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Saab · 2 days ago

Senior Autonomy and Robotics Engineer

San Diego, CA

Full-time

Hybrid

Senior Level

$162K/yr - $210K/yr

7+ years exp

Saab is a leading defense and security company dedicated to creating a safer world. They are seeking a Senior Autonomy and Robotics Engineer to lead the development of intelligent behaviors for Unmanned Surface Vessels, focusing on collaborative behaviors and systems integration for maritime operations.

AerospaceAutomotiveInformation TechnologyManufacturingNational SecuritySecurity

No H1B

Security Clearance Required

U.S. Citizen Only

Responsibilities

Designing, implementing, and validating multi-vehicle autonomous behaviors, including collaborative formation control and dynamic mission execution

Developing and integrating sensor-driven perception capabilities to enable autonomous situational awareness, target tracking, and environmental understanding

Translating academic research into robust, field-ready autonomy software for maritime robotic platforms

Collaborating with engineers, researchers, and system integrators to ensure seamless coordination between autonomy, perception, and broader mission systems

Leading simulation-based development and real-world testing of autonomous USVs, from early prototyping to live sea trials

Contributing to software architecture design, system integration planning, and autonomy stack scalability

Presenting technical work to internal stakeholders, external partners, and DoD customers; contributing to publications and demonstrations as needed

Participating in R&D proposal development, strategic planning, and pursuit of advanced autonomy programs sponsored by DARPA, ONR, and other government agencies

Mentoring junior engineers and helping grow Saab’s autonomy capabilities in the San Diego region

Qualification

RoboticsAutonomyC++PythonCollaborative roboticsPerception systemsSimulation developmentMulti-agent autonomyMaritime autonomySoft skills

Required

MS or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline

7+ years of experience in autonomy, robotics, or intelligent systems; relevant academic research experience may be considered

Demonstrated expertise in collaborative robotics, multi-agent autonomy, or formation control for mobile platforms

Strong proficiency in integrating perception systems (e.g., radar, EO/IR, LIDAR) into autonomous behavior pipelines

Experience developing and deploying robotic autonomy in simulation and hardware environments

Proficiency in C++ and Python; familiarity with robotics frameworks such as ROS, DDS, or similar

Proven ability to bring research concepts through to fieldable, real-world robotic systems

The ability to obtain a U.S. DoD SECRET security clearance

Willingness and ability to travel (up to 25%) for demonstrations, field tests, and collaborative meetings

Preferred

Familiarity with distributed autonomy architectures, decentralized decision-making

Familiarity with planning and control techniques such as Model Predictive Control (MPC), Model Predictive Path Integral Control (MPPI), Rapidly-Exploring Random Trees (RRT), and A* search algorithms

Background in maritime autonomy, vehicle coordination, or sensor fusion

Prior involvement with DoD research programs and proposal development

Comfort working across interdisciplinary teams, including software, perception, and systems integration

Experience working in hybrid teams with academic collaborators, government customers, and defense integrators