Senior Perception & Autonomy Researcher

Overview

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.

 

Our work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.

 

 

Equal Employment Opportunity

Draper is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer.   We understand the value of diversity and its impact on a high-performance culture.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information.   

 

Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact hr@draper.com.

Responsibilities

A position is established for an individual interested in pursuing a challenging career in applied research for perception and autonomy applied to a variety of systems, with an emphasis on task and motion planning, modeling and control of complex dynamic systems and optimization for a variety of autonomous vehicle systems.  The candidate will work on cutting-edge efforts for US government and commercial customers. Areas of work include autonomous aerial vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and other decision-making frameworks.  The ideal candidate is an assertive self-starter, engaging colleagues and building ideas in a team-centered environment.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:   

• MS/PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a similar technical field of study, or equivalent years of experience
• Experience in robotic research in one or more of the following: task planning (e.g., hierarchical task networks), motion planning and control, perception
• Specific experience in at least one of the following:  trajectory optimization; planning under uncertainty; probabilistic robotics; optimal control; guidance, navigation & control (GN&C)
• Solid programming experience (e.g., C/C++, Python, MATLAB), experience with robot operating system (ROS)
• Good written and spoken communication skills

Security Requirement:   

•  Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance.