Applied AI Engineer – Generative AI

Kodiak Robotics, Inc., founded in 2018, is a leader in autonomous ground transportation. We are dedicated to building a safer and more efficient future through our artificial intelligence (AI) powered technology stack designed for commercial trucking and the public sector. Kodiak delivers freight daily across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak was the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. We also partner with the U.S. Department of Defense, leveraging our commercial self-driving software for autonomous capabilities.

Introduction

Kodiak Robotics is at the forefront of autonomous ground transportation, developing AI-powered technology for commercial trucking and the public sector. We are seeking an Applied AI Engineer specializing in Generative AI to join our innovative team. This role is crucial in advancing our AI capabilities, making them more adaptive, predictive, and resilient. We welcome candidates at all experience levels, from those eager to contribute to cutting-edge research to seasoned experts driving innovation.

Responsibilities

• Develop generative models to enhance AI adaptability and robustness.
• Research and implement diffusion-based, autoregressive, and variational techniques for real-world AI applications.
• Apply generative methods to anticipate challenges and reinforce decision-making processes.
• Build self-improving AI pipelines that continuously refine model understanding.
• Optimize models for efficient, scalable, and interpretable AI decision-making.

Requirements

• BS, MS, or PhD in AI, Computer Science, or a related field, or at least 2-3 years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience with diffusion models, autoregressive learning, or other generative AI methods.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Strong understanding of uncertainty modeling and self-supervised learning.
• Passion for building AI that continuously adapts and learns.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation package including equity and annual bonuses (California Pay Range: $150,000 USD - $250,000 USD).
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans (Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, 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.
• Office perks: dog-friendly, free catered lunch, a fully stocked kitchen, and free EV charging at our Mountain View, CA office.
• 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.).
• Kodiak is committed to equal opportunity employment and fostering a diverse, collaborative, and safe environment.
• Opportunities for visa sponsorship for eligible candidates.

About Company

Kodiak Robotics, Inc., founded in 2018, is a leader in autonomous ground transportation. We are dedicated to building a safer and more efficient future through our AI-powered technology stack designed for commercial trucking and the public sector. Kodiak delivers freight daily across the southern United States using its autonomous technology. In 2024, Kodiak was the first known company to publicly announce delivering a driverless semi-truck to a customer. We also partner with the U.S. Department of Defense, leveraging our commercial self-driving software for autonomous capabilities.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply. Please note that we use a third-party AI tool (Endorsed) for initial application screening. Final hiring decisions are made by our human recruitment team. If you have questions or require a separate review of your application, contact careers@kodiak.ai with "Separate Review Request" in the subject line. You can review the independent bias audit report for our use of Endorsed here.