Senior Staff Engineer, Autonomy Capabilities - Space

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical direction for the space autonomy portfolio across multiple programs.
• Develop autonomy capabilities for satellites and missile defense applications, including distributed optimization, automated tasking and scheduling, track fusion, rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO), and space vehicle motion and behavior planning.
• Apply multi-objective optimization to distributed decision-making, task allocation, and resource scheduling for coordinated multi-satellite missions.
• Develop weapons target assignment and motion-planning approaches for space vehicles and interceptors.
• Advance low-SWaP optimal control, cooperative and adversarial tactical behavior management, and information-aware planning.
• Develop high-performance, well-tested software modules with clear interfaces for mid- to high-TRL integration.
• Collaborate with perception, planning, simulation, hardware, and flight-test teams to integrate autonomy solutions onto real-world platforms.
• Deploy autonomy capabilities to space vehicles; analyze mission logs to verify software performance and validate operational effects.
• Research and prototype algorithms, identify tactical capability gaps, and contribute to autonomy roadmaps.
• Mentor engineers and translate ambiguous customer needs into tangible design approaches.
• Travel approximately 10–15% of the year for office locations, customer sites, and flight-integration events.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a similar field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Typically 10 years of related experience with a bachelor's degree, 9 years with a master's degree, or 7 years with a PhD, or equivalent work experience.
• Proficiency in C++ and Python, with familiarity with real-time operating systems (RTOS).
• Significant experience with robotics technologies involving motion planning, behavior modeling, decision-making, or autonomous-system design.
• Significant experience with unmanned-system technologies and associated algorithms, ideally in the space domain.
• Experience with simulation tools and environments such as AFSIM and NGTS for testing and validation.
• Strong problem-solving skills, including troubleshooting and system-performance optimization.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills in collaborative, multidisciplinary environments.
• Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience across multiple aerospace domains, such as air, land, sea, and space.
• Experience with classical control, optimization, and applied machine learning or reinforcement learning.
• Background in collaborative behaviors and swarm robotics.
• Familiarity with relevant Department of Defense or government programs.
• Hands-on experience supporting integration events, customer demonstrations, or live exercises.