Application Guide
How to Apply for Director, Autonomy Perception
at May Mobility
🏢 About May Mobility
May Mobility stands out in the autonomous vehicle space by focusing specifically on deploying safe, sustainable, and eco-friendly autonomous electric shuttles for real-world public transportation and commercial applications. Unlike companies pursuing consumer robotaxis, May Mobility prioritizes operational safety and scalable deployment in geofenced urban environments, making it an ideal workplace for engineers who want to see their work directly impact communities and sustainable transit solutions.
About This Role
As Director of Autonomy Perception at May Mobility, you will define the technical vision and strategy for the perception stack that enables May's autonomous shuttles to safely navigate complex urban environments. This role is impactful because you'll be directly responsible for advancing core technologies like object detection, classification, and tracking that determine the safety and reliability of May's commercial deployments across multiple cities.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day involves reviewing perception system performance metrics from active deployments, meeting with your team to troubleshoot specific technical challenges, collaborating with other autonomy directors on system integration issues, and working on strategic planning for the next quarter's perception technology roadmap. You'll balance hands-on technical guidance with leadership responsibilities like hiring decisions and team development.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who May Mobility Is Looking For
- Has 10+ years of engineering experience with at least 7 years specifically in software-focused robotics problem-solving, ideally in autonomous vehicles or similar real-time systems
- Possesses a PhD or Master's in robotics, computer science, or a related technical field with deep expertise in multi-sensor fusion and object detection/classification algorithms
- Has proven experience leading teams of 10+ engineers in setting technical goals, managing through challenging technical failures, and delivering measurable improvements to perception systems
- Demonstrates both strategic vision for perception technology roadmaps and hands-on ability to guide technical decisions in commercial deployment environments
📝 Tips for Applying to May Mobility
Quantify your impact on perception systems in previous roles - specifically mention metrics like improvements in object detection accuracy, reduction in false positives, or efficiency gains in sensor fusion algorithms
Highlight experience with commercial deployment of robotics systems, not just research or prototype development, since May Mobility operates real shuttles in public environments
Demonstrate your understanding of May Mobility's specific focus on geofenced urban autonomous shuttles rather than general autonomous vehicle technology
Showcase both your technical depth in perception algorithms AND your leadership experience managing teams through challenging technical problems
Reference May Mobility's commitment to safety and sustainability in your application materials to show alignment with company values
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Your experience leading perception teams in commercial robotics deployments and how you've handled real-world technical challenges", "Specific examples of how you've advanced perception technology (object detection, classification, tracking) with measurable results", 'Your strategic vision for perception technology roadmaps that balance innovation with safety and reliability requirements', "Why you're specifically interested in May Mobility's mission of sustainable urban transportation rather than general autonomous vehicle development"]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → May Mobility's current deployment cities and the specific urban challenges in those locations (Ann Arbor, Arlington, etc.)
- → The company's specific sensor suite and perception stack as discussed in their technical publications or presentations
- → May Mobility's safety philosophy and how it differs from other autonomous vehicle companies
- → Recent news about May Mobility's commercial partnerships and expansion plans
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on academic research experience without demonstrating commercial deployment experience or team leadership
- Using generic autonomous vehicle terminology without showing understanding of May Mobility's specific shuttle-focused business model
- Failing to articulate how you would measure and improve perception system performance with concrete metrics relevant to commercial operations
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!