Principal Engineer - AQNav

About SandboxAQ

SandboxAQ is a high-growth company delivering AI solutions that address some of the world's greatest challenges. The company’s Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) power advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, cybersecurity, and other sectors.

We are a global team that is tech-focused and includes experts in AI, chemistry, cybersecurity, physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, and other specialties. The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders. 

At SandboxAQ, we’ve cultivated an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and impact. By investing deeply in our people, we’re building a thriving, global workforce poised to tackle the world's epic challenges. Join us to advance your career in pursuit of an inspiring mission, in a community of like-minded people who value entrepreneurialism, ownership, and transformative impact. 

At AQNav, we're not just building navigation systems; we're pioneering a new era of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) that transcends the limitations of GPS. We're developing cutting-edge magnetic navigation solutions that provide robust and reliable positioning in GPS-denied environments, opening up possibilities for autonomous systems, advanced aerospace applications, and beyond. We're a team of world-class innovators, driven by a shared passion for pushing the boundaries of what's possible in navigation technology. Fresh off being named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024 and Fast Company’s 'Next Big Thing in Transportation,' we’re expanding our team to drive the future of navigation. If you're a visionary engineer seeking to make a real-world impact, join us as we redefine how the world finds its way.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Principal Engineer to lead the development and integration of our next-generation magnetic navigation solutions. As a leader of a small and nimble team, you’ll have opportunities to both do engineering as a senior individual contributor as well as direct the efforts of the team overall. In this role, you will be joining the team AQNav leadership team in a senior role.

This role offers an exciting, and unparalleled opportunity to shape the future of PNT, working at the forefront of a rapidly evolving field. You will be instrumental in developing and deploying technology that will have significant implications for national security, commercial aviation, and other critical sectors.

If this challenge resonates with you and you’re excited about the idea of building something new and necessary, come join our team!

As a Principal Engineer, you will:

• Lead and define AQNav’s strategic technical direction in magnetic navigation, leading development workstreams across a multidisciplinary engineering organization including hardware, software, AI,  and navigation algorithm engineers.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and guidance to a team of talented engineers, fostering their professional growth and contributing to a culture of technical excellence.
• Trailblaze the cutting edge of magnetic navigation technology, actively researching and evaluating advancements in quantum sensing, AI/ML-driven navigation, and other relevant fields to ensure AQNav remains a leader in the industry
• Attend and present on behalf of the AQNav team to external stakeholders, including governmental, client, and regulatory bodies, including at relevant industry conferences or conventions.
• Spearhead the design, development, and rigorous testing of cutting-edge magnetic navigation systems for a variety of challenging operational platforms, including advanced aircraft, unmanned vehicles, and other demanding applications. 
• Work with subject matter experts to establish and execute rigorous calibration, validation, and verification procedures to ensure the highest levels of performance and reliability in diverse operational environments.
• Oversee the efficient operation of a set of cross-functional teams, including hardware, software, and testing engineers both internal and external to the company, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment to drive seamless system integration and rapid prototyping.
• Execute our transition plan from prototype to production over the coming years, including international expansion.
• Work directly with engineers, and cross-functionally, to problem-solve priority workstreams and accelerate development. efforts.