Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration (R5193)

Develop & Field Autonomy — Develop & integrate autonomy software solutions onto unmanned platforms (air, maritime, space, or effects/expendables), including payload computer bring-up, container-based deployment (e.g., k3s/k3d), and configuration across onboard compute, sensors, and command-and-control interfaces — and own the technical direction across a set of related programs, driving the autonomy reference implementation and common patterns that keep delivery coherent across portfolios.

Technical Strategy & Leadership — Set the technical direction across multiple programs; drive the autonomy reference implementation and common patterns that portfolios adopt; anticipate where the stack needs to go and adapt as priorities shift; align with engineering leadership early and maintain outward status; serve as the subject-matter expert that the broader org reaches for when hard, ambiguous problems in unknown solution spaces land on the team.

Collaboration & Cross-Engineering Influence — Build effective working relationships across engineering; represent the team to engineering leadership, customer/program offices, standards bodies, and external partners (platform integrators, vehicle/autopilot control vendors, C2 providers); shape architecture decisions beyond the team.

Mentorship & Growth — Mentor senior engineers and other team leads; provide cross-functional mentorship to engineers in adjacent departments; help shape the leveling and career bar for the team and the broader engineering organization.

Design & Documentation — Drive cross-functional design reviews, architecture documents, and post-mortems across many teams; publish content that informs decisions beyond the team; set the rigor and process bar for the broader engineering org.

Pre-deployment Preparation — Own the build, configuration, and validation process for mission-ready systems; coordinate hardware/software compatibility, mission readiness, and release cadence with capability and feature teams.

On-site Test & Mission Support — Travel to test sites and support live mission operations (flight tests, range exercises, on-water trials, integration events), including safety checks, system bring-up, and troubleshooting under time-critical constraints.

Hardware/Software Debugging — Diagnose and resolve integration issues across complex autonomy stacks, payload computers, and embedded systems in lab and field environments — including memory, CPU, and timing profiling under operationally-representative loads.

Mission Data & Debrief Support — Capture mission and test data, reproduce issues in simulation, and partner with autonomy capability owners to drive fixes back into the next build.

Continuous Improvement — Build tools and processes to improve integration timelines, test/mission reliability, and team efficiency across deployment cycles.

C2 Interoperability & Standards — Set the strategy for C2 interoperability across our portfolio; shape interface evolution with internal and external stakeholders; own implementation and compliance against command-and-control standards (e.g., A-GRA, UCI, OMS).

Hiring — Define the skills bar and hiring strategy for senior roles in your area; partner with managers on long-term staffing plans; assess candidates accurately and onboard new senior engineers.

Travel Requirement – Members of this team typically travel around 10-20% of the year (to different office locations, customer sites, and integration/test events).