The rapid growth and proliferation of autonomous systems technologies provides exciting and impactful opportunities for applying these tools to solve national security problems. The Autonomy for Hypersonics department is applying next-generation intelligence concepts to several components of the national defense domain for hypersonic and missile defense flight systems.
Our organization is actively seeking an Early/Mid-Career Autonomous Aerospace Systems Engineer who has [1] significant interest and knowledge in autonomous system concepts (e.g., uncertainty, perception, decisioning, algorithm V&V in simulation/hardware), [2] experience/familiarity in sensing, control, navigation, and/or dynamical systems, such as flight vehicle mechanics, and [3] formal training in Aerospace Engineering or a closely related autonomous systems field such as Electrical, Computer, or Mechanical Engineering.
If you are passionate about making valuable contributions to a high-impact program, we urge you to apply! You will collaborate with a team of researchers, engineers, and technologists to develop autonomous flight system technologies and to mature them from concept to simulation to flight. In the near-term, you will be supporting projects from the Autonomy for Hypersonics developmental research portfolio. These projects are applying state-of-the-art autonomous systems concepts to sensing, mission planning, and analysis for hypersonic vehicle missions. Long-term, you will be developing autonomous flight solutions for prototype vehicle demonstrations (i.e., flight tests), developing agent-driven simulation and analysis tools for challenging mission scenarios, and creating/executing/leading new projects for applying trusted autonomy to high-consequence missions.
On any given day, one may be called upon to:
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Collaborate with a team of researchers, engineers, and technologists to develop autonomous flight system technologies and to mature them from concept to simulation to flight
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Develop autonomous flight solutions, such as design of subsystems/payloads or development of algorithms in flight software, for full flight vehicle demonstrations
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Develop physics-based and/or agent-driven simulation and analysis tools for challenging mission scenarios
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Create, implement, and lead new projects for applying trusted autonomy to high-consequence missions
This position will include simulation, laboratory, and field-testing operations. You will work at Sandia's laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, including the Flight Dynamics Laboratory and Navigation Warfare Laboratory, for prototyping autonomous system hardware, algorithms, and communications. You will be working on highly collaborative teams but will be given responsibility for, and ownership of, a growing body of R&D work as you progress in your career at the Labs. Components of your work will be classified and will consequently require a security clearance.
Due to the nature of the work, the selected applicant must be able to work onsite at Sandia's laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Some travel is required for this position.
