Autonomy Engineer, Navigation

BRINC Drones Inc.; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental and\nvis

401K plan

Maternity and paternity leave

Flexible Time Off

Flexible work environment

Orca pass

Free parking (Seattle office)

Free snacks, drinks and espresso (SEA)

Job summary

BRINC Drones Inc. seeks an Autonomy Engineer to advance UAV navigation capabilities across local trajectory generation, obstacle avoidance, and global route planning.

You will collaborate with state estimation, control, embedded software, live ops and hardware teams to push navigation solutions into production. You will design, implement and validate real-time planning and perception systems for safe operation across diverse conditions, contributing to the evolution of the navigation stack as

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science or a related field, or a Master’s with 2+ years industry experience.
• Strong programming in C++ and Python for real-world systems.
• Experience developing planning or perception systems for unmanned systems.

Responsibilities

• Research and design algorithms enabling safe UAV navigation.
• Implement and optimize navigation algorithms on embedded processors.
• Work with sensor data to detect and avoid obstacles and hazards.
• Validate navigation performance via simulation, log replay, HIL, and real-world flight tests.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams for seamless integration.
• Contribute to technical strategy and evolve navigation/sensing stack as systems scale.

Education

PhD in Computer Science or related field, or Master’s with 2+ years industry experience

Tools

ROS2

PX4

MAVSDK

Job description

About BRINC:

At BRINC, we are redefining public safety with an innovative ecosystem of life-saving tools. Our journey started with the development of drones and ruggedized throw phones, designed to access unsafe areas and establish communication to de-escalate situations. Today, we've expanded into creating and deploying 911 response networks, where drones are dispatched to 911 calls to provide real-time visual data, enhancing safety and enabling de-escalation-focused responses. Our cutting-edge solutions are utilized by over 600 public safety agencies across America and the company has raised over $150M from investors, including Index Ventures, Motorola Solutions, Sam Altman, Dylan Field, Mike Volpe, Alexandr Wang and more. At BRINC, we are committed to recruiting the world's best talent to join us in our mission to support first responders in saving lives.

About this Role:

We are seeking an Autonomy Engineer to join our team and advance the navigation capabilities of our UAVs and public safety products. You will design, implement, and optimize real-time planning & perception algorithms that enable safe navigation across a wide range of scenarios. In this role, you will work across local trajectory generation, obstacle detection and avoidance, global route planning, and behavior planning. You will collaborate closely with state estimation & control, embedded software, live ops, and hardware teams to bring next-generation navigation solutions into production UAV platforms.

Key Responsibilities:

• Research and design algorithms enabling safe UAV navigation.

• Implement and optimize navigation algorithms on embedded processors for computational efficiency and system resiliency.

• Work with sensor data to detect and avoid obstacles and environmental hazards.

• Validate navigation performance through simulation, log replay, hardware-in-the-loop, and real-world flight testing in a variety of conditions.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration.

• Contribute to technical strategy, define best practices, and help guide the evolution of the navigation and sensing stack as systems scale and mature.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Computer Science or a related field, or a Master's degree with a minimum of 2+ years of industry experience.

• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python, with experience developing software for real physical systems.

• Experience developing planning or perception systems for unmanned systems.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with motion/path planning techniques such as RRT*, A*, or MPC-based trajectory optimization

• Experience applying radar, computer vision, or deep learning for perception on resource-constrained edge hardware

• Background in UAV reliability, redundancy, and autonomous flight considerations

• Experience with ROS2, PX4, MAVSDK, and/or similar robotics middleware

• Familiarity with safety-critical or certifiable software practices a plus

BRINC Culture Values:

• Try the hard stuff

• Be innovative - Invent the future

• Move fast

• Listen to end-users

• Strive for excellence

• Don’t build a dystopia

• Be frugal

• Save lives through technology

BRINC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that is resolute in cultivating an environment that promotes safety, diversity, inclusion and equity. We’re committed to hiring the best talent — regardless of race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances — and empowering every employee so they can do their best work. If you have a disability or special need, please let our recruiting team know - we strive to provide appropriate accommodation and assistance.

Benefits and perks listed below may vary based on the nature of your employment with BRINC and/or the country within which you work

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for our employees and their families

• 401K plan

• Maternity and paternity leave

• Flexible Time Off (Exempt) / Paid time off (Non-Exempt)

• Flexible work environment

• Orca pass (for those in Puget Sound)

• Free parking (Seattle office)

• Free snacks, drinks and espresso (Seattle office)