Freelance Autonomous Systems Engineer Jobs in Renton, WA

Description

Build software for UUVs that navigate in the dark, think independently, and must complete the mission. Failure is not an option.

Leidos is looking for an Autonomous Systems Software Engineer to help build the brains behind next-generation uncrewed underwater vehicles and maritime autonomous systems. This is not a report-writing role. This is hands-on engineering for real platforms operating in unforgiving environments in support of critical national missions.

You’ll design, write, and deploy production software that directly controls autonomous behavior, vehicle health, and mission execution. Your work will run on real hardware, in real water, on real missions. If you care more about results than rituals, shipping than slide decks, and owning outcomes over checking boxes, you’ll fit right in.

This team values progress with discipline, fast iteration with bounded risk, and engineers who take responsibility end-to-end. We move quickly, learn continuously, and expect our software to work the first time it matters.

Why This Role Is Different

• You’ll work on fielded systems, not demos.
• Your software will control vehicles, not dashboards.
• You’ll have real ownership, not just tickets.
• You’ll be expected to move fast, think clearly, and deliver.
• You’ll help define how autonomy software gets built, not just follow a script.

If you want to work where engineering decisions matter, where progress is valued, and where the mission is real, this is the role.

Primary Responsibilities

• Build mission-critical autonomy software using modern C++ and Python on Linux-based systems that operate in constrained, contested environments.
• Translate high-level system intent into executable software, breaking down complex autonomy and vehicle requirements into clear, testable implementations.
• Architect and evolve scalable autonomy frameworks, emphasizing modularity, performance, and long-term adaptability across multiple vehicle platforms.
• Ship real features by developing, integrating, and testing new capabilities in existing codebases, with accurate estimates and ownership from design through deployment.
• Collaborate like an engineer, not a spectator, actively contributing to technical debates, design reviews, and trade studies that resolve real constraints.
• Mentor and raise the bar, supporting junior engineers and strengthening the team’s overall technical rigor and execution velocity.
• Own quality without paralysis, writing unit and integration tests that matter, analyzing failures, and fixing root causes instead of papering over symptoms.
• Work across disciplines with systems, hardware, and test engineers to ensure software behaves correctly as part of a larger, real-world system.
• Continuously improve how we build, refining tools, workflows, and processes in an Agile, iterative environment that values pragmatism over dogma.

Basic Qualifications

• Education & Experience - Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field with 12-15 years of experience, or a Master’s degree with 10-13 years of experience.
• Security Eligibility - Must have a current Secret clearance.
• Serious C++ Skills - Demonstrated experience developing modern C++ software on Linux, with strong fundamentals in performance, memory management, and code quality.
• Engineering Judgment - Ability to design clean, maintainable systems and make sound tradeoffs under real constraints.
• Systems Awareness - Familiarity with MBSE concepts and tools (e.g., Cameo, MagicDraw) and how software fits into larger system architectures.
• Modern Dev Environments - Experience developing and deploying software in virtualized or containerized environments (VMware, Docker).
• Delivery Mindset - Experience working in Agile or iterative development environments with tools like Jira, Confluence, Bitbucket, or equivalents.
• Clear Communication - Ability to explain complex technical ideas to engineers, systems teams, and stakeholders without hiding behind jargon.
• Professional Integrity - Ownership, accountability, and respect for teammates and mission outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications

• Polyglot Engineering - Experience across multiple languages (C#, Java, Python, Rust, etc.) and comfort adapting to new stacks quickly.
• Embedded or Low-Level Experience - Exposure to embedded systems, resource-constrained environments, or software that runs without a full OS.
• Autonomy & Robotics Background - Hands-on experience building autonomy, decision-making, or control software for robotic or vehicle systems.
• Real Testing Experience - Proven ability to build and maintain tests that catch real failures, not just satisfy process requirements.
• Legacy-to-Modern Skill - Experience diagnosing, refactoring, and improving large or aging codebases without breaking production systems.
• Domain Experience -Background in autonomous, remotely operated, or mission-critical platforms, especially maritime or undersea systems.
• Toolchain Familiarity - Experience with ROS, Protocol Buffers, SCons, VS Code, and cross-platform build systems is a strong plus.

SUBSEAMSS

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

About Leidos

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Securing Your Data

Beware of fake employment opportunities using Leidos’ name. Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information during any part of the employment application process (i.e., ask you for money), nor will Leidos ever advance money as part of the hiring process (i.e., send you a check or money order before doing any work). Further, Leidos will only communicate with you through emails that are generated by the Leidos.com automated system – never from free commercial services (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail) or via WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. If you received an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information (e.g., about you or your previous employer), and you are concerned about its legitimacy, please make us aware immediately by emailing us at LeidosCareersFraud@leidos.com.

If you believe you are the victim of a scam, contact your local law enforcement and report the incident to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.