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Autonomy Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Our autonomy algorithms & prototyping team is seeking highly motivated autonomy engineers who are interested in solving challenging technical problems and help build advanced technologies for high ...

Autonomy Engineer

Denver, CO · On-site

$95K - $175K/yr

You are a first principles engineer and will have ownership of the future of autonomy at True Anomaly. RESPONSIBILITIES * Design and develop advanced AI, optimization, and machine learning ...

Autonomy Engineer

Lorton, VA · On-site

$99K - $225K/yr

Share Autonomy Engineer Key Role: Conduct the research, development, integration, deployment, and evaluation of robotic and unmanned systems across multiple operational domains and DoD warfighter ...

Senior Autonomy Engineer

Boston, MA · On-site

$113.50K - $155.90K/yr

... Senior Autonomy Engineer to join existing software team working on advanced autonomy software for our marine product. The candidate will work closely with the user interface team, system team ...

Senior Autonomy Engineer

San Francisco, CA

$123.10K - $169.10K/yr

Senior Autonomy Engineer About the Company This aerospace startup is reshaping how the world connects from above. The team is developing solar-powered, long-endurance UAVs that operate at the edge of ...

Autonomy Engineer

Lorton, VA · On-site

$99K - $225K/yr

Autonomy Engineer Key Role: Conduct the research, development, integration, deployment, and evaluation of robotic and unmanned systems across multiple operational domains and DoD warfighter mission ...

Autonomy Engineer Key Role: Conduct the research, development, integration, deployment, and evaluation of robotic and unmanned systems across multiple operational domains and DoD warfighter mission ...

We are looking for a Staff Engineer who knows how to bring world-class system design to autonomous driving systems in structured, low-speed environments. In this role, you'll lead, manage and scale ...

Senior Autonomy Engineer

San Francisco, CA

$123.10K - $169.10K/yr

Senior Autonomy Engineer About the Company This aerospace startup is reshaping how the world connects from above. The team is developing solar-powered, long-endurance UAVs that operate at the edge of ...

Senior Autonomy Engineer

Denver, CO · On-site

$170K - $290K/yr

You are a first principles engineer who takes ownership of the systems you build and delivers results. RESPONSIBILITIES * Design, implement, and test algorithms that enable autonomous mission ...

We are looking for a Staff Engineer who knows how to bring world-class system design to autonomous driving systems in structured, low-speed environments. In this role, you'll lead, manage and scale ...

Staff Autonomy Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$170K - $215K/yr

Lead engineering teams in Agile environments, providing oversight on trajectory generation and control implementation while mentoring engineers in best practices for autonomy and robotics. What You ...

Staff Autonomy Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$160K - $240K/yr

About the Role As a Staff Autonomy Engineer, you will own the technical architecture of Chef's autonomy stack end-to-end - from perception and action prediction through closed-loop control and ...

About the Role As a Staff Autonomy Engineer, you will own the technical architecture of Chef's autonomy stack end-to-end - from perception and action prediction through closed-loop control and ...

Autonomy Engineer (UAV)

Chicago, IL · On-site

$100K - $150K/yr

We are seeking an engineer to develop and deploy autonomy capabilities on UAV platforms using PX4 or ArduPilot. This role involves modifying autopilot firmware, integrating sensors and payloads, and ...

Senior Autonomy Engineer

San Diego, CA · On-site

$110.90K - $152.40K/yr

As a Senior Autonomy Engineer on our R&D team, you'll help define the next generation of software that lets robots perceive, learn, and act in unstructured indoor environments. You'll work across the ...

As a Staff Autonomy Engineer on our R&D team, you'll be one of the technical leaders setting direction for the AI that powers our robots. This is a hands-on technical leadership role: you'll ...

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Autonomy Engineer information

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$99.5K

$118K

$154.5K

How much do autonomy engineer jobs pay per year?

As of May 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for autonomy engineer in the United States is $117,999.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $106,000.00 and $119,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an Autonomy Engineer do?

An Autonomy Engineer develops and integrates algorithms, sensors, and software to enable autonomous systems such as self-driving cars, drones, or robotics. They work with machine learning, computer vision, control systems, and sensor fusion to enhance navigation, perception, and decision-making capabilities. Their role involves testing and optimizing autonomous behaviors in simulations and real-world environments to ensure safety and efficiency.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Autonomy Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Autonomy Engineer, you need expertise in robotics, control systems, sensor integration, and software development—often supported by a degree in engineering, computer science, or a related field. Familiarity with programming languages like C++ or Python, simulation environments such as ROS (Robot Operating System), and potentially certifications in robotics or AI are highly valuable. Strong problem-solving abilities, collaborative teamwork, and effective communication skills distinguish top candidates in this field. These skills and qualities are essential for designing, implementing, and refining autonomous systems that operate reliably and safely in real-world environments.

What are the typical projects and daily responsibilities of an Autonomy Engineer?

Autonomy Engineers typically work on projects involving the development, testing, and optimization of autonomous systems such as vehicles, drones, or robots. Daily responsibilities may include designing algorithms for sensor fusion or navigation, writing and reviewing code, integrating hardware with software, and running simulations or field tests. Collaboration is frequent, as you'll coordinate closely with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers, as well as project managers. The work is hands-on and fast-paced, offering opportunities to see your contributions directly impact the performance and reliability of cutting-edge autonomous technology.
What cities are hiring for Autonomy Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Autonomy Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Autonomy Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Autonomy Engineer jobs include:
Infographic showing various Autonomy Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 76% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 11% Contract. Highlights an 76% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 21% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $117,999 per year, or $56.7 per hour.
Autonomy Engineer

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 27 days ago


Job description

The Homeland Sensors and Analytics Group designs, builds, and fields solutions that significantly enhance the tactical decision-making process of analysts and operators who secure the homeland. This includes security for critical infrastructure, land and maritime borders, transportation systems, and soft targets / crowded places. It also includes support for law enforcement, special operations, and intelligence analysts who track and disrupt transnational criminal and terrorist organizations. To do this, the group works on a combination of novel sensing technologies, algorithms, and data analytics techniques to provide better threat awareness to decision makers. The group designs systems that collect and process a wide range of data types - including radar, visible imagery and video, non-visible imagery, text, time-series data, and 3D point clouds - often applying advanced machine learning methods to convert raw data into actionable insights. The group places an emphasis on taking technology from the concept phase through deployment and transition to achieve operational impact.
Job Description
Our autonomy algorithms & prototyping team is seeking highly motivated autonomy engineers who are interested in solving challenging technical problems and help build advanced technologies for high impact missions with DHS and DoW mission sets. This position is to support the development, implementation, and testing of autonomous aerial and maritime systems specifically focusing on multi-agents planning and coordination, perception, navigation, simulation, and system in the loop implementations. The candidate will be in a team-oriented development environment working on fast-paced development goals. The candidate should be willing to work on-site in the office 3 or more days a week, due to the nature of the work involving hardware, algorithms, and indoor/outdoor test environments.
Additionally, the candidate should be willing to travel for up to 2+ months to support developments in other countries.
Required Skills
  • PhD with relevant school work experience, or MS +3 years, or BS +5 years of proven experience in Robotics and Autonomy
  • Expertise in algorithms development for multi-agents planning and coordination, perception, and navigation
  • Expertise in lightweight algorithms development for low-SWaP (size, weight, and power) edge processing
  • Working familiarity with ROS2, MOOS, Ardupilot, simulation environments such as Gazebo, Scrimmage (or other tools), as well as system in the loop implementations
  • Writing software or firmware in one of the following: C, C++, Python, Rust, or Java
  • Familiarity with Linux distributions and command-line interface
  • System-level design, system architecture, or trade studies
  • Strong written and oral communication
  • Candidate must be comfortable leading teams and operating in a dynamic and fast-moving environment

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $145,200 - $170,000
Experienced Hiring Range: $145,200 - $220,000
Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including-but not limited to-the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate's experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.
At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include:
  • Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
  • MIT-funded pension
  • Matching 401K
  • Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
  • Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
  • Mentorship programs
  • A range of work-life balance options
  • ... and much more!

Please visit our Benefits page for more information. As an employee of MIT, you can also take advantage of other voluntary benefits, discounts and perks.
Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.
MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.
Requisition ID: 42961