Senior Autonomy Engineer (Federal)

Job description

[FieldAI](http://www.fieldai.com)’s Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California’s robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field. **About the Job** At **FieldAI**, we build autonomous robotic systems that operate in demanding, real-world environments where tight integration between hardware and software is critical. We’re looking for a **Senior Autonomy Engineer** to support testing, deployment, and integration of wheeled robotic platforms across both federal and commercial programs As a **Senior Autonomy Engineer** at FieldAI, you’ll be at the forefront of bringing our autonomous systems to life in the real world, owning deployment, integration, and ongoing performance in the field. This role is equal parts engineering and problem-solving. You’ll work hands-on with both customers and our internal teams to ensure successful operations, rapidly incorporate field feedback to improve reliability and performance, and drive adoption so our systems become mission-critical from day one. If you thrive in fast-paced, high-impact environments and want to see your work directly enable the future of autonomy, this is the role where you’ll make it happen. ### What You Will Get To Do **1. Field Deployment & Operations** - Lead the end-to-end deployment of autonomous systems in customer environments. - Ensure systems are configured, tested, and operational under real-world conditions. - Troubleshoot and resolve technical issues quickly to maintain uptime and mission success. **2. System Reliability & Performance** - Gather and analyze field feedback to identify areas for improvement. - Work closely with product and engineering teams to drive enhancements into the core system. - Implement monitoring and diagnostic tools to ensure sustained reliability. **3. Customer Enablement & Adoption** - Partner with customer teams to train and support operators in achieving operational readiness. - Translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable workflows. - Act as a trusted advisor to accelerate adoption and long-term value realization. **4. Cross-Functional Collaboration** - Serve as the voice of the customer, bringing field insights back to engineering and product teams. - Collaborate across software, hardware, and AI research groups to deliver integrated solutions. - Contribute to building scalable deployment practices and playbooks for future rollouts. ### What You Have - PhD degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field or MS degree in a related field with 2+ years of industry or applied research experience, or BS degree in a related field with 4+ years of relevant experience. - Experience in field deployment of complex technical systems. - Proficiency in Python, C++, Git, ROS/ROS2. - Familiarity with Linux-based systems, containerization, and cloud infrastructure. - Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills across software, hardware, and networking layers. - Self-starter mindset with the ability to thrive in ambiguous and rapidly changing environments. ### The Extras That Set You Apart - Experience deploying, operating, or maintaining mission-critical systems in real-world environments. - Experience using Jira or Wrike or Confluence or other program management software tools. - Ability to work directly with customers in high-stakes, fast-paced settings, translating needs into technical solutions. - Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical users. - Willingness to travel and work on-site with customers as needed.