Payload Integration Engineer Jobs in Leeds, AL (NOW HIRING)

Forward Deployed Engineer

Are you looking for an opportunity to make an impact at a fast-growing, investor-backed AI/ML company and take cutting-edge AI perception technology out of the lab and into the field? Tocaro Blue is seeking a versatile Forward Deployed Engineer (FDE) to be on the road as the link between our ProteusCore™ and ApolloCore™ platforms and real-world mission success. You will be responsible for deploying and integrating our systems in operationally relevant maritime environments—directly supporting customers in the field, primarily on Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) programs. This will be a hands-on forward deployed role with extensive travel requirements.

Tocaro Blue is transforming maritime technology by modernizing legacy marine radar systems through innovative software solutions. Our flagship product, ProteusCore™, is an advanced software platform that integrates marine Radar data with artificial intelligence and machine learning models to deliver real-time situational awareness and support vessel autonomy systems. Our second and newest product, ApolloCore™, is a complementary machine learning solution that enhances marine EO/IR cameras with stabilization, object detection, and tracking to extend real-time perception and situational awareness across both radar and electro-optical sensors.

Role Summary

We're seeking a hands-on engineer to join our team in an essential role supporting the forward deployment and implementation of our AI perception systems on client platforms. In this position, you'll be responsible for client integration support and the customization of Tocaro Blue software products to ensure success on client vessels and missions.

This role sits at the intersection of marine technology and artificial intelligence, offering the opportunity to work with unique sensors and contribute to cutting-edge autonomous systems for maritime applications.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a multidisciplinary field engineer responsible for the mechanical, electrical, and software integration of ProteusCore™, ApolloCore™, and marine sensor payloads onto client vessels, USVs, and maritime platforms
• Deploy and test ProteusCore™ and ApolloCore™ in the field, identifying and resolving issues related to networking, perception, sensor fusion, and system performance in real-world maritime conditions
• Perform system installation, integration, and troubleshooting of power, networking, sensor, and compute subsystems, including high-performance GPU edge hardware
• Own dockside and sea trials—prepare vessels, install new hardware and software packages, and perform system validation in operationally relevant environments
• Analyze performance data from real-world missions and deployments, using insights to drive improvements to software performance
• Work directly with operators and end-users, gathering feedback and adapting the system to operational requirements
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including our ML engineering, product, and field operations personnel—to evolve and harden system designs and enhance product capabilities
• Document deployment procedures, best practices, and debugging workflows to improve system reliability and scale our deployment operations
• Providing product-use and troubleshooting assistance to clients based on your own on-water experiences

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field such as ocean engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, naval architecture or a related field
• Two years of experience in Information Technology, specifically experience configuring Local Networks (e.g. using NMCLI).
• Experience working with a Linux-based operating system
• Comfort interacting with technical and business clients; installing and demonstrating software, training clients on expected system performance
• Demonstrated attention to detail and the ability to create and follow a plan
• Hands-on expertise in electrical integration (power systems, cabling, connectors) and mechanical assembly and fabrication
• Ability to diagnose and debug complex systems, from low-level networking and hardware faults to high-level perception and autonomy behaviors
• Willingness to work in dynamic, hands-on environments, including on and near the water, with frequent travel to client test sites (often up to 75% per month)
• Comfort working with tools such as wrenches, power tools, and basic electrical test equipment

Preferred qualifications

• 2+ years of experience working on marine electronics, integrated electromechanical or software systems, preferably in fielded or mission-critical environments
• Software engineering ability, with experience in Python, C++, Rust, or similar languages for hardware bring-up, test automation, and system debugging
• Experience with autonomous systems, USVs, boats and ships
• Experience integrating and working with sensors such as radar, cameras (EO/IR), GPS, and IMUs, especially in perception-driven autonomy applications
• Familiarity with ruggedized or IP-rated hardware and electronics design

Compensation & Commitment

• Competitive salary, with potential for incentive equity compensation
• 401(k) with matching (up to 4% of salary), Health, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability Insurance
• Very frequent travel, home based out of our engineering office in Birmingham, AL
• In-house training on tools and techniques
• Ability to work on US Government Contracts (typically limited to US Citizens)
  

Equal Opportunity & Eligibility

Tocaro Blue, LLC is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Individual offers are made based on skill and experience, geographic location, as well as role, responsibility, and leadership within the company, and other due diligence. Our hiring team will try to determine whether each candidate fits the job description and may choose, at their discretion, to redirect a candidate to another job offering that is more appropriate.

NOTICE: All candidates for this role must be eligible to access sensitive information and items that requires “US Person status”, which is typically limited to U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), with few exceptions. Tocaro Blue LLC is not able to sponsor work visas for this role.