Vehicle Autonomy Integration Engineer

HavocAI; North Kingstown (RI); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance (Employer Paid)

Dental and Vision Insurance

401k Matching

Unlimited PTO

Equity Package

Home Office Stipend

Global Entry

Parental Leave

Wellness Stipend

Job summary

HavocAI in North Kingstown, RI is seeking a Vehicle Autonomy Integration Engineer to bring autonomy software onto motorized and unmanned platforms. You will work hands-on with vehicle controls, sensors, embedded compute, and platform interfaces to ensure reliable field performance.

The role involves testing across bench and real vehicles, debugging interfaces, and supporting field tests. Candidates should travel up to 25% and operate in a hybrid schedule at our Rhode Island facility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent hands‑on experience in a relevant engineering field.
• Experience integrating software with real hardware, such as robotic platforms and embedded systems.
• Proficiency in C++ or Python; ability to script and automate tasks.
• Comfortable working in Linux and using command‑line tools, logs, telemetry and network diagnostics.
• Knowledge of hardware or network interfaces (CAN, serial, Ethernet, UDP/MQTT).
• Strong systems thinking and debugging across software, hardware, networking, and controls.

Responsibilities

• Integrate HavocAI autonomy software onto robotic platforms, including vessels, drones, and ground vehicles.
• Work with autopilot systems and low‑level vehicle controls; validate command and telemetry paths.
• Integrate and debug sensors (GPS/INS, IMUs, cameras, lidar, radar) and interfaces (CAN, Ethernet).
• Support system bring‑up, bench tests, and field demonstrations; assist in sea and flight tests.
• Troubleshoot across software, networking, hardware, sensors, and power using logs and test equipment.
• Build scripts, tools, and documentation to accelerate platform bring‑ups.
• Collaborate with autonomy, software, hardware, field ops and product teams to improve reliability.

Skills

C++

Python

Linux

Embedded systems

Hardware‑software integration

Vehicle autonomy

CAN/Ethernet/UDP

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science or related field

Tools

ROS/ROS 2

MAVLink/PX4

Docker

NVIDIA Jetson

Job description

About Us

Havoc is a leader in all-domain collaborative autonomy. Its software-defined hardware approach powers military and commercial-grade autonomous systems across sea, air, and land to sense, decide, and act together in complex and contested environments. Havoc connects assets, enabling them to share information, adapt in real time, and continue operating even when communications are disrupted or denied. Havoc optimizes mission performance and minimizes human risk.

Havoc is a leader in all-domain collaborative autonomy. Its software-defined hardware approach powers military and commercial-grade autonomous systems across sea, air, and land to sense, decide, and act together in complex and contested environments. Havoc connects assets, enabling them to share information, adapt in real time, and continue operating even when communications are disrupted or denied. Havoc optimizes mission performance and minimizes human risk.

Havoc was founded in 2024 and headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island. Learn more at Havoc: All-Domain Collaborative Autonomy .

About The Role

As a Vehicle Autonomy Integration Engineer, you'll bring HavocAI autonomy onto real vehicles and robotic platforms. You'll work where autonomy software meets physical systems: vehicle controls, autopilots, sensors, actuators, onboard compute, networking and platform interfaces. Your job is to make autonomous systems perform reliably in the field.

This is a hands‑on role. You'll spend a lot of time with hardware: bringing up new platforms, debugging interfaces, validating vehicle behavior and supporting field tests. We're hiring several engineers across experience levels, from early‑career engineers to senior and staff‑level technical leaders.

Key Responsibilities And Requirements

• Platform Integration: Integrate HavocAI autonomy software onto new and existing robotic platforms, including autonomous vessels, drones, ground vehicles and other unmanned systems. Connect it to vehicle control systems, autopilots, sensors, actuators, embedded compute and platform‑specific interfaces.
• Vehicle Controls & Autopilots: Work with autopilot and flight or vehicle control systems, including MAVLink‑based interfaces. Configure, validate and troubleshoot the command and telemetry paths between HavocAI autonomy and low‑level vehicle systems.
• Sensors & Communication Interfaces: Integrate and debug sensors including GPS/INS, IMUs, cameras, radar, lidar, environmental sensors and other payloads. Build and maintain interfaces over CAN, serial, Ethernet, UDP/TCP, MQTT and other vehicle and sensor protocols.
• Test & Field Support: Support system bring‑up, bench and hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, dockside and ground testing, sea trials, flight tests and field demonstrations.
• Troubleshooting: Diagnose issues across software, networking, embedded hardware, sensors, power, controls and platform behavior, using logs, telemetry, test equipment and what you see in the field.
• Tools & Documentation: Build scripts, tools, configuration files, interface documentation and repeatable integration procedures that make each new platform bring‑up faster and more reliable.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Improvement: Partner with autonomy, embedded software, hardware, field operations and product teams to improve integration and reliability. Turn lessons from field testing into product, architecture and process improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Computer, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science or a related field, or equivalent hands‑on experience
• Experience integrating software with real hardware, such as robotic platforms, vehicles, sensors, actuators or embedded systems
• Programming or scripting experience in C++, Python, Bash or similar languages
• Comfortable working in Linux and troubleshooting with command‑line tools, logs, telemetry and network diagnostics
• Working knowledge of at least one hardware or network interface, such as CAN, serial, Ethernet, UDP/TCP or MQTT
• Strong systems thinking and debugging skills across software, hardware, networking and controls
• High ownership, strong communication, and comfort working in fast‑moving lab and field environments
• Able to work a hybrid schedule from our North Kingstown, RI facility, with regular hands‑on vehicle integration and testing
• Able to travel up to 25% for field testing, customer demonstrations, integration events and deployments
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

Preferred Skills

• ROS or ROS 2 and distributed robotics software architectures
• CAN bus, serial, Ethernet, MQTT, DDS or other real‑time vehicle communication systems
• MAVLink, ArduPilot, PX4, MAVSDK, MAVROS, QGroundControl, Mission Planner or similar autopilot ecosystems
• Integrating autonomous vessels, drones, ground vehicles or other robotic systems
• Vehicle control systems, actuators, motor controllers, ESCs, steering, propulsion or safety interfaces
• Integrating GPS/INS, radar, cameras, lidar, radios or other autonomy sensors
• Docker, embedded Linux, NVIDIA Jetson or other edge‑compute platforms
• Hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, system bring‑up, field testing, sea trials, flight testing or operational demonstrations
• Maritime, drone, robotics, defense or dual‑use technology experience
• Active or prior security clearance

Benefits

• 100% Employer paid Health Insurance
• Dental and Vision Insurance for you and your families
• Life Insurance (Employer Paid)
• Ability to participate in the companies 401k program (Matching)
• Unlimited PTO policy with an enforced 2 week minimum
• Equity Package
• Work / Home Office Stipend
• Global Entry
• 16 Week Paid Parental Leave
• Monthly Health and Wellness Stipend

Our Values

• Innovation: We are driven to break new ground. Every day presents an opportunity to challenge the status quo, think boldly, and deliver advanced solutions that transform the future of defense technology.
• Integrity: We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in all our actions and partnerships.
• Mission-Driven: We are focused on achieving impactful outcomes that align with our core mission—protecting lives through innovation.
• Forward-Leaning: We continuously seek out new opportunities and remain at the forefront of technological advancements. We embrace change and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow with confidence and creativity.
• Ownership of All Tasks: At HavocAI, no problem is too complex or too trivial. We believe that greatness comes from tackling the hardest challenges, but also in handling the smallest, sometimes thankless, tasks with the same level of commitment and care.
• Servant Leadership: We lead by serving others, whether it’s supporting our employees, partners, or the broader community. Empowering those around us is key to achieving long‑term success and making a lasting impact.

HavocAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.