Ground Robotics Systems Engineer

Job Description GENERAL JOB SUMMARY: Ground Robotics Systems Engineer responsible for taking autonomous ground vehicle control systems, including remote operation and platooning, from working prototype to a product that can be built repeatably and trusted in the field. This position sits at the point where speed and safety meet: our mission is to deliver the value of self-driving vehicle technology quickly and safely, and this role determines whether a promising prototype becomes something we can put in a customer's hands. The work spans electrical, embedded, software, communications and mechanical subsystems, and carries designs through verification, validation and production release. The central requirement of this position is problem solving, beginning with what the customer needs and extending through architecture, design and the resolution of complex system failures. Programs in this group do not arrive as a finished requirements document. Customers present an operational problem, a rough concept, or a capability gap, and the engineer is responsible for defining what the system should be. Unlike environments where requirements are specified and traced from the outset, this position requires the ability to make decisions on incomplete information and take the lead in technical direction while applying production discipline to a design that is still in motion. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: Own the system architecture from concept forward, including subsystem decomposition, functional allocation and interface definitionTurn an unstructured customer problem into defined requirements, interfaces and acceptance criteria the team can build againstIsolate and resolve faults that cross electrical, firmware, software, networking, mechanical and manufacturing boundaries, and drive them to root causeMature prototype designs into production-ready systems, closing open design risk, reducing variation and designing for cost and buildDesign, build and test working prototypes across circuit design, embedded firmware, vehicle software and mechanical integrationPlan and execute verification and validation, including requirements traceability, design verification testing, environmental and durability testing, and EMC/EMIDevelop and tune control and estimation approaches, including feedback control, state estimation and sensor fusionOwn configuration control and the engineering release package, including schematics, interface control documents, drawings, bills of material and engineering change ordersPartner with production and manufacturing engineering on design for manufacturability and assembly, process capability, first article inspection, tooling and production testGuide supplier and component selection, including qualification, second sourcing and obsolescence managementPut current AI and modern engineering tools to work, including simulation, model-based design and data analysis, to compress development cycle time and strengthen verificationSeek out and adopt new tools, methods and technologies on an ongoing basisWork directly with customers and end users on technical mattersTravel to support testing, demonstrations, qualification, customers and fielded systemsMust be at assigned worksite during assigned hours 100% of time; less PTO, FML/STD/LTD OTHER JOB FUNCTIONS: Mentor new engineers, Co-op and InternsContribute to the technical bid and proposal processOther duties may be assigned SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: Provide technical direction to project engineering team and support staff Experience And Skills KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED: Problem solving that goes past the symptom to the underlying cause, and the persistence to see a fix through to proofCreative approaches when systematic methods stall, and the judgment to recognize when to change directionSkill in translating an unstructured customer concept into defined requirements, interfaces and acceptance criteriaCommand of the complete system, including how electronics, firmware, software, networking, sensing, actuation and mechanics affect one anotherProficient in applying current AI models as a productivity multiplier, including the judgment to review, verify and critique output rather than delegating complex technical work without oversightComfort applying production discipline to designs that are not yet fully definedProficient in verification and validation methods, including requirements definition and traceability, design verification testing and qualificationFamiliar with design for manufacturability and assembly, cost drivers and the requirements of volume productionProficient in configuration control and engineering release, including drawings, interface control documents, bills of material and revision integrityProficient in circuit design, including schematic capture, circuit analysis and design reviewProficient in the use of oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, meters and bench suppliesFamiliar with analog and power fundamentals, including signal conditioning, filtering, grounding, noise, power distribution and EMC-aware designFamiliar with embedded firmware, vehicle buses and networking sufficient to design across, integrate and debug themFamiliar with feedback control and state estimation as applied to ground vehiclesFamiliar with Linux environments, including shell, networking, services, device interfaces and log-based debuggingEffective collaboration within a multi-functional team in a fast-paced environmentClear technical communication in writing, including drawings, instructions and proceduresAbility to maintain sensitive and confidential information as required by government standardsMust have highly developed interpersonal skills and the ability to present and interact with customers and senior managementMust be a U.S. person with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Background in automotive, heavy equipment or industrial machinery development, including OEM, Tier 1 or off-highway and agricultural equipment experienceDemonstrated depth in one or more of the following: Kalman filtering and GNSS/INS, model predictive or other advanced control, motor drives and inverters, CAN network and ECU firmware design, or radio mesh networking and RF fundamentalsFamiliar with ground vehicle dynamics and drive-by-wire systemsFamiliar with perception sensors and their failure modes, including LiDAR, radar, cameras and IMUsFamiliar with machine learning applied to perception or controlFamiliar with PCB layout and design review, and CAD for enclosures, mounts and vehicle integrationEffective working relationships with production engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain and test organizationsProficient in automotive or industrial design and quality practice, including DFMEA, PFMEA, design reviews, tolerance analysis, reliability and corrective actionFamiliar with Robot Operating System (ROS/ROS 2) and version controlFamiliar with applicable compliance standards for vehicle or industrial equipment, such as ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 26262 functional safety, EMC/EMI and environmental and ingress requirementsProficient in Python and C/C++ EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: BS in technical field (i.e., Engineering, Math, Physics or Computer Science) or equivalent experienceA minimum of 5 years' experience developing hardware and software systems, with substantial time spent building rather than specifying. This minimum reflects the judgment required to deliver against schedule, cost and customer commitmentsBreadth of experience across electronics, firmware, software and integration rather than depth in a single specialtyExperience in development/test of microprocessor/computer-based control systems and related softwareExperience owning the architecture of a system rather than a single component within oneExperience taking at least one design from prototype through to a released, manufacturable product, including the verification and quality work required for that transitionAutomotive, heavy equipment, industrial machinery or defense ground vehicle development backgroundMS Office experience WORK ENVIRONMENT: On-site position requiring access to hardware, laboratory space, production areas and vehiclesTravel required to support testing, qualification, customers and fielded systemsWork performed in laboratory and outdoor test environments around vehicles and powered equipment THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED TO DESCRIBE THE GENERAL NATURE AND LEVEL OF WORK BEING PERFORMED BY INDIVIDUALS ASSIGNED TO THIS CLASSIFICATION. THEY ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE CONSTRUED AS AN EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ALL RESPONSIBILITIES, DUTIES AND SKILLS REQUIRED OF PERSONNEL SO CLASSIFIED. A REVIEW OF THIS CLASSIFICATION HAS EXCLUDED THE MARGINAL FUNCTIONS OF THE CLASSIFICATION THAT ARE INCIDENTAL TO THE PERFORMANCE OF FUNDAMENTAL JOB JUTIES. ALL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND REQUIREMENTS AND ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE MODIFICATION TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES TO PERFORM THIS JOB PROFICIENTLY. THE REQUIREMENTS LISTED IN THIS DOCUMENT ARE THE MINIMUM LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS OR ABILITIES. EEO/M/F/D/V Job Benefits Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance CoverageLife/ADD & Short/Long Term Disability Insurance401(k) Savings PlanEmployee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)Paid Time-Off (PTO)HolidaysEducation Reimbursement Kratos Defense is an Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer. EOE, Minorities, Females, Vet, Disabled, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or any other protected class. All qualified job seekers are encouraged to apply. Kratos Defense is committed to America's veterans by providing opportunities for them to continue contributing after service to our nation. We also work to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. EEO Is The Law Disability Accessibility Accommodation If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply to our careers site, please send your request to HRAccessibility@kratosdefense.com or call 858-964-2916. Any inquires not related to requesting an accommodation will be discarded. Pay Transparency The company will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. Job Applicant Privacy Notice For applicants in the EU and California residents, please review our privacy notice.