Autonomy Engineer

Matternet, Inc.; Mountain View (CA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Matternet is hiring an Autonomy Engineer to advance onboard decision-making for autonomous BVLOS drone missions, from open airspace to dense urban areas. You’ll own key aircraft behaviors, integrate with perception and flight software, and validate results in simulation and on real hardware.

The role focuses on mission sequencing, path planning, fault detection, and collaboration with cross-disciplinary teams to deliver reliable autonomous flight capabilities.

Qualifications

• BS or MS in Robotics, Aerospace, CS, EE or related field.
• 3+ years developing autonomy, planning, or decision-making software for robots, drones, or autonomous vehicles.
• Strong proficiency in C++ (C++11 and later) and Python, including multithreading and real-time messaging.
• Strong Linux background.
• Experience with state machines, behavior trees, or similar frameworks for decision-making.
• Solid foundation in path planning and applied math for navigation and avoidance.
• Experience validating software in simulation and on real hardware.
• Proficiency with version control and peer code review workflows (e.g., Git).
• Clear technical communication and strong cross-disciplinary teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement onboard autonomy behaviors, including mission sequencing, flight deconfliction, and contingency management
• Develop path planning and trajectory generation that respect airspace, obstacles, and vehicle limits
• Develop fault detection and safe contingency responses
• Integrate autonomy with perception and the onboard flight software stack
• Validate behaviors in simulation and flight test, analyze flight logs to refine them, and drive releases through to production fleets
• Support field and flight-test triage of autonomy issues and drive fixes through to the fleet
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Flight Test, and Safety to define and refine aircraft behaviors

Skills

C++

Python

Multithreading

Real-time messaging

Linux

State machines

Behavior trees

Path planning

Applied math

Git

Communication

Education

BS in Robotics

MS in Robotics

Related field (CS/EE)

Tools

ROS/ROS2

Gazebo

Docker

PX4/ArduPilot

Job description

Matternet is building the future of delivery with autonomous drone networks that move critical goods faster, cleaner, and at lower cost. We work with partners across healthcare, logistics, food, and retail to deliver everything from medical items to everyday essentials, safely and reliably.

We’re looking for an Autonomy Engineer to develop the onboard decision-making that lets our aircraft complete deliveries safely and reliably on autonomous Beyond-Visual-Line-of-Sight (BVLOS) missions, from open airspace to dense urban areas. Working across mission management, contingency handling, and path planning, you’ll own key aircraft behaviors end to end and shape how our fleet makes decisions in flight.

In this role, you will:

• Design and implement onboard autonomy behaviors, including mission sequencing, flight deconfliction, and contingency management
• Develop path planning and trajectory generation that respect airspace, obstacles, and vehicle limits
• Develop fault detection and safe contingency responses
• Integrate autonomy with perception and the onboard flight software stack
• Validate behaviors in simulation and flight test, analyze flight logs to refine them, and drive releases through to production fleets
• Support field and flight-test triage of autonomy issues and drive fixes through to the fleet
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Flight Test, and Safety to define and refine aircraft behaviors

• BS or MS in Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• 3+ years developing autonomy, planning, or decision-making software for robots, drones, or autonomous vehicles
• Strong proficiency in C++ (C++11 and later) and Python, including multithreading and real-time messaging
• Strong Linux background
• Experience with state machines, behavior trees, or similar frameworks for decision-making
• Solid foundation in path planning and applied math (geometry, coordinate transforms, kinematics) for navigation and avoidance
• Experience validating software in simulation and on real hardware
• Proficiency with version control and peer code review workflows (e.g., Git)
• Clear technical communication and strong cross-disciplinary teamwork

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with an autopilot stack such as ArduPilot or PX4
• UAV, aerospace, or other safety-critical, regulated product experience
• Experience with collision avoidance and deconfliction with crewed and uncrewed air traffic
• Experience with ROS/ROS2 and simulation environments such as Gazebo
• Experience with distributed systems or networking
• Experience with Docker and containerized build, test, and deployment
• Experience using AI coding assistants to accelerate development

At Matternet, we’re advancing a new era of logistics, one where autonomous drones deliver what matters faster, cleaner, and more efficiently. We know our mission is challenging, but it's worth it, and we are committed to taking care of the people who make it possible.

• Compensation: The expected starting range for this role is $160,000–$205,000, based on San Francisco Bay Area market data. This range reflects the target starting pay for candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for the role. Final compensation will depend on factors such as your experience, skills, level, location, and potential impact.
• Total Rewards: In addition to base pay, our compensation packages include equity and benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage, flexible spending accounts (FSA), unlimited paid time off, company holidays, and a 401(k) plan.