Vehicle Autonomy Team Lead (Robotics)

TL;DR

Vehicle Autonomy Team Lead (Robotics): Leading the development and integration of on-vehicle autonomy stacks for autonomous surface vessels with an accent on navigation, motion planning, and real-world system reliability. Focus on guiding architecture decisions, mentoring engineers, and ensuring operational robustness in complex maritime environments.

Location: Remote (US). U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance are required. Preference for candidates in Boston, MA or Rhode Island; regular travel for field testing is required.

Salary: $175,000 – $200,000 + Equity & Bonus

Company

hirify.global is a leader in all-domain collaborative autonomy, developing software-defined hardware for autonomous systems across sea, air, and land.

What you will do

• Lead the technical execution of the on-vehicle autonomy team for autonomous surface vessels.
• Own autonomy capabilities including navigation, planning, control, behaviors, and safety logic.
• Define technical priorities, architecture, and development standards for vehicle autonomy systems.
• Mentor a team of robotics, planning, and controls engineers through design and code reviews.
• Drive capabilities from concept through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and field deployment.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with perception, embedded systems, and hardware teams.

Requirements

• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain/maintain a security clearance.
• 8+ years of experience in robotics, autonomy, unmanned systems, or defense technology.
• Proven experience leading engineers as a team lead, staff engineer, or engineering manager.
• Strong technical background in motion planning, controls, and autonomous system integration.
• Proficiency in C++ and/or Python within Linux-based development environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical/Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

Nice to have

• Experience with autonomous surface vessels, COLREGs-aware planning, or maritime domain awareness.
• Knowledge of ROS2, DDS, or distributed robotics architectures.
• Experience with multi-agent collaborative autonomy and coordinated vehicle behaviors.
• Background in supporting government, DoD, or dual-use technology programs.
• Active or prior security clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• 100% employer-paid Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance for employees and families.
• 401k program with company matching.
• Unlimited PTO policy with an enforced 2-week minimum.
• Equity package and work/home office stipend.
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Monthly health and wellness stipend and Global Entry.