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Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

The Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Department works to enable effective and safe adoption of embodied AI solutions for the most critical challenges. Our technical team of experts, developers, and ...

New

About the role Integer Technologies is seeking an Autonomous Systems Engineer to support the design, development, and deployment of advanced autonomy software for maritime robotic platforms. This ...

The Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Department works to enable effective and safe adoption of embodied AI solutions for the most critical challenges. Our technical team of experts, developers, and ...

New

Integrate autonomous hardware and software with vehicle electrical, controls, and sensor systems ... Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or other related ...

Autonomous Systems Engineer

Augusta, GA · On-site

$157K/yr

Integrate autonomous hardware and software with vehicle electrical, controls, and sensor systems ... Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or other related ...

Integrate autonomous hardware and software with vehicle electrical, controls, and sensor systems ... Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Software Engineering, or other related ...

We are building internal AI systems, autonomous developer workflows, agent orchestration tooling, and crypto-native products that combine software engineering, automation, and intelligent systems.

$90K - $100K/yr

The Autonomous Maritime Platforms Systems Engineering team is looking for a systems design engineer with modeling, simulation and/or electric motor/PID controller tuning experience to join our cross ...

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Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer information

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$53.5K

$127.2K

$167K

How much do entry level autonomous systems engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average yearly pay for entry level autonomous systems engineer in the United States is $127,215.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $98,000.00 and $157,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an entry level autonomous systems engineer?

An Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer is a professional who designs, develops, tests, and implements technologies that enable machines or systems to operate independently with minimal human intervention. These engineers often work on robotics, self-driving vehicles, drones, or industrial automation. As entry-level professionals, they typically assist senior engineers in building algorithms, integrating sensors, and troubleshooting hardware or software issues. They use skills in programming, systems engineering, and data analysis to help create and improve autonomous systems. This role is ideal for recent graduates or those with limited experience looking to start a career in robotics and automation.

What types of projects and technologies do entry level autonomous systems engineers typically work on, and how is their work structured within a team?

As an Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer, you'll often contribute to projects involving robotics, self-driving vehicles, or drone technologies. Your daily work may include developing and testing algorithms for perception, localization, and control, often using tools like Python, ROS, and machine learning frameworks. You will typically collaborate closely with senior engineers, software developers, and hardware teams through agile sprints, code reviews, and regular team meetings. The environment is highly collaborative and problem-solving oriented, offering abundant opportunities to learn from experienced colleagues and participate in multidisciplinary projects that can lead to rapid professional growth.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an entry level autonomous systems engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer, you need a solid foundation in robotics, control systems, programming (such as Python or C++), and a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with simulation tools like ROS (Robot Operating System), MATLAB, and version control systems (e.g., Git) is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, teamwork, and effective communication help you collaborate and innovate within multidisciplinary teams. These skills and qualities are crucial for building reliable autonomous systems and adapting to rapidly evolving technologies.

What is the difference between Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer vs Autonomous Vehicle Software Engineer?

AspectEntry Level Autonomous Systems EngineerAutonomous Vehicle Software Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's in Robotics, Computer Science, or Electrical EngineeringBachelor's or Master's in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related fields
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, tech companies, automotive industryAutomotive companies, tech firms, startups focused on autonomous vehicles
Employer & Industry UsageDeveloping autonomous systems for various applicationsDesigning software specifically for autonomous vehicle navigation and control

While both roles involve working with autonomous systems, the Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer focuses broadly on developing autonomous technologies across industries, whereas the Autonomous Vehicle Software Engineer specializes in software development for self-driving cars. The former may work on sensors, algorithms, and system integration, while the latter concentrates on vehicle-specific software solutions.

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Cities with the most Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer job openings:

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Infographic showing various Entry Level Autonomous Systems Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 85% Full Time, 9% Part Time, 4% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 88% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $127,215 per year, or $61.2 per hour.

Autonomous Systems Engineer

MITRE

Mclean, VA • On-site

Full-time

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


MITRE Corporation rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

163rd of 450 rated engineering


Job description

Job Opportunity At MITRE

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges—and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies.

We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values.

We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities for career growth, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence, and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us.

The Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Department works to enable effective and safe adoption of embodied AI solutions for the most critical challenges. Our technical team of experts, developers, and strategists are helping to realize the benefits autonomy will bring across various sectors including defense, healthcare, transportation, and law enforcement. We bring our unique and unbiased understanding of missions, the innovation landscape, and technology to focus in areas where industry is not incentivized or able to operate to bring insights and solutions to MITRE's sponsors and partners.

Roles & Responsibilities:

  • Maintain knowledge of advances of autonomy and robotics capabilities
  • Leverage technical expertise to evaluate and improve AI/Autonomy system performance
  • Provide thought leadership centered around autonomy/AI technology adoption on robotics hardware and cloud-based computing environments
  • Evaluate autonomy or AI solutions and provide guidance to sponsors based on their requirements
  • Work on topics in robotics-relevant fields, such as computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, planning, human machine teaming, and multi-robot systems
  • Build capabilities in one of more growth area for Autonomous Systems (e.g., maritime autonomy, healthcare robotics, space robotics)
  • Help department and division execute strategy around enabling high-consequence applications of Autonomy, including necessary assurance, T&E, and societal implications

Basic Qualifications:

  • Typically requires a Bachelor's degree and a minimum of 2 years of autonomy and AI experience; or an advanced degree with relevant experience who can immediately contribute at this job step; or equivalent combination of autonomy -related education and work experience
  • Hands-on experience with one or more of the following technical areas: computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, control theory, human–machine teaming, or multi-robot systems
  • Ability to clearly articulate autonomy-specific challenges (perception, reasoning, behaviors, collaboration), understand real-world application constraints, discuss critical issues, and identify capability gaps
  • Familiarity with state-of-the-art autonomy research and tools, including ROS 2 and Docker
  • Ability to work independently to learn new technologies, methods, processes, frameworks, platforms, and systems
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills to articulate challenging technical concepts to both lay and expert audiences
  • Experience executing autonomy-focused research initiatives
  • Ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a DOD Secret clearance within 12 months from the date of hire
  • Per the U.S. Government's eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance
  • This position requires a minimum of 50% hybrid on-site

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Advanced degree in related field such as Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, etc.
  • Experience with software development in a production setting
  • Knowledge of advances of Autonomy and AI evaluation capabilities in industry and academia
  • Domain knowledge of swarming systems, red teaming, counter UxS, robotic test and evaluation, agentic AI, manufacturing robotics, and/or missile defense
  • Experience with configuring and writing software for open-source flight controllers (ArduPilot, PX4. Mission Planner, QGroundControl, etc)
  • Experience with rapid prototyping, including fabrication and electronics
  • Experience with field testing autonomous systems, particularly unmanned aerial systems
  • Knowledge and/or experience with edge computing, C-SWAP (compute, size, weight, and power) platforms, and/or surrogate or scaled platforms
  • Work and/or leadership of teams to implement and evaluate AI and Autonomy algorithms
  • Active DoD Top Secret clearance

Salary compensation range and midpoint: $121,600 - $152,000 - $182,400 Annual

Work Location Type: Hybrid

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.


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About MITRE

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That's because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation's toughest challenges-and we're committed to the long-term well-being of our employees. MITRE is different from most technology companies. We are a not-for-profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The R&D centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields as diverse as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense, and enterprise transformation. We're making a difference every day-working for a safer, healthier, and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities, and a culture of innovation that embraces diversity, inclusion, flexibility, collaboration, and career growth. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE-and make a difference with us. MITRE is a trusted operator of federally funded research and development centers and we're on a mission to make the world a safer place-for all of humanity, today and in the future. To deliver on our mission, we need the world's best talent and leaders-groundbreakers and partnership-builders on a global scale in areas like healthcare, artificial intelligence, critical infrastructure resiliency, pandemic management, and cybersecurity. In return, we have the privilege of backing you with thousands of technical experts in diverse fields, a culture of innovation and knowledge sharing, access to data and resources uniquely available to MITRE through our wide-ranging partnerships across government, industry and academia.

Industry

It services

Company size

5,001 - 10,000 Employees

Headquarters location

McLean, VA, US

Year founded

1958

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