Principal AI Autonomy Systems Integrator (UAS / SWARMING / C2 / EDGE AI)

General Dynamics IT; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

General Dynamics IT is seeking a Principal AI Autonomy Systems Integrator to lead the integration of autonomy software with UAS, swarms, and robotic platforms. The role emphasizes secure, real-time decision-making, edge deployment, and mission-thread enablement in demanding environments.

You will validate behaviors in simulation and field environments, ensure trusted data handling, and coordinate with cross-domain C2 workflows while supporting human-in-the-loop operations.

Qualifications

• BA/BS or equivalent.
• 10+ years in unmanned systems, autonomy engineering, robotics integration, or embedded AI/ML deployment.
• Direct experience integrating autonomy into UAS, drones, swarms, robotic vehicles, or similar platforms.
• Strong proficiency in C++, Python, and real-time/embedded software patterns.

Responsibilities

• Build full autonomy pipelines end-to-end, from sensing through action execution.
• Deploy CV, tracking, SLAM, pattern-learning, anomaly detection, and cooperative-agent models on real unmanned systems.
• Integrate heterogeneous sensors, radios, and payloads with autonomy decision loops.
• Conduct troubleshooting and rapid problem resolution across autonomy software, embedded systems, edge clusters, and C2 interfaces.
• Translate mission problems into executable autonomy behaviors and scenario-specific workflows.
• Train teams and mission personnel on system configuration, safety, deployment, and best practices.

Skills

AI/ML

C++

Python

ROS/ROS2

Machine learning

Edge AI

Education

BA/BS or equivalent

Tools

ROS/ROS2

PX4/ArduPilot

MAVLink

Gazebo/AirSim

PyTorch

TensorFlow

ONNX

Docker

Kubernetes (K3s/RKE2)

Job description

Type of Requisition

Regular

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess

Top Secret/SCI

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain

Top Secret/SCI

Public Trust/Other Required

None

Job Family

Data Science and Data Engineering

Job Qualifications

Skills: Artificial Intelligence Technologies, Design, Sensor Fusion, Sensors, Unmanned System Certifications: None Experience: 10 + years of related experience US Citizenship Required: Yes

Job Description

PRINCIPAL AI AUTONOMY SYSTEMS INTEGRATOR (UAS / SWARMING / C2 / EDGE AI)

Hands-On Engineering - Autonomous System Integration - Mission-Thread Enablement

Itegrate autonomy software with real assets, validate behaviors in simulation and field environments, and ensure that autonomous agents act over trusted data, in real time, under real mission pressures.

MISSION & IMPACT

Autonomy Integration & System Engineering

Integrate autonomy stacks onto UAS, multi-vehicle swarms, and robotic platforms, including navigation, perception, cooperative behaviors, and distributed decision-making.

Data‑and Knowledge‑Aligned Autonomy

Build data pipelines and semantic alignment layers so autonomous systems operate against trusted, structured, and meaning-preserving data representations . Integrate autonomy with ontology-driven or schema-governed data models to ensure consistent entity tracking, mission-state representation, and decision context. Enable retrieval-grounded behaviors where autonomous agents act based on authoritative, updated, and fused situational information.

Edge Deployment Across Contested Environments

Deploy AI/ML models and autonomy services to edge compute environments (K3s/RKE2, containers, bare metal). Harden autonomy behaviors for degraded communications, GPS denial, EW threats, sensor loss, and variable latency. Implement resilient synchronization patterns between edge devices and enterprise/tactical nodes.

Simulation, Experimentation, and Field Testing

Conduct structured field experiments with unmanned vehicles, swarms, multi-agent behaviors, and C2 workflows. Validate mission-thread performance across detection, tasking, coordination, and operator-in-the-loop behaviors.

Agentic Workflow Integration

Integrate agent frameworks enabling autonomy agents to plan, coordinate, task, and interact with mission tools and human operators. Define safety gates, oversight mechanisms, and deterministic tool-use patterns that support "human-on-the-loop" operations. Support multi-agent cooperation through standard APIs and interoperable messaging patterns.

C2, Networks, and Cross-Domain Integration

Integrate autonomous systems with tactical C2 platforms, data links, secure communications, and multi-domain operational workflows. Implement open standards (MOSA, SOSA, CMOSS, open messaging protocols) for plug-and-play component integration. Enable interoperability across joint, partner-nation, and coalition environments with appropriate policy controls.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Build full autonomy pipelines end-to-end, from sensing through action execution.
• Deploy CV, tracking, SLAM, pattern-learning, anomaly detection, and cooperative-agent models on real unmanned systems.
• Integrate heterogeneous sensors, radios, and payloads with autonomy decision loops.
• Conduct troubleshooting and rapid problem resolution across autonomy software, embedded systems, edge clusters, and C2 interfaces.
• Translate mission problems into executable autonomy behaviors and scenario-specific workflows.
• Train teams and mission personnel on system configuration, safety, deployment, and best practices.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

Core Background

• Education: BA/BS or equivalent
• Experience: 10+ years in unmanned systems, autonomy engineering, robotics integration, or embedded AI/ML deployment.
• Direct experience integrating autonomy into UAS, drones, swarms, robotic vehicles, or similar platforms.
• Strong proficiency in C++, Python, and real-time/embedded software patterns.

Technical Expertise

• Autonomy functions: motion planning, cooperative behaviors, obstacle avoidance, distributed coordination, sensor fusion, and real-time decision-making.
• Robotics frameworks: ROS/ROS2, PX4/ArduPilot, MAVLink, simulation tools (Gazebo, AirSim, custom environments).
• AI/ML frameworks: PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX, JAX.
• Edge compute: NVIDIA Jetson, VPUs, ruggedized x86 nodes, tactical accelerators.
• Containerization and DevSecOps: Docker, Kubernetes (K3s/RKE2), GitLab CI, ArgoCD.
• Interoperability standards: open architectures, modular interfaces, secure API design.

Domain Understanding

• Experience supporting C2 integration, tactical networks, and degraded-communication workflows.
• Understanding of multi-domain mission threads such as ISR, counter-UAS, logistics autonomy, multi-agent coordina