Senior Research Engineer I

Texas A&M • Bryan, TX

5d • Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Research Engineer I serves as a lead technical architect and contributor, driving the high-level design of the BCDC autonomy stacks while scoping and prototyping solutions for emerging technical challenges. At the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex (BCDC), the Research Engineer for Multi-Agent Autonomy develops next-generation autonomous systems that enable coordinated, heterogeneous fleets to operate in complex, unstructured environments. This research focuses on the integration of diverse platforms, ranging from tactical UTVs and military-grade UGVs to unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and autonomous helicopters. We aim to solve the fundamental challenges of multi-agent coordination and shared situational awareness, fostering the human-agent teaming essential for future mission success. By bridging the gap between sophisticated algorithms and real-world application, our team develops technologies that significantly enhance unit capabilities, mobility, and speed of action. We translate theoretical breakthroughs into field-demonstrated reality through System Experimentation and Field Testing using our multi-vehicle fleet in the diverse off-road terrain of the RELLIS campus.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Six years of related experience.
• Experience prototyping architectures for decentralized communication frameworks, with the ability to select and implement middleware solutions for varying mission requirements.
• Experience identifying funding opportunities and contributing to the development of technical proposals for research sponsors.
• Must be able to obtain a U.S. Department of War Security Clearance.
• Advanced knowledge of system architecture for multi-agent robotics and distributed autonomous systems.
• Ability to conduct technical scouting and scoping for novel research challenges in unfamiliar domains.
• Capability to develop system-wide frameworks and support technical continuity across multiple projects.
• Strong ability to bridge the gap between academic research (papers/theory) and field-deployable code.
• Familiarity with or exposure to leading System Experimentation and Field Testing for complex, multi-vehicle missions.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the capability to represent technical achievements to sponsors and research partners.
• A desire or capacity to mentor staff and contribute to long-term technical roadmaps for an autonomy team.
• Strategic thinking regarding technology transition and scaling.
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.
• This is a security-sensitive position and is restricted to U.S. citizens only.

Responsibilities

• Architects and implements the core frameworks for multi-agent coordination, setting the standard for modularity, performance, and scalability across all BCDC autonomy stacks.
• Conducts targeted background research in unfamiliar technical domains to scope emerging problems and develop initial proof-of-concept prototypes, accelerating the team's ability to adopt new methodologies.
• Acts as a primary developer for the most complex algorithmic challenges, producing high-performance, robust code (Python/C++) for embedded hardware and ROS2 middleware.
• Drives the development of cross-platform communication and shared situational awareness architectures, ensuring the seamless integration of air and ground assets.
• Serves as a technical authority on the evolution of the autonomy stacks, identifying and implementing emerging technologies that enhance multi-agent performance.
• Directs the design of multi-level simulation environments, ensuring they accurately reflect the complexities of field deployment for heterogeneous fleets.
• Architects integrated hardware-software systems, conducting technical trade studies to select sensor suites and compute platforms that optimize mission-level capabilities.
• Oversees the system-level integration of ROS2 nodes across complex platforms, including autonomous helicopters and robotic ground vehicles, to ensure hardware-software synergy.
• Leads high-stakes System Experimentation and Field Testing at the RELLIS campus, serving as the technical lead for large-scale demonstrations and ensuring mission success.
• Analyzes complex field data to generate system-level requirements and performance metrics, closing the loop between experimental results and future development cycles.
• Ensures technical continuity across multiple projects, helping the team balance efforts between established research and high-priority new initiatives.
• Mentors research staff through high-level design reviews and collaborative implementation, elevating the-technical standard of the entire development group.
• Translates high-level mission objectives and guidance from senior staff into robust system architectures and actionable development roadmaps.
• Collaborates with faculty and senior staff to identify and pursue new research opportunities, lead the development of technical proposals, and identify strategic funding trajectories for the autonomy group.
• Leads the generation of high-impact technical reports, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications.

Benefits

• competitive health benefits
• paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• a defined benefit retirement plan to include an employer contribution through Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• if applicable, a defined contribution retirement plan to include an employer contribution through an approved ORP vendor
• additional voluntary tax deferred annuity (TDA) options
• tuition assistance
• wellness programs to promote work/life balance

What This Job Offers

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