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Autonomy Engineer III/IV

Fort Walton Beach, Florida, United States; Fort Worth, Texas; San Luis Obispo, California; United States

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems. Our team of engineers and innovators is developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions that push the boundaries of UAS technology - solving complex challenges that matter.

We're building the future of UAS capabilities, and we're looking for exceptional talent to join us. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on next-generation flight systems, you belong here.

We are seeking a skilled Autonomy Engineer to join our team. We are looking for an experienced Autonomy/AI software engineer with strong background in implementing optimization algorithms, intelligent flight behaviors, adaptive responses to sensors and data, dynamic mission planning, and other software applications in safety-critical systems.  You will develop and expand the capabilities of the unmanned platforms using advanced algorithms, optimizations, and techniques to ensure the autonomy can achieve mission success while maintaining system safety. 

Responsibilities:  

  • Design, code, and implement autonomy software solutions for unmanned aircraft systems.  Assist with implementation of the autonomy agent on onboard compute systems. 
  • Test and optimize algorithms in modeling and simulation environments.  This includes path planning and search algorithms, adaptive responses to dynamic real-time changes in environment, decentralized decision making, and other algorithms and optimizations for single or multi-vehicle scenarios. 
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop autonomy software solutions. 
  • Debug, troubleshoot, and isolate software issues. 
  • Design, implement, test, and maintain software for high-reliability systems in safety-critical environments. 
  • Utilize Git and GitHub for version control, code reviews, and collaborative development. 
  • Support build automation, system integration, and testing through scripting, command-line tools, and modeling and simulation environments. 
  • Contribute to CI/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions and assist in deploying software to cloud environments, particularly AWS. 
  • Maintain high standards of software quality within the team by adhering to good practices and habits of configuration control and design reviews. 

Qualifications:  

  • 3–8 years of professional experience in autonomy software applications development ideally in aerospace, defense, or safety-critical industries. 
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, or related field. 
  • Proficiency in one or more programming languages: C, C++, C#, Python, Rust, Matlab/Simulink, or other related language. 
  • Hands-on experience with Git, GitHub. 
  • Experience with CI/CD practices and tools, particularly GitHub Actions, and exposure to AWS infrastructure. 
  • Experience working with software containerization methods and utilities such as Docker and Docker-Compose is desired. 
  • Experience with Universal Command and Control Interface (UCI) for UAS and Open Mission Systems (OMS) is desired. 
  • Experience integrating sensor fusion, state estimation, path planning, localization, and decentralized decision-making algorithms is desired. 
  • U.S. Citizen 
  • Able to possess and maintain an active security clearance

Pay range for this role

$180,000 - $210,000 USD

What's in it for you:

Benefits: 

  • Competitive total compensation package 
  • Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
  • 401k with company-match 
  • 4 weeks of paid time off each year
  • 12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

  • Innovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.
  • Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
  • Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

If you are passionate about unmanned aircraft technology and want to be a part of a dynamic and growing company, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and join the Zone 5 Technologies team! 

Note about our Texas roles: we are in the process of opening a location on the mid-west side of the DFW metro region. Roles in Texas will initially work remotely and then be expected to be onsite when that location opens in 2026.

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify: https://www.e-verify.gov.

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