Sr. Autonomy Engineer – Swarm & Collaborative Planning

At Zone 5 Technologies, we're redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems. Our team of engineers and innovators is developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions that push the boundaries of UAS technology - solving complex challenges that matter.

We're building the future of UAS capabilities, and we're looking for exceptional talent to join us. If you're driven by hard problems, energized by rapid innovation, and ready to make an impact on next-generation flight systems, you belong here.

We are seeking a Senior Autonomy Engineer to architect and deploy real-time multi-agent coordination, path planning, and collision avoidance systems for networked unmanned aerial swarms operating in noisy and contested environments. 

Responsibilities: 

Swarm Autonomy & Planning 

• Design and implement distributed consensus algorithms and task allocation frameworks for agent swarms 

• Develop robust path planning algorithms (RRT*, A*, optimization-based) that handle swarm formations, dynamic obstacles, no-fly and keep-in zones, and in-mission re-planning 

• Develop optimized swarm search algorithms with decentralized decision making 

• Build collision avoidance systems using geometric, optimization, and potential-field methods 

• Create adaptive mission execution frameworks that respond to perception updates, communication dropouts, and adversarial conditions 

• Design bandwidth-efficient coordination protocols that maintain swarm cohesion under severely constrained radio links 

Real-Time Systems & Integration 

• Implement autonomy stacks in ROS2 with C++ for deterministic performance on embedded compute 

• Develop Simulink models for algorithm validation and hardware-in-the-loop testing 

• Optimize computational performance to meet real-time constraints on resource-limited platforms 

• Architect communication-aware planning strategies that balance information sharing with bandwidth limitations 

Technical Leadership 

• Define system architecture for networked collaborative autonomy with degraded communications 

• Write technical specifications and design documents for autonomy capabilities 

• Collaborate with perception, controls, radio systems, and flight test teams to integrate and validate solutions 

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or related field (Master's preferred) – equivalent industry experience also welcome 

• 5-7+ years of experience developing autonomous systems with focus on multi-agent coordination or motion planning 

• Expert proficiency in C++ for real-time robotics/aerospace applications 

• Strong hands-on experience with ROS2 architecture, nodes, and distributed systems 

• Demonstrated expertise with Simulink for control and planning algorithm development 

• Deep knowledge of path planning algorithms: sampling-based (RRT*, PRM), search-based (A*, D*), and optimization-based (MPC, trajectory optimization) 

• Experience implementing collision avoidance and constraint satisfaction in multi-agent systems 

• Solid understanding of distributed algorithms, consensus protocols, and network-aware planning 

• Proven ability to integrate perception inputs (object tracks, maps, terrain) into planning decisions 

• Experience designing systems for bandwidth-constrained or intermittent network communications 

Preferred: 

• Experience with swarm robotics, formation control, or multi-robot task allocation 

• Knowledge of communication-constrained planning and decision-making under uncertainty 

• Familiar