Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration - Emerging Domains

About the role

Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration

Emerging Domains

This role is based in Washington, DC, and operates as a Full Time Employee. The total compensation package includes a base salary of 231,000 USD, with an additional 333,000 USD in total earnings and a 150,000 USD bonus. The position reports to the Autonomous Pilot Integration team for launched effects and carries a significant scope of technical responsibility.

You will lead the design and delivery of flight-critical autonomy for launched effects platforms. This position requires turning high-level mission behaviors and multi-agent tactics into robust, fielded systems. Your daily work will center on solving complex technical challenges that span the entire autonomy stack. You will own the integration of motion planning, vehicle-specific control logic, and track fusion across both air- and ground-launched platforms. Success in this role demands a balance of deep engineering expertise and broad systems thinking to ensure solutions are scalable for fleet operations.

The work is inherently cross-functional. You will coordinate closely with the Autonomy Capabilities team, Perception specialists, feature crews, autopilot vendors, Command and Control (C2) providers, and international customer partners. A core part of the job involves defining platform-specific control approaches and mission behaviors, then shepherding these concepts from initial simulation through rigorous validation and into live test exercises. You will drive the technical direction for multiple subsystems, ensuring alignment with strict development timelines and operational deployment goals.

Key Responsibilities

A primary duty is to architect and implement autonomy software that operates effectively in disconnected or air-gapped environments. You will use the HivemindSDK and Aechelon synthetic reality tools to execute comprehensive validation cycles. This includes software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and vehicle-in-the-loop testing, all aimed at confirming system readiness for field deployment. You will own the development of contingency logic and executive autonomy features essential for multi-agent fleet operations.

You are responsible for defining and integrating critical capabilities such as motion planning and real-time track fusion. Your role involves guiding these integrated solutions from the initial design phase through to final acceptance testing on real hardware. This includes establishing interface contracts with C2 providers and ensuring all technical deliverables meet the stringent reliability standards required by defense customers. You will also apply practical systems thinking to resolve complex problems, ensuring the delivered solutions are robust and scalable for launched effects teams worldwide.

Required Qualifications

To be considered for this position, you must bring 3-5 years of relevant professional experience building autonomy for defense applications, specifically for air- or ground-launched platforms. Demonstrated hands-on expertise in motion planning, controls implementation, and multi-agent coordination within tactical environments is essential. You must possess direct experience with track fusion and real-time systems development, particularly for mission-critical behavior design.

You must have a proven track record of using the HivemindSDK and Aechelon tools, especially within challenging operational scenarios that involve disconnected or air-gapped networks. Practical experience owning the full testing pyramid-including software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and vehicle-in-the-loop testing across diverse platform configurations-is mandatory. The ideal candidate will have a history of collaborating effectively with feature crews, autopilot vendors, and C2 providers to define and adhere to strict interface standards.

Additional Expectations

Clear and concise communication is vital. You must be able to articulate intricate technical concepts to both specialized engineers and customer partners, often across different time zones. This role requires a high degree of ownership and the ability to solve open-ended problems with minimal supervision. While not a strict requirement, experience with synthetic reality tools and simulation frameworks that accurately replicate real hardware behavior is highly desirable. Proficiency with the core skills and tools, including HivemindSDK, Aechelon, motion planning, track fusion, and multi-agent coordination, is expected.

Please This position represents a unique opportunity to shape the future of autonomous systems for defense applications on a global scale.

What you'll do

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