Lead Autonomous Systems Engineer

The MITRE Corporation•Huntsville, AL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges—and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us. The Army Soldier and Weapon Systems Department (N214) mission is to provide world class engineering workforce for combat, testing, and training capabilities to provide the U.S. Army an asymmetric advantage. Key sponsors of the Department work program include CPE Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (Orlando, FL), CPE Ground – Soldier Systems (Fort Belvoir, VA), DEVCOM Soldier System Center (Natick, MA), Synthetic Training Environment Cross Functional Team (Fort Leavenworth, KS), PAE Fires and CPE Aviation (Huntsville, AL), CPE Ground – Combat Platforms and DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (Ann Arbor, MI), Army Test and Evaluation Command (Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD) and CPE Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (Edgewood, MD). The work programs leverage a diverse set of technical disciplines from within the Department and across the corporation to maximize our impact in solving some of the Army’s toughest modernization challenges in the areas of systems engineering, agile software development, test and evaluation, digital engineering, autonomous systems, and training. Job Description: The Army Soldier and Weapons Systems Department is seeking a technical oriented and strategic thought leader in the Autonomy space. Successful candidates will work closely with senior government civilian and military leaders to define and execute MITRE’s work across several Army acquisition offices. Regular sponsor interaction will be required. This position is in Huntsville, AL and open to qualified Lead step and above applicants.

Requirements

Typically requires a minimum of 8 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 6 years and a Master’s degree; or 3 years and a PhD; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
Active Secret Clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance.
U.S. Citizenship required.
Technical background in disciplines of relevance in one or more of the following: computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, control theory, human machine teaming, and multi-robot systems.
Applicable work experience related to Autonomy, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning.
Proven experience in developing, testing, and acquiring data-driven solutions that meet military operational needs while working to understand specific areas for advanced autonomy research
Experience in advising US Military on the acquisition and deployment of new autonomy capabilities
Ability to perform technical analysis of existing, proposed, and in-development autonomy technologies
Experience leading engineering and automation teams for the integration of algorithms for intelligent and autonomous systems.
Ability to identify gaps and shortfalls in operational performance and propose effective mitigations.
Proven experience engaging sponsors with successful impacts and outcomes, and establishing and maintaining strategic partnerships
Established track record in leading the delivery of data-driven technical products with the military warfighting domain, resulting in positive mission impact.
Experience with the use of Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA)
Experience with CUAS operations
Prior experience partnering with industry and academia to deliver military capabilities
Demonstrated ability to take risks and lead work with partial insights, and operate effectively autonomously
Demonstrated ability to build collaboration across organizational units.
Demonstrates collaboration and communication skills to support individual, team, and customer-related interaction.
Critical thinking, analytic, and problem-solving skills – comfortable working in dynamic settings where task objectives may evolve or need to be shaped, or creative solutions to task impediments must be identified.
Excellent interpersonal and technical communication skills, with the ability to author technical reports, present briefings, and persuasively speak to audiences of all backgrounds, including executives or senior customers.
Demonstrated ability to work in an interdisciplinary team environment, establish and leverage a diverse professional network, and integrate contributions from a variety of resources (people, tools, organizations).
This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site.

Nice To Haves

An advanced degree in Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, etc.
Current/Active Top Secret Clearance.
Prior experience developing or assessing Army systems or operations, reflected by: Working knowledge of Army organizations, missions, roles/responsibilities, and relationships.
Extensive experience working on Autonomous Platforms.
Extensive experience with Autonomy capabilities and features.
Extensive experience with rapid prototyping, including fabrication and electronics
Extensive experience with field testing autonomous systems
Extensive experience with CUAS operations
Extensive experience with Army’s IAMD mission space
Knowledge of advances of Autonomy evaluation capabilities in industry and academia
Domain knowledge of swarming systems, agentic AI, manufacturing robotics, and/or missile defense
Knowledge of Autonomy Techniques Real-time vehicle path planning, Sensor fusion, System identification, Model predictive control, Robust control design, Computational geometry, and/or Model-based design.
Work and/or leadership of teams to implement and evaluate AI and Autonomy algorithms
Developed, proposed and executed research in the field of autonomy and/or missile defense
At least 15 years of experience working across Army organizations with an expert-level understanding on Autonomous Systems Engineer.

Responsibilities

Leverage expertise of real-time planning, optimization, and control algorithms for intelligent and autonomous systems to enable the Army’s strategic vision to reduce the burden on soldiers and increase combat power.
Work with sponsor and industry to: Develop, test, and acquire data-driven solutions that meet military operational needs
Deliver strategic think and recommendations to deliver optimal Technical Performance through the application of autonomous engineering principles and best practices
Recognize technical challenges and lead engineering activities to deliver appropriate solutions
Driving the adoption for Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA), use of commercial solutions, and partnerships with industry
Leverage a technical understanding of Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) systems to ensure interoperability and complimentary integration, software modernization efforts, and prototype development of Counter Unmanned Aeriel Systems (CUAS) within PAE Fires.
Assist PAE Fires to: Identify gaps and shortfalls in operational performance and propose effective mitigations.
Developing CONOPs, TTPs, and business processes to support joint, interagency, and coalition interoperability.
Perform analysis to support operational and technical assessments of Army Fire Control Systems.
Assist with larger cross sponsor working group leadership and execution: Develop, make recommendations, and implement systems engineering changes
Deliver strategy and recommendations to deliver optimal Technical Performance through the application of system engineering principles and best practices
Recognize technical challenges and lead engineering activities to deliver appropriate solutions
Collaborate within MITRE to leverage ongoing Autonomy research and lab capabilities
Identify and articulate program risks and associated opportunities
Establish goals and communicate clear expectations and guidance that contribute to highest priority sponsor outcomes
Establish strong relationships within the sponsor organization.
Define opportunities to collaborate with organizations outside of the sponsor to create a greater mission outcome.