Associate Autonomy Engineer

What We Do:

At the SEI AI Division, we conduct research in applied artificial intelligence and the engineering questions related to the practical design and implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and systems. We currently lead a community-wide movement to mature the discipline of AI Engineering for Defense and National Security.

As our government customers adopt AI and machine learning (ML) technologies to provide leap-ahead mission capabilities, we:

• build real-world, mission-scale AI capabilities through solving practical engineering problems
• discover and define the processes, practices, and tools to support operationalizing AI for robust, secure, scalable, and human-centered mission capabilities
• prepare our customers to be ready for the unique challenges of adopting, deploying, using, and maintaining AI capabilities
• identify and investigate emerging AI and AI-adjacent technologies that are rapidly transforming the technology landscape

Are you creative, curious, energetic, collaborative, technology-focused, and hard-working?

Are you interested in making a difference by bringing innovation to government organizations and beyond?

Apply to join our team.

Position Summary:

As an Associate Autonomy Engineer, you will identify, shape, apply, conduct, and lead engineering research that matches critical U.S. government needs. The AI for Autonomy Lab researches and demonstrates the application of AI-related technologies for increasing the effectiveness of autonomous systems. 

Requirements:

• BS in Computer Science or related discipline with 3 years of experience; OR MS in the same fields with 1 year of experience; OR PhD in the same fields.
• Flexible to travel to other SEI offices in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, sponsor sites, conferences, and offsite meetings on occasion. Moderate (25%) travel outside of your home location.
• You will be subject to a background investigation and must be eligible to obtain and maintain a Department of Defense security clearance.
• Applicants for this position must be currently legally authorized to work for CMU in the United States. CMU will not sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this opportunity.

Duties:

• Solution Development: You’ll work with and lead interdisciplinary teams to turn research results into prototype operational capabilities for government customers and stakeholders.
• Hands-on Prototyping: You’ll conduct and lead novel prototyping in applied artificial intelligence with a focus on autonomy and uncrewed systems (multi-domain).
• Strategy: You’ll work with AI Division leaders and colleagues to plan, develop, and carry out an overall research and engineering strategy, and to influence the national research and engineering agenda regarding future technology.
• Collaboration: You'll actively participate on teams of AI/ML engineers, software developers, researchers, designers, and technical leads. You'll build relationships and collaborate with external thought leaders, government customers, and other stakeholders to monitor the autonomy landscape and understand challenges, needs, possible solutions, and research and engineering directions.
• Mentoring: You'll contribute to improving the overall technical capabilities of the team by mentoring and teaching others, participating in technical design and planning sessions, and sharing insights and wisdom across the SEI AI Division.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Deep Technical Knowledge: You have performed extensive research or engineering activities in applied machine learning and artificial intelligence for robotic systems. You have applied systems engineering principles to multiple phases of the engineering lifecycle for AI-enabled autonomous systems, and understand the requirements for successful deployment and operation of complex, mission systems.  
• Robotics & Autonomy: You have a strong understanding of robotics principles and design techniques for air, sea, or land-based vehicles.  You have experience applying AI technology within these domains and understand the related implications and challenges. Your experience includes areas such as navigation, collision avoidance, multi-agent collaboration, object search/tracking, and human-machine teaming. You have a strong grasp of AI approaches to planning and control, to include robotic control, motion planning, task planning, and battle management. Experience with reinforcement learning preferred. You are familiar with modeling and simulation and their role in training and testing.
• Test & Evaluation: You have designed and conducted test and evaluation activities for AI-enabled autonomous systems. You have extensive experience implementing system,