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

General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc.; Virginia; Hybrid; USD 149,000 - 201,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Job summary

General Dynamics Information Technology, Inc. seeks a Principal AI Autonomy Systems Integrator to lead hands-on engineering validating autonomy on UAS and robotic platforms in real‑world and simulated environments.

You will build end‑to‑end autonomy pipelines, deploy CV/SLAM models, and ensure robust, real‑time decision‑making across edge compute and C2 interfaces, while guiding mission teams on best practices.

Qualifications

• BA/BS or equivalent
• 10+ years in unmanned systems, autonomy engineering, robotics integration, or embedded AI/ML deployment.
• Strong proficiency in C++, Python, and real‑time/embedded software patterns.

Responsibilities

• Build end‑to‑end autonomy pipelines from sensing to action.
• Deploy CV, tracking, SLAM, pattern‑learning, and cooperative‑agent models on real unmanned systems.
• Integrate heterogeneous sensors, radios, and payloads with autonomy decision loops.
• Troubleshoot autonomy software, embedded systems, edge clusters, and C2 interfaces.

Skills

C++

Python

Real-time software

Embedded software

ROS/ROS2

PX4/ArduPilot

MAVLink

Simulation tools

Edge computing

Education

BA/BS or equivalent

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes (K3s/RKE2)

GitLab CI

ArgoCD

NVIDIA Jetson

VPUs

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. Implement real‑time autonomy pipelines that incorporate sensing, fusion, planning, and control across diverse air/ground systems. Adapt and optimize autonomy algorithms for constrained edge environments (embedded systems, GPUs/VPUs, tactical compute nodes).

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 coordination, and decision-support. Experience designing resilient behavior under environmental, adversarial, and operational stressors.

Security Requirements

U.S. Citizenship required. Top Secret/SCI Required to start

DESIRED EXPERIENCE

Experience with distributed track fusion, detection/classification pipelines, or multi‑sensor correlation. Familiarity with mission‑partner interoperability and cross‑domain data release patterns. Experience implementing provenance, auditability, and safety‑bounded autonomy behaviors. Background in private 5G, tactical mesh networking, or mobile operations centers.

WHY THIS ROLE IS UNIQUE

This Principal-level role is tailored for someone who: Builds autonomy that works in real field conditions, not just in demos. Bridges AI models, mission data, and real unmanned systems. Ensures autonomous behaviors are grounded in trusted, structured information. Understands both the engineering and the operational realities of deploying autonomy at scale. Can integrate across sensors, payloads, compute, C2, and enterprise systems. You are the person who makes autonomous systems reliable, interoperable, safe, and mission‑ready.

GDIT IS YOUR PLACE

• Growth: AI-powered career tool that identifies career steps and learning opportunities
• Support: An internal mobility team focused on helping you achieve your career goals
• Rewards: Comprehensive benefits and wellness packages, 401K with company match, and competitive pay and paid time off
• Community: Award‑winning culture of innovation and a military‑friendly workplace

Explore a Career at GDIT

Explore a career at GDIT and you’ll find endless opportunities to grow alongside colleagues who share your sense of ownership and pride in the meaningful work we do.

The likely salary range for this position is $149,469 - $201,250. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40

Travel Required: 25-50%

Telecommuting Options: Remote Work Location: Any Location / Remote Additional Work Locations:

Total Rewards at GDIT

• Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match.
• To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave.
• GDIT typically provides new employees with 15 days of paid leave per calendar year to be used for vacations, personal business, and illness and an additional 10 paid holidays per year. Paid leave and paid holidays are prorated based on the employee’s date of hire.
• The GDIT Paid Family Leave program provides a total of up to 160 hours of paid leave in a rolling 12 month period for eligible employees. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long‑term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available.
• We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

Identity Verification Process

As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.

About Our Work

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