Get to Know Our Crew: Sean

Discover what it’s like to be part of the crew at Zoox! We are proud to introduce some of our talented crew and provide a behind-the-scenes peek into what it’s like to work at Zoox. 

What do you do here at Zoox?

I'm a Software Engineer on the Simulation team. I help design and develop tools for generating simulation scenarios.

How did you find your career in the Autonomous Vehicle (AV) industry? 

As a kid, I was a big video game nerd. My enthusiasm for video games led to an interest in Machine Learning (ML) and robotics when I went to school. When I learned how simulation was used for AV development, I thought it was a perfect fit for me. What captures my interest nowadays about simulation is its interdisciplinary nature. We have to work with a lot of different teams across the company with lots of diverse problems and questions to address. There's rarely a dull moment.

How do you hope to make an impact in this space? 

I hope our work makes transportation safer and easier for everyone, but especially cyclists and pedestrians. As a biker, it's unfortunate that I have so many stories of incidents with cars while walking, running, or cycling. I want to live in a world where those stories become a thing of the past.

What is it like to work at Zoox? 

Working at Zoox is challenging and engaging. There are tons of different problems to solve and questions to answer. Even though everyone is working on their own vertical, there's camaraderie and collaborative energy from everyone's alignment behind the mission of the company. It's a very motivating environment to work in.

What is a day in your life as a Software Engineer like? 

A typical day for me usually involves a few sync meetings to share updates and new requests, writing design documents, and writing code (of course) for simulation scenarios.  

What excites you about the future of Zoox? 

I'm excited about launching a robotaxi service in San Francisco and seeing how the proliferation of AVs impacts the area.

What is your favorite feature of the Zoox robotaxi and why? 

I love that I can describe it to people who've never seen it before as "a toaster on wheels" and they immediately seem to understand. On a more serious note, the symmetry is satisfying to me. It just makes sense. Unidirectionality is so last century.

If you were a La Croix what flavor would you be and why? 

Limoncello because it's just a hint of Italian, like me.

What’s an interesting fact about yourself? 

I've been involved in (acting, technical design, sound/video engineering) over 30 musical theater productions starting from when I was 2 years old. 

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working? 

Spending time with my partner, road and gravel biking, rock climbing, hiking, cooking, and eating.