddled with unmet deadlines, cash shortfalls, and tough technological challenges.
To remain competitive with deep-pocket industry giants like Tesla and Google’s Waymo, the company continues to land substantial backing from the likes of Sequoia Capital, accelerating its post-IPO growth. The pedigree of its founders may well continue to win over investor confidence. It boasts leading prior positions in the self-driving divisions of Tesla, Uber, and Google.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
8% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 3 rounds)
Dec 2020
$400m
GROWTH EQUITY VC
Feb 2019
$600m
SERIES B
Total funding: $1.1bn
Company benefits
- Choice of regional HMO options, PPO options, and high deductible plans, with the option to contribute to a health savings account (HSA). If you choose a high deductible health plan, Aurora will make employer contributions to your HSA
- Comprehensive dental coverage and access to a nationwide provider network
- Coverage for vision exams, glasses, contacts, discounts for LASIK, and other vision services through a nationwide provider network
- In-office lunches, snacks, and drinks available
- GymPass offers on-demand virtual classes (fitness, yoga, strength, and more), well-being coaching, and budget management. Discount on nationwide gym memberships
- Headspace offers access to guided sessions that focus on everything from stress to relationships, anxiety, and sleep
- SoFi. Refinance your home, student and personal loans
- Fetch offers discounts on pet insurance
- PerkSpot offers discounts on vacations, car rentals, and entertainment
- Access support services to help with your family planning journey including fertility care, adoption, and surrogacy. Reimbursement of $20,000 lifetime benefit
- Save for your future with Aurora’s 401(k) Plan. Pre-tax and Roth contribution options are available
- 24/7 access to online resources and unlimited phone consultations for stress, grief counseling, depression, and relationship conflicts (personal and professional), and limited in-person sessions
- Set aside pre-tax money to pay for qualified transit and commuter benefits
- Cigna travel accident insurance provided for business travel
- LinkedIn Learning is an e-learning resource to support professional development. Aurora Academy is an internal learning and development program designed to up-level our team by teaching skills that are essential to Aurora’s mission
- Modern Health is a mental wellness benefit that includes 14 sessions with a certified coach and 12 sessions with a therapist, if needed. Unlimited access to live provider- lead community circles, digital mediation, and more
- Flexible/reasonable vacation for salaried employees; accrual of 20 vacation days per year for non-exempt employees, 11 paid company holidays per year, and reasonable sick time to stay home, rest, and get better
- Network of employee-led groups that represent Aurorans, organized by cultural identity or collaborative purpose
- Aurora provides all new parents and caregivers 18 weeks of coordinated pay and time off for the birth or placement of a child. Up to 4 weeks of paid medical leave for your own personal illness or injury, or to care for a sick family member
- Set aside pre-tax money to pay for healthcare and dependent daycare expenses using FSA plans
- Company-paid premiums for life insurance (2x salary up to $500,000). Voluntary life & AD&D coverage for you and your dependents is available. Short-term disability benefits are 60% weekly benefit up to a max of $2,500 after a short waiting period. Long-term disability benefits are 60% of monthly salary to $10,000 after a waiting period. Option to enroll in voluntary life/AD&D insurance
- 24/7 access to Unum’s worldwide emergency travel assistance services for personal travel
Company HQ
Strip District, Pittsburgh, PA
Leadership
Chris Urmson
(Co-Founder & CEO)They have a PhD in Robotics from Carnegie Mellon, and worked as a robotics research scientist at SAIC. They were CTO of Self-Driving Cars at Google.
Drew Bagnell
(Chief Scientist)They hold a Robotics PhD from Carnegie Mellon, where they are also an Associate Professor. They were Autonomy Architect and Perception Lead at Uber Advanced Technology Center. Held the position of CTO at Aurora for over 3 years.
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