We're looking for a Robotics Engineer to help us build out a new portfolio in autonomous systems for our military, governmental, and commercial customers. In this role, you'll work across the full stack: mechanical/vehicle design, sensor architecture, and the "smarts" that let a system sense, decide, and act on its own. This isn't a mature product line with an established roadmap; you'll be building it. You'll define your own research direction, propose and win the programs that fund it, and grow the team around you as the work matures. We're hiring for this role alongside a companion Sr. GNC & Autonomy Engineer posting covering the other half of this portfolio - feel free to apply to either based on your strengths, or apply together with a research partner as a pair if you'd like to build this out as a team from day one.
This is a unique opportunity with near-complete autonomy to build out your own research vector, backed by an established R&D firm with the infrastructure, proposal support, and customer relationships already in place. While this group is being built out, you'll also support our existing mechanical design, thermal, and other funded programs as needed, until there's steady work while you grow the pipeline in your own area. You'll also be expected to help train and mentor junior engineers.
What You'll Do- Design and develop autonomous systems - undersea and ground-based vehicles, and other autonomously-operating platforms - from concept through fielded prototype
- Architect sensor suites (navigation, perception, environmental) and integrate them with mechanical and electrical systems
- Develop the onboard autonomy stack - state estimation, planning, control, and decision-making - in collaboration with our controls/software engineers
- Build and test prototypes, including field, at-sea, or outdoor testing as programs require
- Write technical proposals to both government and private customers to define and win the work that funds your research vector
- Propose and lead internal IRAD efforts to mature new capabilities ahead of customer need
- Interface directly with government and commercial customers to understand requirements and demonstrate capability
- Support existing mechanical design, thermal, and other funded programs as needed, particularly while your own portfolio ramps up
- Help train and mentor junior engineers
What We're Looking ForRequired:
- M.S. or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field
- Minimum of a 3.3 GPA for all completed degrees
- Demonstrated, hands-on experience designing, building, or testing robotic or autonomous systems
- Experience with sensor selection, integration, or sensor-driven system design
- U.S. Citizenship required due to ITAR requirements, and ability to obtain a security clearance as required in the future
- Willingness to mentor junior engineers and flex across adjacent mechanical engineering work while the portfolio grows
Preferred:
- Research or project experience in undersea (AUV/UUV), ground-based, or other autonomous systems
- Experience with system-level integration (mechanical, electrical, and software working together)
- Familiarity with navigation, localization, or perception-driven autonomy
- Experience writing technical proposals or leading independent research
- Demonstrated ability to take a project from concept to fielded/tested hardware
Mainstream Engineering Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified candidates will be considered without regard to legally protected characteristics.
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