- Robot type
- Drone · Defense
- Location
- Costa MesaCaliforniaUSA
- Job type
- Hardware
- Posted
- Jun 23, 2026
- Salary
- $253,000–$336,000 a year
Full-time
Autonomy Lead
Job description
You will own the Autonomy software stack within Mission Systems for a maritime autonomous vehicle, owning the software that enables autonomous mission execution. Reporting to the Mission Systems Lead, you will cover system design, mission planning, mission operations, perception, debrief, and software development infrastructure. You will define how the vehicle plans, executes, perceives, and learns from missions autonomously across long ranges of open ocean beyond line of sight. Your spectrum of support will be diverse in nature and require you to leverage your technical expertise as well as leadership skills to set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and rapidly drive to completion.
Job responsibilities
- Own the autonomy software architecture: planning, execution, perception, and debrief
- Drive design of mission planning systems for autonomous maritime operations
- Drive mission execution software that manages vehicle behavior during missions
- Own perception systems that enable the vehicle to sense and interpret its environment
- Develop mission debrief capabilities for post-mission analysis and continuous improvement
- Build and maintain software development infrastructure (CI/CD, simulation, SITL/HITL)
- Define interfaces between autonomy stack and vehicle management system
- Manage autonomy deliverables across development phases
Job requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or equivalent
- 5+ years of experience in autonomous systems, robotics, or AI/ML
- Experience delivering software through full product development cycles
- Demonstrated experience with autonomous navigation, planning, or perception systems
- Experience with modeling, simulation, and SITL/HITL testing
- Experience developing safety-critical or high-assurance software
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance
- Experience with maritime autonomous systems (AUV, UUV, USV)