Robotics Autonomy Engineer - Federal Projects

FieldAI; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Opportunities for hybrid or remote work

Diversity and inclusion commitment

Job summary

An innovative robotics firm in Irvine, California is seeking a Robotics Autonomy Engineer to develop and maintain advanced autonomy software stacks for robotic systems. This role demands proficiency in ROS and strong programming skills in Python and C++. Successful candidates will have hands-on experience with robotics and willingness to travel for deployments. Join their dynamic team to tackle complex challenges in robotics and contribute to impactful real-world solutions.

Qualifications

• Experience developing and integrating robotic software solutions.
• Practical experience working with autonomous robotic systems.
• Ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly.

Responsibilities

• Develop algorithms for environmental assessment and autonomous decision-making.
• Conduct simulations and field tests to validate performance.
• Collaborate with hardware teams for software-hardware integration.

Skills

Proficiency in ROS (Robot Operating System)

Strong Programming Skills in Python and C++

Hands-On Robotics Experience

Excellent Communication Skills

Willingness to Travel

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field

Tools

CUDA C++

PyTorch

Job description

Field AI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We are building risk‑aware, reliable, and field‑ready AI systems that address the most complex challenges in robotics, unlocking the full potential of embodied intelligence. We go beyond typical data‑driven approaches or pure transformer‑based architectures, and are charting a new course, with already globally‑deployed solutions delivering real‑world results and rapidly improving models through real‑field applications.

Are you passionate about robotics and software engineering? Do you thrive on creating robust algorithms and deploying cutting‑edge autonomous systems in real‑world scenarios? Field AI is looking for a Robotics Autonomy Engineer to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will develop, implement, and maintain state‑of‑the‑art autonomy software stacks, ensuring our robots navigate and perform tasks seamlessly in challenging environments. This is your chance to shape the future of robotics and work alongside a team that values innovation, hands‑on expertise, and impact‑driven results. If you’re a software‑savvy robotics enthusiast eager to take on exciting challenges and make a tangible difference, this is the opportunity for you!

What You'll Get To Do

• 1. Autonomy Engineering
• Develop algorithms to assess environmental conditions and support autonomous decision‑making
• Design evaluation frameworks to measure the performance of perception and navigation systems
• Integrate and analyze multi‑sensor data to enhance situational awareness and risk assessment
• Create systematic approaches to validate and improve system predictions across diverse operating scenarios
• Collaborate across perception, planning, and controls to develop benchmarks and metrics for system‑wide performance

2. Autonomy Systems Engineering

• Evaluate and design trade‑offs between compute, latency, power, and other key performance metrics for robotic systems
• Integrate diverse software modules, ensuring seamless communication and synchronization across components
• Establish and maintain system performance metrics to identify bottlenecks and optimize system behavior
• Conduct iterative testing and refinement to ensure systems meet real‑world demands and constraints

3. Software Integration and Testing

• Work extensively with ROS (Robot Operating System) to develop, test, and integrate software modules
• Conduct simulations and field tests to validate performance and optimize system behavior

4. Hands‑On Robotics Deployment

• Collaborate with hardware teams to ensure seamless software‑hardware integration
• Travel to customer sites to deploy, calibrate, and fine‑tune robotic systems in diverse and challenging real‑world conditions

5. Cross‑Team Collaboration

• Work closely with other engineering teams to align development efforts and achieve cohesive system performance
• Communicate effectively with non‑technical stakeholders to explain robotic capabilities and project progress

What You Have

• US Person: Required due to export control regulations and project requirements
• Proficiency in ROS (Robot Operating System): Experience developing and integrating robotic software solutions
• Hands‑On Robotics Experience: Practical experience working with autonomous robotic systems, including testing and deployment in the field
• Strong Programming Skills: Proficiency in Python and C++ for algorithm development and system integration. Experience with GPU programming (CUDA C++, PyTorch) a plus
• Understanding of System Integration and Engineering for Autonomous Systems: Solid cross‑domain knowledge across a wide range of robotic autonomy modules, including localization, perception, planning, and controls
• Willingness to Travel: Ability and eagerness to travel to customer sites for deployments, testing, and troubleshooting (up to 30% travel)
• Excellent Communication Skills: Ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly to diverse audiences

What Will Set You Apart

• Experience with real‑time systems or robotics middleware
• Familiarity with sensor integration and perception algorithms
• Knowledge of machine learning techniques applied to robotics
• Exposure to industrial robotics applications in sectors like construction, mining, or manufacturing
• Experience working in harsh or outdoor environments
• Experience working with off‑road vehicles / off‑road driving
• Advanced degree (Bachelors, Master’s) in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Understanding of safety standards and compliance in robotics

Compensation and Benefits

Our salary range is between ($70,000 - $300,000 annual), but we take into consideration an individual's background and experience in determining final salary; base pay offered may vary considerably depending on geographic location, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. Also, while we enjoy being together on‑site, we are open to exploring a hybrid or remote option.

Why Join Field AI?

We are solving one of the world’s most complex challenges: deploying robots in unstructured, previously unknown environments. Our Field Foundational Models™ set a new standard in perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, ensuring our approach is explainable and safe for deployment.

You will have the opportunity to work with a world‑class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. With a decade‑long track record of deploying solutions in the field, winning DARPA challenge segments, and bringing expertise from organizations like DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise Self‑Driving, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, we are set to achieve our ambitious goals.

Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution

To tackle such ambitious challenges, we need a team as unique as our vision — innovators who go beyond conventional methods and are eager to tackle tough, uncharted questions. We’re seeking individuals who challenge the status quo, dive into uncharted territory, and bring interdisciplinary expertise. Our team requires not only top AI talent but also exceptional software developers, engineers, product designers, field deployment experts, and communicators.

We are headquartered in always‑sunny Irvine, Southern California and have US based and global teammates.

Join us, shape the future, and be part of a fun, close‑knit team on an exciting journey!

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.