Principal Autonomy Software Engineer
About this role
The autonomy team builds the software brains behind distributed defense systems, developing the perception, planning, and coordination layers that enable fleets of sensors and effectors to operate as one adaptive network. As Principal Autonomy Software Engineer, the person in this role will set the technical direction for how platforms sense, reason, and act in contested environments, taking principal-level ownership of upcoming autonomy programs from prototype to fielded system. This position exists to solve the hardest autonomy problems by partnering across hardware, RF/signals, systems, and product to turn sensor data into trusted decisions.
An ideal candidate combines deep architectural expertise with hands-on coding ability, serving as a technical leader who guides teams through complex trade-offs without relying on formal hierarchy. Working primarily in an office and lab setting with occasional travel to test sites and field demonstrations, the engineer will establish standards for code quality, testing, simulation, and safety across all products.
What you will do
- Own the autonomy software architecture end to end, covering multi-sensor fusion, world-modeling, mission planning, task allocation, and real-time decision-making across distributed nodes.
- Define the technical strategy and roadmap for autonomy across products while driving alignment on hard trade-offs across teams.
- Build and productionize autonomy software that runs reliably on resource-constrained edge hardware in the field.
- Set and enforce engineering standards for code quality, testing, simulation, and the safety and predictability of autonomous behavior.
- Technically lead and mentor other engineers through design reviews, pairing, and hands-on collaboration.
- Translate operational needs from warfighters and operators into robust, testable autonomy requirements.
- Stand up simulation, test, and evaluation pipelines that validate autonomous behavior prior to field deployment.
What you need
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
- A deep, hands-on track record designing and shipping autonomy or robotics software running on real hardware in the field.
- Expert-level proficiency in C++ or Rust and Python, with strong command of software design for real-time, safety-critical, or resource-constrained systems.
- Demonstrated ownership of complex systems from concept through deployment with accountability in production.
- Strong foundation in the mathematics of autonomy, including probabilistic estimation, sensor fusion, optimization, and planning algorithms.
- Hands-on experience with robotics and autonomy frameworks such as ROS/ROS2, real-time middleware, and simulation environments.
- Familiarity working with real-world sensor data like EO/IR, RADAR, RF, LiDAR, and GPS/INS.
- Must be a U.S. Person defined as a citizen or lawful permanent resident.
Nice to have
- Master's or PhD in a relevant technical field
- Experience in defense, aerospace, or another mission-critical domain with high reliability requirements
- Depth in multi-agent coordination, swarming, or distributed autonomy
- Experience deploying ML or autonomy stacks to embedded, GPU-accelerated, or edge-compute hardware
- An active U.S. security clearance
Benefits
- Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company
- 401k with a 50% company match up to 6% of pay
- FSA, HSA, and life insurance
- Free daily lunch
- No meeting Fridays and unlimited PTO
- Competitive base salaries, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, and relocation assistance
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
What is the remote policy for this role?
This is primarily an office and lab environment based in El Segundo, California. Travel is required as needed to test sites, field demonstrations, and other company offices.
What is the compensation range for this position?
The targeted base compensation range is $240,000.00 to $310,000.00. Additional earnings include pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance, and upcoming annual bonuses.
What tools and technologies are used on the team?
Engineers work with C++, Rust, Python, and robotics frameworks like ROS and ROS2. The role also involves handling real-world sensor data such as EO/IR, RADAR, RF, LiDAR, and GPS/INS.
What are the citizenship or residency requirements?
Candidates must be a U.S. Person, which includes U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
The application is on the official CHAOS Industries careers page.
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