Sr. Autonomy Engineer

Fortastra Corporation•Torrance, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Fortastra is seeking a Senior Autonomy Engineer to develop software and algorithms for tactical execution of autonomous spacecraft. The role focuses on multi-agent coordination, vehicle navigation, and trajectory planning across a distributed spacecraft constellation. The engineer will work closely with GNC and Flight Software engineers to implement and validate onboard autonomy from simulation through on-orbit operations. The position is part of Fortastra’s Engineering Division, which designs, develops, and tests flight systems across its autonomous spacecraft portfolio. Work is on-site; remote and hybrid arrangements are not considered. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and able to obtain or already hold an active TS/SCI clearance (a U.S. Person is considered).

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Robotics, or another science- or physics-based field.
5–8 years of industry experience in robotics, autonomy, or related fields, excluding internships; exceptional internship experience may be considered.
Experience in robotics or autonomous systems, including vehicle navigation and trajectory or motion planning.
Proficiency in Python and C++ software development.
Familiarity with Linux (Ubuntu) development environments.
Experience with simulation tools such as ROS or similar robotics frameworks.
Understanding of safety-critical systems or failure modes in spacecraft, automotive, aviation, industrial, or robotics contexts.
Ability to work independently and in small, fast-moving teams.
U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain or hold an active TS/SCI clearance; a U.S. Person is considered.
Ability to work on-site; remote and hybrid arrangements are not considered.

Nice To Haves

Exposure to sensor-fusion concepts involving cameras, radar, or lidar.
Experience with active safety systems or ADAS.
Comfort using modern agentic AI tools, such as Claude, in the development workflow.

Responsibilities

Build autonomy algorithms for multi-agent spacecraft coordination, drawing on paradigms from UAVs, drones, and advanced driver assistance systems.
Develop vehicle navigation and trajectory-planning software tailored to space mission constraints and safety requirements.
Design and implement multi-sensor fusion approaches, emphasizing camera-based perception and familiarity with radar and lidar.
Contribute to edge-compute selection and trade studies for onboard autonomy, including watchdog concepts and reliability considerations.
Develop and integrate autonomy capabilities within Fortastra’s proprietary simulation environment and ROS-based toolchains.
Implement autonomy software in Python and C++ for Linux (Ubuntu) environments, with eventual flight-software integration.
Define and support failure-operation modes and contingency behaviors for spacecraft autonomy.
Collaborate with GNC, avionics, and flight-software teams to define interfaces, data models, and test strategies for autonomy features.