Robotics/UAS Project Engineer

Textron•Wilmington, MA

About The Position

This role is in Textron System’s Weapon Systems business area. In this role you will be responsible for applying advanced technical principles, theories, and concepts to architect, lead, and execute the integration of UAS platforms with mission-critical subsystems—including automated target recognition (ATR), navigation and control algorithms, communication systems, and diverse payloads. You will work on complex technical problems and develop highly innovative solutions that enable seamless interoperability across hardware, software, autonomy, and mission-system components. You will lead end-to-end integration activities that bring together third-party sensors, autonomy modules, onboard computing, and communication links to transform baseline UAS into complete mission-ready systems. You will oversee the development and integration of advanced mission payloads, including EO/IR and AI-enabled perception systems, ensuring compatibility with onboard processing, data pathways, and vehicle command-and-control. You will direct the implementation and tuning of navigation, guidance, and control algorithms, resilient navigation approaches, and closed-loop system validation. You will manage system-level communications integration, ensuring robust data links, network interoperability, and compliance with operational and security requirements. You will establish and refine integration processes, technical standards, and system verification strategies for complex UAS mission architectures. You will lead simulation-based system validation, including high-fidelity modeling of autonomy, sensor performance, communication networks, and mission workflows to reduce risk prior to flight testing. You will oversee test planning and execution across laboratory, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), field-test, and flight-test environments to validate integrated system performance under realistic operational conditions. You will conduct sophisticated diagnostics and root-cause analyses across mechanical, electrical, software, and algorithmic domains to rapidly resolve integration challenges. You will provide technical leadership in cross-functional design reviews and ensure alignment of mission requirements, system architecture, and verification plans across all UAS subsystems. You will mentor engineering staff, guide technical development roadmaps, and serve as a senior technical liaison with customers, leadership, and multidisciplinary partners.

Requirements

B.S. in Robotics, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, or related field; 18+ years of experience in UAS system integration, mission-system development, and validation
Demonstrated expertise applying advanced engineering principles to develop highly innovative solutions for complex unmanned system integration challenges.
Proven leadership in integrating UAS with advanced subsystems such as ATR systems, onboard AI/ML modules, navigation and control algorithms, communication architectures, and mission payloads.
Extensive experience with embedded systems, onboard computing, middleware, and hardware/software co-design for mission-critical UAS applications.
Strong proficiency in autonomy frameworks (ROS/ROS2, PX4, ArduPilot), including customization, tuning, and algorithm integration.
Deep understanding of modeling, simulation, virtual testing, and hardware-in-the-loop validation methods for autonomy, sensor processing, and mission execution.
Significant experience managing flight-test operations, system evaluations, data analysis, and verification/validation across multi-sensor, multi-domain UAS configurations.
Ability to influence technical direction, drive architectural decisions, and communicate complex system interactions to executive stakeholders, customers, and engineering teams.
Possesses or has ability to obtain a Secret level security clearance.

Nice To Haves

M.S. in Robotics, Mechatronics, Aerospace Engineering, or related field; 20+ years of experience in UAS system integration, mission-system development, and validation preferred.

Responsibilities

Apply advanced technical principles, theories, and concepts to architect, lead, and execute the integration of UAS platforms with mission-critical subsystems—including automated target recognition (ATR), navigation and control algorithms, communication systems, and diverse payloads.
Work on complex technical problems and develop highly innovative solutions that enable seamless interoperability across hardware, software, autonomy, and mission-system components.
Lead end-to-end integration activities that bring together third-party sensors, autonomy modules, onboard computing, and communication links to transform baseline UAS into complete mission-ready systems.
Oversee the development and integration of advanced mission payloads, including EO/IR and AI-enabled perception systems, ensuring compatibility with onboard processing, data pathways, and vehicle command-and-control.
Direct the implementation and tuning of navigation, guidance, and control algorithms, resilient navigation approaches, and closed-loop system validation.
Manage system-level communications integration, ensuring robust data links, network interoperability, and compliance with operational and security requirements.
Establish and refine integration processes, technical standards, and system verification strategies for complex UAS mission architectures.
Lead simulation-based system validation, including high-fidelity modeling of autonomy, sensor performance, communication networks, and mission workflows to reduce risk prior to flight testing.
Oversee test planning and execution across laboratory, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL), field-test, and flight-test environments to validate integrated system performance under realistic operational conditions.
Conduct sophisticated diagnostics and root-cause analyses across mechanical, electrical, software, and algorithmic domains to rapidly resolve integration challenges.
Provide technical leadership in cross-functional design reviews and ensure alignment of mission requirements, system architecture, and verification plans across all UAS subsystems.
Mentor engineering staff, guide technical development roadmaps, and serve as a senior technical liaison with customers, leadership, and multidisciplinary partners.