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Autonomy Engineer - Aerial & Cross-Domain Integration

Havoc AI

Havoc AI

San Diego, CA, USA
Posted on Mar 13, 2026

Location

San Diego

Employment Type

Full time

Location Type

Hybrid

Department

Advanced Development

Compensation

  • $150K – $200K • Offers Equity • Offers Bonus

Our openings span more than one career level. The provided salary depends on many factors, such as work experience and transferable skills, business needs and impact, and market demands.

About Us:

Collaborative autonomy is how self-tasking teams of machines will solve hard human problems, and HavocAI is an unquestioned leader in collaborative autonomy. We set the standard for autonomous surface vessels for a wide range of defense and commercial maritime missions. Success requires us to grow quickly, and we’re looking for teammates who are passionate about solving hard problems, about pushing the envelope, and about preventing conflict and saving lives. Ambition is welcome to apply within.

About the Role

HavocAI is seeking an Autonomy Engineer – Aerial & Cross-Domain Integration to help integrate HavocOS across aerial and maritime platforms and push the limits of collaborative autonomy.

In this role, you will work at the intersection of autonomy software, robotics integration, and multi-agent systems, enabling teams of autonomous vehicles to coordinate and operate together with minimal operator oversight.

You will develop cooperative behaviors across air and surface assets, run swarm experiments, and help advance the concept of one-operator-to-many autonomous vehicles.

If you are excited about distributed autonomy systems and want to see your work demonstrated in real-world missions, this role offers the opportunity to shape the future of collaborative autonomy.

Key Responsibilities

Autonomy System Integration

  • Integrate HavocOS autonomy stack with aerial flight controllers and onboard compute systems

  • Ensure reliable communication between autonomy software, sensors, and vehicle control systems

Cross-Domain Collaboration

  • Develop cooperative behaviors between aerial and maritime autonomous platforms

  • Enable coordinated mission execution across multiple vehicle types

Multi-Agent Autonomy

  • Design and run multi-vehicle swarm experiments

  • Develop distributed decision-making and coordination strategies

Communications & Resilience

  • Design and test degraded communications scenarios

  • Ensure autonomy systems operate reliably under contested or intermittent connectivity

Field Testing & Experimentation

  • Conduct autonomy testing in live field environments

  • Support integration, deployment, and operational demonstrations

Data Collection & Model Improvement

  • Collect, analyze, and process flight and mission data

  • Use operational data to improve autonomy models and system performance

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field

  • Experience developing autonomy or robotics systems for UAVs or autonomous platforms

  • Strong programming skills in C++, Rust, Python, or similar languages

  • Experience with distributed systems or multi-agent coordination

  • Experience working with robotics frameworks and real-world systems

  • Comfortable debugging systems in field environments

  • Strong systems-thinking and problem-solving skills

  • U.S. Citizenship and eligibility for U.S. security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience working with UAV autonomy stacks or flight control systems

  • Familiarity with robotics frameworks (ROS2 or similar)

  • Experience with swarm autonomy or distributed decision systems

  • Experience with simulation environments and autonomy validation

  • Experience working with maritime or cross-domain robotic systems

  • Familiarity with defense or operational robotics environments

Success in the First 12 Months

  • Demonstrate live multi-vehicle autonomous coordination

  • Increase operator-to-asset supervision ratios

  • Deliver seamless aerial and maritime collaborative autonomy demonstrations

  • Advance Havoc’s capability for one-operator-to-many autonomous vehicle operations

Benefits:

  • 100% Employer paid Health, Dental and Vision Insurance for you and your families

  • Life Insurance (Employer Paid)

  • Ability to participate in the companies 401k program (Matching)

  • Unlimited PTO policy with an enforced 2 week minimum

  • Equity Package

  • Work / Home Office Stipend

  • Global Entry

  • 16 Week Paid Parental Leave

  • Monthly Health and Wellness Stipend


Our Values:

  • Innovation: We are driven to break new ground. Every day presents an opportunity to challenge the status quo, think boldly, and deliver advanced solutions that transform the future of defense technology.

  • Integrity: We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, ensuring transparency, accountability, and trust in all our actions and partnerships.

  • Mission-Driven: We are focused on achieving impactful outcomes that align with our core mission—protecting lives through innovation.

  • Forward-Leaning: We continuously seek out new opportunities and remain at the forefront of technological advancements. We embrace change and anticipate the challenges of tomorrow with confidence and creativity.

  • Ownership of All Tasks: At HavocAI, no problem is too complex or too trivial. We believe that greatness comes from tackling the hardest challenges, but also in handling the smallest, sometimes thankless, tasks with the same level of commitment and care.

  • Servant Leadership: We lead by serving others, whether it’s supporting our employees, partners, or the broader community. Empowering those around us is key to achieving long-term success and making a lasting impact.

HavocAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.

Compensation Range: $150K - $200K