Robotics Engineer - Ground Autonomy
External
Havocai · Palo AltoPrepare for this interview
EliteAI-generated questions, company research, and talking points tailored to this role
About the role
Collaborative autonomy is how self-tasking teams of machines will solve hard human problems, and HavocAI is an unquestioned leader in collaborative autonomy. We set the standard for autonomous surface vessels for a wide range of defense and commercial maritime missions. Success requires us to grow quickly, and we're looking for teammates who are passionate about solving hard problems, about pushing the envelope, and about preventing conflict and saving lives. Ambition is welcome to apply within. As a Robotics Engineer - Ground Autonomy, you will design, build, and deploy autonomy systems for unmanned ground vehicles operating in complex, unstructured environments. This role spans the full autonomy stack - from control systems and motion planning to perception integration and mission execution. You won't just write algorithms; you'll own systems that move real machines across real terrain under real operational constraints. If you are energized by making intelligent systems move safely and confidently through the world, and want your work tested beyond the lab, this role offers immediate and meaningful impact.
Responsibilities
- End-to-End Autonomy Ownership
- Own ground autonomy systems deployed to operational platforms
- Deliver reliable, mission-ready autonomy software
- Control & Motion Planning
- Design and implement control algorithms (path following, trajectory generation, vehicle dynamics modeling)
- Develop motion planning strategies for diverse and dynamic terrains
- Optimize for stability, precision, and safety
- Perception Integration
- Develop and integrate perception pipelines for obstacle detection, terrain analysis, and environmental understanding
- Fuse heterogeneous sensors (camera, lidar, radar, IMU) into robust autonomy outputs
- Autonomy Architecture
- Build and extend ROS2-based autonomy stacks
- Implement mission planning, behavior trees, and real-time navigation logic
- Maintain modular, scalable autonomy architecture
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with embedded, hardware, and mission software teams
- Drive autonomy integration from prototype to field deployment
- Field Testing & Debugging
- Develop monitoring and performance metrics for deployed systems
- Diagnose autonomy failures in real-world environments
- Support live testing, demonstrations, and deployments
- Customer & Operator Engagement
- Translate operational ground mission needs into autonomy capabilities
- Balance field constraints with technical feasibility
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering (or related field)
- 3+ years of experience in C++ and/or Python in Linux environments
- Hands-on experience deploying ROS2-based autonomy systems on real-world ground platforms
- Experience designing control systems for autonomous vehicles (path planning, trajectory following, vehicle dynamics)
- Experience building perception systems for ground autonomy
- Strong systems-thinking and debugging skills
- Passion for mission-critical real-world robotics
- U.S. Citizenship and eligibility for U.S. security clearance
- Experience with multi-agent or coordinated ground vehicle systems
- SLAM, GPS-denied navigation, or advanced localization techniques
- Motion planning algorithms (RRT, MPC, A*, etc.)
- Experience with heterogeneous sensor integration
- Real-time or safety-critical systems experience
- Familiarity with military ground systems and operational tactics
- Why This Role Matters
- You will build autonomy systems that operate beyond controlled environments - on terrain that challenges perception, control, and decision-making in real time. Your work will directly impact how autonomous ground platforms perform in operational missions.
Benefits
Your Match
How well this role fits your profile.
Company Intel
What employees say
Worked at havocai? Share your experience