Autonomy & Planning Engineer

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000 employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

Job Description Summary

The Autonomy Engineer (SMTS) is responsible for the full system development process, including discussing the capabilities of autonomous systems and perception systems with current or potential customers, decomposing mission concepts into algorithmic subsystems, identifying capability gaps, integrating or implementing state-of-the-art algorithms, testing systems in relevant operational environments, and transitioning or deploying the finished product. Capable of reading and evaluating published research, designing and implementing state-of-the-art algorithms, dealing with unique technical challenges, and effectively leading and working within multi-disciplinary teams.

Duties/Responsibilities

Job Description:

• Collaborates with customers and stakeholders to understand needs and establish requirements and communicates designs and deliverables.
• Evaluates requirements, proposes solutions, and explores design trades to support a perception and/or autonomy system design. Capable of integrating cutting-edge concepts with proven theory and techniques to achieve the task-appropriate balance of performance and robustness.
• Develops capabilities from initial prototypes to high-quality embedded software, including writing unit and integration tests and verifying compliance with requirements.
• Supports field testing activities and analyzes test data to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Prepares technical data, procedures, reports, diagrams, manuals, and other required documentation for customer deliverables and/or external publication.
  
  

Skills/Abilities

• Programming experience in C or Python.
• Experience working as a member of a multi-developer team using collaboration tools such as Git
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines.
• Research or technical contributions in one or more of the following fields: vision-aided navigation, sensor fusion, robotic perception and mapping, robotic autonomy and decision making, trajectory planning, multi-robot systems, or machine learning.
• Broad robotics skills, especially integration and test with robotic or aerospace systems.
• Capable of developing and integrating state-of-the-art algorithms, analyzing data from simulation and field tests, and effectively working within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Ability to direct research and lead teams.
• Skilled with data analysis tasks, including logging and plotting test data.
• Problem-solving skills and strong written and spoken communication.
• Strong teamwork and collaboration skills with a willingness to learn from others.
• Demonstrated ability to both work independently and collaborate effectively.
  
  

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field is required. Master's or Ph.D. is preferred.

Experience

• 5-10 years Aerospace, Robotics or related field is required.
• 2 years of algorithm and software development and integration experience for autonomous systems (may include relevant graduate research experience)
  
  

Additional Job Description

Applicants selected for this position may be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance.

Connect With Draper for Future Opportunities! If you don't find the right posting in our Career Opportunities, you may submit your resume for future consideration.

Job Location - City:

Cambridge

Job Location - State:

Massachusetts

Job Location - Postal Code:

02139-3563

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Draper is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We understand the value of diversity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact hr@draper.com.