Software Engineer Contractor Jobs in Baton Rouge, LA

What we do

Integer Technologies is an applied research and product development company founded by scientists and engineers with a passion for protecting freedom with innovation. We perform R&D on next-generation systems and technologies for the Department of Defense and other U.S. Government agencies. We are hardware and software developers with experience transforming research into fieldable technology. Our core portfolio of research includes projects in power & energy systems, unmanned systems (with an emphasis on maritime systems), digital engineering, cyber security, and advanced manufacturing. Our mission is to create a safer world by translating scientific discoveries into reliable products that address urgent national security needs... at the speed of relevance.

Company Benefits

• Base salaries which exceed local & national industry averages.

• Year-end performance-based bonuses.

• 401(k) with company matching that vest immediately.

• Integer fully covers medical, prescription, vision, and dental insurance costs for the employee and dependents. Meaning Integer standard plan pays 100% of health insurance premiums for your entire family from a well-known national insurer, saving its employee's thousands of dollars annually.

• Relocation assistance available.

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Paid bereavement and parental leave.

• Hybrid schedule: Mondays and Fridays are optional to work from home or in the office.

Company Perks

• Startup culture with the stability of a large company. Integer's business plan has years of time phased contracted work, alleviating the would-be risk from a traditional small company.

• Direct access to company leadership, prioritization of people over process, and a stellar team with a shared desire for personal and professional growth.

• Friendly atmosphere where people enjoy not only their work and what they're creating but enjoy helping each other as well.

• Bottomless Coffee, Espressos, and Ping Pong!!

About the Role....

• Locations: Baton Rouge, La; Gulfport, MS; Columbia, SC; Durham, NH; Remote considered for qualified candidates

Integer Technologies is seeking a Senior Autonomous Software Engineer to play a key role in advancing next-generation autonomy solutions for marine platforms. In this role, you will lead the integration of our autonomy software with a range of government and industry systems, ensuring interoperability, robustness, and performance across diverse operational environments. This position requires deep technical expertise, strong systems thinking, and the ability to navigate complex interface requirements with both legacy and emerging platforms.

Beyond integration, you will play a critical strategic role in shaping the future of autonomous maritime operations. By assessing current system capabilities and identifying emerging technology gaps, you will recommend and drive development of new features, frameworks, and supporting infrastructure to extend autonomy, adaptability, and decision-making at the edge. Your work will directly support the deployment of intelligent marine systems operating across surface and subsurface domains.

This is a high-impact position ideal for an engineer who thrives at the intersection of advanced autonomy, real-world deployment challenges, and collaborative innovation with mission-focused partners.

Primary Responsibilities....

• System Integration & Interface Development Design, develop, and maintain software interfaces that enable seamless integration with government, defense, and commercial systems across a variety of data and control architectures.

• Autonomy Platform Engineering Contribute to the development and deployment of autonomy software on heterogeneous maritime platforms-surface and subsurface-accounting for diverse sensor suites, computing environments, and communication constraints.

• Capability Discovery & Advancement Identify technical opportunities to expand autonomy functionality based on evolving mission requirements, experimental feedback, and gaps in current platform capabilities.

• Stakeholder Collaboration Work closely with platform providers, mission operators, and other engineering teams to ensure integration plans align with evolving system needs and deployment timelines.

• Experimental Validation & Demonstration Participate in field trials and lab-based experimentation to validate system performance in real-world conditions and inform iterative software improvements.

• Modular & Scalable Design Architect systems for scalability and maintainability, ensuring components can evolve independently and adapt to future technology stacks or mission demands.

• Documentation & Technical Communication Develop clear, concise technical documentation, including interface specifications, deployment guides, and post-test analysis reporting. Communicate findings and recommendations to internal leadership and external partners.

• Mentorship & Peer Support Provide guidance to other engineers and contribute to a culture of technical excellence, knowledge sharing, and development best practices.

Required Qualifications....

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field; advanced degrees preferred

• 5+ years of professional experience developing, deploying, or integrating autonomy software systems, preferably in maritime or defense contexts

• Strong proficiency in modern programming languages (e.g., C++, Python) and experience with middleware such as ROS, DDS, or other real-time communication frameworks

• Proven experience integrating with government, DoD, or defense industry systems and protocols; familiarity with military messaging formats and interoperability standards is a plus

• Deep understanding of autonomy frameworks, decision-making algorithms, and real-time system constraints in distributed, multi-agent environments

• Demonstrated ability to identify technical gaps and propose innovative software solutions aligned with mission requirements

• Comfortable working in both field test environments and simulation environments; experience with hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing is advantageous

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with the ability to interface across multidisciplinary teams and external partners

• U.S. Citizenship required; active DoD security clearance strongly preferred

Additional Desired Qualifications....

• Experience developing autonomy software for maritime, aerospace, or ground robotics systems operating in GPS-denied or communications-constrained environments

• Knowledge of distributed systems, multi-agent coordination, or swarm autonomy concepts

• Background in AI/ML applications for edge deployment, including model optimization techniques (e.g., pruning, quantization, or neuromorphic computing)

• Hands-on experience with containerized deployment (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes) on embedded or ruggedized platforms

• Understanding of naval mission planning concepts and experience interfacing with tactical decision aids or combat system software

• Prior participation in field demonstrations, military exercises, or test events involving autonomous systems

• Active Secret or higher DoD security clearance