Autonomy Engineer (UAV Robotics)

Location: Seattle, WA; hybrid

Salary: $122,000–$275,000 per year

Company

hirify.global develops drones, ruggedized communication devices, and 911 response networks that provide real-time visual data and support public safety agencies.

What you will do

• Research, design, implement, and optimize algorithms for safe UAV navigation.
• Develop local trajectory generation, obstacle detection and avoidance, global route planning, and behavior planning systems.
• Optimize navigation algorithms for embedded processors, computational efficiency, and system resiliency.
• Apply sensor data to detect obstacles and environmental hazards.
• Validate navigation performance through simulation, log replay, hardware-in-the-loop, and real-world flight testing.
• Collaborate with state estimation, control, embedded software, live operations, and hardware teams to integrate navigation solutions into production UAV platforms.

Requirements

• PhD in Computer Science or a related field, or a Master's degree with at least 2 years of industry experience.
• Strong C++ and Python programming skills with experience developing software for physical systems.
• Experience developing planning or perception systems for unmanned systems.
• Familiarity with motion and path planning techniques such as RRT*, A*, or MPC-based trajectory optimization.
• Experience applying radar, computer vision, or deep learning to perception on resource-constrained edge hardware.
• Experience with UAV reliability, autonomous flight, ROS2, PX4, MAVSDK, or similar robotics middleware.

Nice to have

• Experience with safety-critical or certifiable software practices.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans for employees and families.
• 401(k) plan.
• Maternity and paternity leave.
• Flexible time off or paid time off, depending on employment classification.
• Flexible work environment, with an Orca pass, free parking, snacks, drinks, and espresso available at the Seattle office.
• Values include innovation, technical excellence, listening to end-users, and saving lives through technology.