Cognitive Systems Lead

Anduril • Santa Ana, CA

2d

About The Position

The Cognitive Systems Lead owns the Cognitive subsystem for a maritime autonomous vehicle, including navigation and control, the Vehicle Management System (VMS), communications, and protective systems. Reporting to the Vehicle Systems Lead, this role sets the architecture for how the vehicle navigates, communicates, manages itself, and protects itself during long-range autonomous operations. The position requires technical expertise and leadership to set objectives, build cross-functional teams, and drive work to completion, using sound judgment to determine appropriate design, analysis, and test activities.

The role works across prototype, low-rate initial production (LRIP), and full-rate production (FRP) phases, coordinating with Production on design-for-manufacturability and representing the subsystem in technical and customer meetings. Travel to test sites and customer locations may be up to 25%.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Robotics, or equivalent.
• At least 8 years of experience in GN&C, vehicle autonomy, or embedded systems for marine, aerospace, or robotic platforms.
• Experience taking navigation, control, or communications systems through full product development cycles.
• Demonstrated experience with navigation systems, control systems, or communications architectures.
• Experience transitioning designs from prototype to production.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with autonomous underwater or surface vehicles.
• Working knowledge of inertial navigation, GPS-denied navigation, or acoustic communications.
• Experience with vehicle management systems or flight management systems.
• Familiarity with safety-critical software and system design.
• Experience in defense or maritime robotics.

Responsibilities

• Own the Cognitive subsystem architecture, including navigation and control, VMS, communications, and protective systems.
• Drive guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) design, including inertial navigation, safe navigation systems, and actuation control software.
• Drive Vehicle Management System design, including route planning and casualty monitoring.
• Own communications architecture across beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS), line-of-sight (LOS), and acoustic domains.
• Define protective systems for vehicle survivability.
• Define interfaces between the Cognitive subsystem and body, energy, and mission systems.
• Manage subsystem schedule and cost performance across prototype, LRIP, and FRP phases.
• Provide technical mentorship to engineers across Cognitive disciplines.
• Drive design-for-manufacturability in coordination with Production.
• Represent the Cognitive subsystem in technical and customer meetings.
• Interface with the Vehicle Systems Lead and Chief Engineer on technical decisions.
• Travel up to 25% to test sites and customer locations.

Benefits

• Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full-time offers.
• A comprehensive, competitive benefits package available at little to no cost to employees.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior