Software Engineer, UI Tools Infrastructure

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Software Engineer, UI Tools Infrastructure

Company: Kodiak Robotics, Inc.

Location: Mountain View, CA

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Software Engineering / Infrastructure / Autonomous Vehicles

Date Posted: September 18, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Develop, maintain, and evolve 2D and 3D visualization tools critical for autonomous vehicle (AV) development and testing.

• Build intuitive, high-performance user interfaces using modern web technologies to translate complex AV sensor data into actionable insights for engineering teams.

• Design and implement robust backend services and APIs that connect raw robotics data with the visualization front-end.

• Collaborate closely with Software Engineering, Quality, and Operations teams to understand workflows and deliver impactful features that enhance efficiency and scalability.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role sits at the intersection of front-end development, backend services, and specialized domain knowledge in autonomous vehicles. The emphasis on "Infrastructure" and "Tools" suggests a focus on building foundational, scalable systems that support broader engineering efforts, rather than product-specific UI features. The "Hybrid onsite environment" indicates a need for local presence and collaboration.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and enhance 2D and 3D visualization capabilities for autonomous vehicle perception and planning data, ensuring scalability as the fleet grows.

• Create intuitive user interfaces with ReactJS, TypeScript, and Three.js to effectively visualize complex AV sensor data, such as LiDAR, camera feeds, and radar.

• Partner with cross-functional teams (Software Engineering, Quality, Operations) to gather requirements, understand user workflows, and translate feedback into high-impact features for tooling.

• Build and maintain robust backend services and APIs that facilitate data ingestion, processing, and delivery to the visualization front-end.

• Champion code quality, comprehensive documentation, and best practices to evolve the UI tools infrastructure and maintainability as the company scales.

• Conduct app profiling and performance tuning to optimize the responsiveness and efficiency of visualization tools.

• Work with time-series robotics data formats like Rosbags and Mcaps, developing tools to parse, display, and analyze this data.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a hands-on engineering role with a strong emphasis on user-centric design for internal engineering teams. The integration of raw robotics data (Rosbags, Mcaps) and the need for performance tuning are key indicators of the technical depth required. Collaboration with "Operations" suggests an understanding of how these tools support the operational deployment and monitoring of autonomous vehicles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, a related engineering discipline, or equivalent practical experience. Experience:

• 2+ years of experience building intuitive full-stack applications.

• Demonstrated experience in app profiling and performance tuning.

• Proven experience working with time-series robotics data, specifically formats like Rosbags or Mcaps.

• Experience building and maintaining backend services and APIs. Required Skills:

• Proficiency in TypeScript, ReactJS, HTML, and CSS for front-end development.

• Solid understanding of modern 2D and 3D JavaScript libraries and tooling, with a strong emphasis on Three.js.

• Full-stack development capabilities, bridging front-end and back-end systems.

• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to write clear, concise, and detailed documentation.

• Passion for autonomous vehicles and their potential impact. Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with C++ is considered a bonus.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2+ years of experience" combined with a BS/MS requirement suggests a mid-level engineer. The emphasis on specific technologies like ReactJS, TypeScript, and Three.js, alongside experience with robotics data formats, points towards a specialized role. The "passion for autonomous vehicles" is a common cultural fit requirement in this industry.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate a portfolio showcasing at least two full-stack applications built with TypeScript and ReactJS, ideally involving data visualization.

• Include examples of projects where you have worked with complex data structures or real-time data streams, similar to robotics data.

• Provide evidence of projects involving 3D visualization, particularly those utilizing libraries like Three.js.

• Showcase examples of robust backend services and APIs you have developed, highlighting their purpose and scalability. Process Documentation:

• Prepare to discuss your approach to developing and maintaining technical documentation for complex software tools, emphasizing clarity and completeness.

• Be ready to explain your process for collaborating with cross-functional teams to gather requirements and iterate on features, particularly in a hybrid or remote setting.

• Demonstrate your understanding of performance tuning and optimization processes for both front-end and back-end applications.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a UI Tools Infrastructure role, a portfolio is crucial. It should highlight not just coding ability but also the ability to translate complex data into usable interfaces and build scalable backend systems. Experience with data visualization and specific libraries like Three.js will be key differentiators. Demonstrating an understanding of how tools support operational workflows is also important.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $130,000 - $160,000 USD per year (for SF/Silicon Valley location)

Benefits:

• Equity: Stock options or grants providing ownership in the company's growth.

• Bonus: Potential for performance-based bonuses.

• Competitive benefits package: This typically includes comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off (PTO), holidays, and potentially retirement savings plans (e.g., 401k).

Working Hours: 40 hours per week (standard full-time)

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific to the Silicon Valley/SF Bay Area, which has a high cost of living and corresponding compensation benchmarks. The "hybrid onsite environment" implies that while flexibility exists, regular in-office presence is expected. The benefits package is standard for a tech company, with equity and bonus being key components of total compensation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Autonomous Ground Transportation / Artificial Intelligence / Robotics / Trucking Technology. Kodiak Robotics is at the forefront of developing and deploying autonomous driving technology for long-haul trucking, aiming to revolutionize logistics and freight transportation with a focus on safety and efficiency.

Company Size: The company was founded in 2018. While specific current employee numbers aren't provided, its leadership in autonomous trucking and deployment of freight daily suggests a growing, well-funded organization, likely in the scale-up phase (hundreds of employees).

Founded: 2018. This indicates a relatively young company with a strong focus on innovation and rapid development in a cutting-edge field.

Team Structure:

• The UI Tools Infrastructure team likely consists of specialized software engineers focused on developing and maintaining the internal tools used by other engineering disciplines.

• This team will operate within a broader engineering organization, with a clear reporting structure, likely reporting to an Engineering Manager or Director of Engineering.

• Close collaboration with Software Engineering (perception, planning, control), Quality Assurance, and Operations teams is fundamental to understanding user needs and ensuring tool effectiveness. Methodology:

• Data-driven development is paramount, with a strong emphasis on analyzing sensor data, performance metrics, and user feedback to inform tool development.

• Agile methodologies are likely employed, allowing for iterative development, rapid prototyping, and continuous improvement of visualization tools.

• A focus on scalable infrastructure and robust backend services will be key to supporting the growing fleet and data volume.

Company Website: kodiakboots.com (Note: The provided URL in the input data was kodiakboots.com, which seems incorrect for a robotics company. The correct URL is likely kodiak.ai or similar. Assuming kodiak.ai for context, but will use the provided one as per instructions.)

📝 Enhancement Note: Kodiak Robotics is a leader in a highly competitive and rapidly evolving industry. The company culture likely reflects a fast-paced, innovative environment where problem-solving, collaboration, and a passion for the mission are highly valued. The hybrid work model suggests a balance between collaborative in-office work and individual focused work.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a Mid-Level Software Engineer (2-5 years of experience). It offers the opportunity to specialize in UI Tools Infrastructure within the autonomous vehicle sector, a high-demand and technically challenging field.

Reporting Structure: The role will likely report to an Engineering Manager or a Lead Engineer responsible for the UI Tools Infrastructure team. Collaboration will extend across various engineering departments, including perception, planning, simulation, and operations.

Operations Impact: This role directly impacts the efficiency and effectiveness of Kodiak's engineering teams by providing them with critical tools for data visualization, analysis, and debugging. Improved tools lead to faster development cycles, better identification of issues, and ultimately, safer and more reliable autonomous vehicle systems. The work directly supports the company's mission of deploying and scaling autonomous trucking operations.

Growth Opportunities:

• Technical Specialization: Deepen expertise in 3D visualization, real-time data processing, and full-stack development within the AV domain, potentially leading to senior or principal engineer roles focused on infrastructure.

• Leadership Potential: As experience grows, opportunities may arise to lead specific tool development initiatives, mentor junior engineers, or transition into a technical lead or management position within the tools team.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Gain in-depth knowledge of AV perception, planning, and operational systems, opening doors to roles in other specialized engineering areas or even product management within the AV space.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role provides a solid foundation for a career in specialized software engineering within the autonomous vehicle industry. The focus on tools infrastructure means the engineer will be building foundational systems that have broad impact across the organization, offering significant learning and growth potential.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid onsite environment in Mountain View, CA. This means employees are expected to work from the office for a portion of the week, fostering in-person collaboration and team cohesion, while also allowing for remote flexibility.

Office Location(s): Mountain View, California, USA. This location places Kodiak within the heart of Silicon Valley, a hub for technology and innovation, offering access to talent and a dynamic ecosystem.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace is designed to encourage collaboration, with opportunities for face-to-face interaction with team members and colleagues from other departments.

• Engineers will have access to modern development tools and technologies necessary for building and deploying complex software, including powerful workstations and development environments.

• Expect a dynamic environment where engineers from diverse disciplines (software, hardware, AI, operations) work closely together to solve complex problems.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with the flexibility inherent in a hybrid model. The nature of AV development may sometimes necessitate flexibility to meet critical deadlines or address urgent issues, particularly concerning data analysis from ongoing fleet operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model in Mountain View suggests a professional, tech-focused office environment. The emphasis on collaboration within this setting is key for a role that bridges multiple engineering functions.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Application Screening: Initial review of resumes and portfolios to assess technical qualifications, experience with required technologies (ReactJS, TypeScript, Three.js), and relevant domain knowledge (AV data, robotics).

• Technical Phone Screen: A discussion with a hiring manager or senior engineer to delve deeper into your experience, problem-solving approach, and foundational knowledge. This may include conceptual questions about data structures, algorithms, and web development.

• Coding Challenge/Take-Home Assignment: A practical exercise to evaluate your coding skills, ability to work with specific technologies (e.g., building a small visualization component), and adherence to coding best practices.

• On-site/Virtual On-site Interviews: A series of interviews, potentially including:

  • System Design: Discussing how you would design and scale visualization tools or backend services for AV data.
  • Technical Deep Dive: Focused interviews on your experience with specific technologies (Three.js, ReactJS, backend development, data formats).
  • Collaboration/Behavioral: Assessing your ability to work within a team, communicate effectively, and handle challenges, often through behavioral questions.
  • Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session to walk through your project portfolio, explaining your contributions, technical decisions, and the impact of your work.

• Final Round/Hiring Manager Interview: A final discussion to ensure cultural fit and confirm alignment with the team's goals and the company's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Relevant Projects: Prioritize projects that demonstrate your proficiency in ReactJS, TypeScript, Three.js, and handling complex data. Include examples of full-stack applications.

• Highlight Visualization and Data Handling: Clearly articulate your role in developing visualization components, processing time-series robotics data (Rosbags, Mcaps), and building backend APIs for data delivery.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use metrics to demonstrate the effectiveness of your work (e.g., "improved rendering performance by X%", "reduced data processing time by Y%").

• Explain Technical Decisions: Be prepared to discuss the "why" behind your technology choices, architectural decisions, and problem-solving approaches.

• Document Your Contributions: For team projects, clearly delineate your specific contributions and responsibilities.

Challenge Preparation:

• Practice Coding: Brush up on your data structures, algorithms, and JavaScript/TypeScript coding skills. Practice building small UI components and backend APIs.

• Familiarize Yourself with Three.js: Understand its core concepts for 3D rendering, scene management, and data integration.

• Understand AV Data Concepts: Gain a basic understanding of common AV sensor data (LiDAR, camera, radar) and how it's represented and processed. Familiarize yourself with Rosbags and Mcaps.

• Prepare for System Design: Think about how to design scalable, performant systems for handling large volumes of real-time data and visualizing it effectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is typical for a mid-level software engineering role in a tech company, with a strong emphasis on practical coding skills, system design, and domain-specific knowledge. The portfolio review is a critical component, so candidates should curate it carefully to highlight relevant experience.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Front-end: ReactJS, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, Three.js (for 3D visualization).

• Backend: Node.js or similar for building APIs and services.

• Version Control: Git.

• Development Environments: Standard IDEs (e.g., VS Code) with relevant extensions.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Internal dashboards and monitoring tools for application performance and usage.

• Potentially tools for analyzing user feedback and feature requests. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role's core responsibilities, but internal ticketing systems (e.g., Jira) and communication platforms (e.g., Slack) will be used.

• Experience with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitHub Actions) is beneficial for deploying tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is clearly defined, emphasizing modern web development frameworks and a specialized 3D graphics library. Experience with robotics data formats and backend service development is also a core requirement.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Safety First: A paramount value in the autonomous vehicle industry, driving meticulous development and rigorous testing of all tools that support vehicle safety and performance.

• Innovation & Agility: A culture that encourages creative problem-solving, rapid iteration, and the adoption of new technologies to push the boundaries of autonomous driving.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Strong emphasis on teamwork across disciplines, open communication, and sharing knowledge to achieve common goals efficiently.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Leveraging data and metrics to inform development choices, optimize performance, and measure the impact of tools and features.

• User Focus: Prioritizing the needs of internal engineering users to build tools that are intuitive, efficient, and genuinely improve their workflows.

Collaboration Style:

• Expect a highly collaborative environment where engineers work closely with peers, leads, and stakeholders across different departments (Software Engineering, QA, Operations).

• Regular code reviews and design discussions are standard to ensure code quality and architectural soundness.

• A culture of constructive feedback is encouraged to foster continuous improvement in both the tools and individual skills.

• Knowledge sharing through documentation, presentations, and informal discussions is vital for scaling expertise within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture will likely be fast-paced and mission-driven, typical of a cutting-edge tech startup in the AV space. Values around safety, innovation, and collaboration are essential for success in this environment.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Scalability: Developing visualization tools and infrastructure that can handle the ever-increasing volume and complexity of data from a growing fleet of autonomous vehicles.

• Real-time Performance: Ensuring that complex 2D and 3D visualizations render smoothly and efficiently in real-time, allowing engineers to make quick, informed decisions.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Bridging the communication and technical gaps between different engineering disciplines to ensure tools meet the diverse needs of perception, planning, simulation, and operations teams.

• Evolving Technology: Keeping pace with rapid advancements in web technologies, 3D graphics, and AV data processing techniques to maintain cutting-edge tools.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into AV Technology: Gain unparalleled insight into the inner workings of autonomous vehicle systems, from sensor fusion to path planning.

• Master Advanced Visualization Techniques: Become an expert in 3D graphics programming with Three.js and develop sophisticated data visualization strategies.

• Develop Scalable Backend Systems: Build robust, high-performance backend services capable of handling massive datasets.

• Industry Conferences & Training: Opportunities to attend relevant conferences (e.g., GTC, SIGGRAPH, web development conferences) and pursue specialized training to enhance skills.

• Mentorship: Learn from experienced engineers and potentially mentor junior team members as you progress in your career.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role presents significant technical challenges related to data scale, performance, and cross-functional integration, all within a rapidly advancing field. These challenges are also the source of substantial learning and growth opportunities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex 3D visualization you've built. What were the main challenges, and how did you overcome them using Three.js or similar libraries?" (Focus on technical approach, problem-solving, and results.)

• "How would you design a system to ingest and visualize real-time sensor data from 100 autonomous vehicles simultaneously? What technologies would you consider, and what are the potential bottlenecks?" (Assess system design thinking, scalability, and technology choices.)

• "Walk me through your process for collaborating with engineers from different disciplines (e.g., perception, planning) to build tools that meet their specific needs." (Evaluate communication, requirements gathering, and user-centric development.)

• "Imagine a situation where your visualization tool is causing significant performance degradation for engineers. How would you debug and resolve this issue?" (Test debugging methodology, performance tuning skills, and systematic problem-solving.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working on tools for autonomous vehicles, specifically at Kodiak?" (Assess motivation, passion for the domain, and understanding of Kodiak's mission.)

• "How do you approach documenting your code and the tools you build, especially for a team with diverse technical backgrounds?" (Evaluate communication clarity and importance of documentation.)

• "Describe a time you had to work with unclear or conflicting requirements from different stakeholders. How did you handle it?" (Assess collaboration, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the problem, your role, the technical solution (highlighting specific technologies like ReactJS, TypeScript, Three.js, backend services), the challenges faced, and the impact/results.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: If possible, provide live demos or interactive walkthroughs of your portfolio projects. Be prepared to navigate the code and explain key architectural decisions.

• Focus on Data Visualization: Emphasize how you translated raw, complex data (like Rosbags/Mcaps) into intuitive, actionable visualizations for users.

• Quantify Achievements: Use metrics to demonstrate the value of your work (e.g., "reduced load times by X%", "enabled Y% faster debugging").

• Be Prepared for Deep Dives: Expect questions about specific technical choices, trade-offs, and alternative approaches you considered.

Challenge Preparation:

• Practice ReactJS/TypeScript: Build a small interactive component that visualizes some form of data.

• Experiment with Three.js: Create a simple 3D scene that can display basic shapes or data points.

• Understand API Design: Be ready to design simple RESTful APIs for data retrieval.

• Review Rosbags/Mcaps: If possible, download sample datasets and explore them to understand their structure.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating both strong technical skills in relevant areas and an understanding of the unique challenges and mission of the autonomous vehicle industry. A well-prepared portfolio presentation is critical.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Software Engineer, UI Tools Infrastructure position:

• Submit your application through the Kodiak Robotics careers portal.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your experience with ReactJS, TypeScript, Three.js, full-stack development, and any exposure to robotics data formats (Rosbags, Mcaps) or visualization tools. Quantify your achievements.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 of your strongest projects that best showcase your skills in UI development, backend services, and data visualization. Ensure they are accessible (e.g., GitHub links) and well-documented.

• Prepare Your Elevator Pitch: Be ready to concisely explain your background, key skills, and why you are a great fit for this specific role and Kodiak Robotics.

• Research Kodiak Robotics: Understand their mission, technology, and recent achievements in autonomous trucking. Familiarize yourself with their values and the industry landscape.

• Practice Your Portfolio Walkthrough: Rehearse presenting your selected projects, focusing on technical details, problem-solving, and impact.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.