Robotics Autonomy Engineer-Planning and Control (Federal)

FieldAI

$70K — $300K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Master's degree or higher in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering (PhD a plus)
  • Strong understanding of motion planning, trajectory generation, and control systems
  • Experience developing algorithms for robotic systems (wheeled, legged, humanoid)
  • Familiarity with motion planning libraries like OMPL, MoveIt, and Nav2 stack
  • Solid programming skills in C++ and Python on Linux-based systems
  • Familiarity with ROS/ROS 2 robotics middleware
  • Experience with robot sensors including LiDARs, stereo/depth cameras, IMUs, GPS, and wheel encoders
  • Ability to work on US government projects

Responsibilities

  • Design, develop, and refine motion and navigation planning algorithms for real-world challenges
  • Create optimization-driven path and trajectory generation methods for efficient navigation
  • Develop and tune control algorithms for precise trajectory tracking
  • Collaborate across autonomy layers for seamless performance between perception, planning, and control
  • Build and maintain testing pipelines for algorithm validation and field deployment
  • Utilize simulation for algorithm evaluation and benchmarking
  • Analyze telemetry data to improve algorithm performance

Benefits

  • Options for hybrid or remote work
  • Opportunities for professional development on cutting-edge robotics projects
  • Collaborative environment working with U.S. government projects
  • Exposure to a diverse range of robotic systems and challenges
  • Access to advanced simulation and testing tools for validation and deployment
Full Job Description
About the Job

Field AI is building the future of autonomy, from rugged terrain to real-world deployment. We are on a mission to develop intelligent, adaptable robotic systems that operate beyond simulation and thrive in unpredictable environments.

As our Robotics Autonomy Engineer - Planning and Control, you will design, implement, and deploy advanced motion planning and control algorithms that enable our robots to move with precision, robustness, and efficiency across diverse environments. You will work on navigation, trajectory generation, and motion control for robotic platforms ranging from wheeled and legged systems to complex humanoid architectures. If enabling robots to navigate challenging, dynamic environments excites you, and you want to work where your code works in the physical world - this is your role. This is Field AI.
What You'll Get To Do

1. Develop Robust Motion Planning Algorithms
  • Design, develop, and refine motion and navigation planning algorithms for challenging real-world scenarios such as narrow passages, dynamic obstacles, and complex environments.
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  • Design optimization-driven approaches for path and trajectory generation that ensure smooth, reliable, and efficient robot navigation across modalities.
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  • Ensure scalability, reusability, and adaptability of planning approaches across diverse deployment contexts.
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2. Advance Control and Planning Integration
  • Develop and tune control algorithms that ensure precise trajectory tracking and stable operation across different robotic systems.
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  • Collaborate across autonomy layers to ensure seamless coordination between perception, planning, and control for robust real-world performance.
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3. Validate and Test Across the Stack
  • Build and maintain testing pipelines from unit-level validation to full robot deployment.
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  • Utilize simulation and testing environments for algorithm evaluation, benchmarking, and regression validation.
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  • Analyze real-world telemetry to diagnose issues, identify improvements, and enhance algorithm robustness.
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4. Diagnose and Improve Field Performance
  • Investigate and resolve issues arising from field deployments through structured data analysis and debugging.
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  • Deliver targeted improvements that address specific challenges while maintaining general-case reliability and performance.
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What You Have
  • Master's degree or higher in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or a related field (PhD a plus).
  • >
  • Strong understanding of motion planning, trajectory generation, and control systems.
  • >
  • Experience developing algorithms for one or more robotic systems (wheeled, legged, wheeled-legged, humanoid).
  • >
  • Familiarity with motion planning libraries like OMPL, MoveIt, Nav2 stack etc
  • >
  • Solid programming skills in C++ and Python on Linux-based systems.
  • >
  • Familiarity with robotics middleware such as ROS/ROS 2.
  • >
  • Experience with robot sensors including LiDARs, stereo/depth cameras, IMUs, GPS, wheel encoders.
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  • Ability to work on US government project
  • >

The Extras That Set You Apart
  • Exposure to real-world deployment of autonomous systems.
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  • Background in optimization, control, or numerical methods for trajectory planning.
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  • Familiarity with learning-based or hybrid planning approaches.
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  • Contributions to open-source planning or control frameworks.
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  • Familiarity with safety-critical autonomy and industrial robotics use cases.
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$70,000 - $300,000 a year

This position is for our FieldAI Federal Team. This team works on projects connected to the U.S. government which requires U.S. Person eligibility. A U.S. Person as defined by 22 C.F.R 120.62 includes U.S. Citizen, U.S. National, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) refugee or asylee.

Compensation and Benefits

Our salary range is between ($70,000 - $300,000 annual), but we take into consideration an individual's background and experience in determining final salary; base pay offered may vary considerably depending on geographic location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Also, while we enjoy being together on-site, we are open to exploring a hybrid or remote option.

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