Autonomy Engineer for AUVs - End-to-End Sea Trials & Control

Vatn Systems; Bristol (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Security clearance eligible

Job summary

Vatn Systems is seeking an Autonomy Engineer to build software for our autonomous underwater vehicles. You’ll own features end to end—from whiteboard to sea trial—and see your code run on vehicles in the water within weeks.

You’ll work with perception and sensor teams to turn outputs into safe autonomy decisions and mature prototypes into reliable, fielded behavior. U.S. citizens with Security Clearance preferred.

Qualifications

• 3+ years writing production C++, Python, or Rust in Linux.
• Strong data-driven software development.
• Ability to navigate complex codebases quickly.
• Proven results in simulation and field tests.

Responsibilities

• Develop motion, path, behavior planning, and control for autonomous underwater vehicles.
• Build autonomy capabilities: navigation, collision avoidance, target following, station keeping, and coordination.
• Make autonomy robust to degraded sensors and GNSS-denied operation.
• Own tradeoffs across performance, safety, reliability, latency, and mission needs.
• Collaborate with perception and sensor engineers to translate perception into safe autonomy decisions.
• Mature prototype autonomy into reliable, fielded behavior with time on water for tests.

Skills

C++ (production)

Python

Rust

Linux development

Data-driven software

Simulation testing

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/Engineering

Master’s or PhD in a relevant field

Tools

ROS 2

Job description

Vatn Systems is seeking an Autonomy Engineer to build software for our autonomous underwater vehicles. You’ll own features end to end—from whiteboard to sea trial—and see your code run on vehicles in the water within weeks.

You’ll work with perception and sensor teams to turn outputs into safe autonomy decisions and mature prototypes into reliable, fielded behavior. U.S. citizens with Security Clearance preferred.