Senior Software Autonomy Engineer

Draper•Cambridge, MA

27d•$82,300 - $245,000

About The Position

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with more than 2,000 employees working on national challenges across military defense, space exploration, biomedical engineering, and other fields. Its multidisciplinary teams collaborate to develop usable solutions. Draper is seeking a highly skilled Autonomy Engineer to design and develop autonomous behaviors for heterogeneous teams of autonomous vehicles operating across aerial, ground, underwater, and space domains. The Senior Autonomy Engineer will contribute to defense systems fielded by the US Government and commercial customers. The role emphasizes task and motion planning, robotics-platform software integration and testing, hybrid approaches combining deterministic autonomy algorithms with AI-based methods, optimization and resource allocation for large teams, and C/C++ and ROS/ROS2. The role includes evaluating requirements and design options, developing algorithms and embedded software, analyzing system performance, testing software against requirements, resolving problems, preparing technical documentation, communicating with customers and stakeholders, and tracking project priorities, scope, schedule, and cost. A bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field and 5–10 years of software engineering or related experience are required. A master's or PhD is preferred. Selected applicants must obtain and maintain a government security clearance; a Secret clearance is preferred.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field.
5–10 years of software engineering or related experience.
Strong programming skills in MATLAB, Simulink, Python, and C/C++.
Knowledge of autonomy and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms and technology.
Knowledge of real-time software development tools.
Knowledge of project execution and of designing, developing, and validating real-time algorithms and software.
Familiarity with trajectory optimization, optimal control, and similar techniques.
Significant knowledge of control systems design and analysis.
Significant knowledge of designing and implementing trajectory design and optimization algorithms, including optimal control techniques.
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong project execution and teamwork skills.
Ability to clearly communicate work assignments to team members.
Ability to obtain and maintain a government security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Expert knowledge of task and motion planning.
Expert knowledge of software integration and testing with robotics platforms.
Expert knowledge of hybrid methods that augment deterministic autonomy algorithms with AI-based approaches.
Expert knowledge of optimization and resource allocation for large teams of teams.
Expert knowledge of C/C++ and ROS/ROS2.
Master's or PhD in a related field.
Secret security clearance.

Responsibilities

Evaluate requirements, propose solutions, and explore design trade-offs to support a design.
Design algorithms using modern theory and proven techniques.
Develop embedded software based on prototype algorithms.
Analyze designs to demonstrate performance and functionality.
Develop and execute software tests to check compliance with requirements.
Evaluate results to identify causes of problems or inefficiencies and develop solutions.
Prepare technical data, procedures, reports, drawings, manuals, and other required documentation.
Communicate with customers and stakeholders to establish requirements and describe the design and deliverables.
Track priorities, scope, schedule, and cost.
Perform other duties as assigned.