Lead Research Engineer

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Air Dominance & Strike team at Anduril develops aerial and multi-domain robotic systems. The team is responsible for taking products like Fury (unmanned fighter jet) and Barracuda (air-breathing cruise missile) from concept to product. The team also develops Lattice for Mission Autonomy, Anduril’s premier software platform that enables masses of Fury, Barracuda, and other first and third party robots to collaborate across various missions. We work in close coordination with specialist teams like Perception, Motion Planning, Hardware, and Test Engineering to solve some of the hardest problems facing our customers. We are looking for software engineers and roboticists excited about creating a powerful autonomy software stack that includes computer vision, motion planning, SLAM, controls, estimation, and secure communications.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a Research Engineer to drive innovations in autonomous vehicle technology using deep learning and reinforcement learning. In this dynamic role, you will design state-of-the-art algorithms and systems that enable safe, efficient, and intelligent autonomous driving. You’ll work at the intersection of simulation, perception, and decision-making to push the boundaries of what’s possible in autonomous mobility.

What You’ll Do

Develop Advanced Algorithms:
Design and implement deep learning and reinforcement learning algorithms to improve sensor perception, prediction, and decision-making for autonomous vehicles.
End-to-End System Integration:
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate research prototypes into robust, production-ready systems including simulation environments and real-world platforms.
Research & Experimentation:
Conduct research into reinforcement learning strategies and deep architectures, iterate on experimental designs, and evaluate performance using rigorous quantitative metrics.
Data-Driven Innovation:
Utilize real-world and synthetic data to enhance model robustness and generalization, leveraging scalable training pipelines on distributed systems.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Machine Learning, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Proficiency in deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX).
• Experience as a Principal Investigator in a research-driven environment
• Solid experience with reinforcement learning methods and their application to autonomous systems.
• Strong programming skills in Python and familiarity with C/C++ is a plus.
• Demonstrated track record in developing and deploying ML models for complex systems.
• Experience with simulation or real-world validation for autonomous vehicles is highly desirable.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience in multi-modal sensor data processing (e.g., cameras, LiDAR, radar).
• Prior contributions to the research community, including publications or open-source projects.
• Familiarity with ML Ops best practices, including model versioning and reproducible research pipelines.

US Salary Range$198,000—$342,000 USD

 

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

• Platinum Healthcare Benefits: For U.S. roles, we offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
  • For UK roles, Private Medical Insurance (PMI): Anduril will cover the full cost of the insurance premi