Autonomy Software Engineer (Experienced)

Posting Duration

This posting will be open for application submissions for a minimum of seven (7) calendar days, including the 'posting date'. Sandia reserves the right to extend the posting date at any time.

Salary Range

$99,700 - $196,100

*Salary range is estimated, and actual salary will be determined after consideration of the selected candidate's experience and qualifications, and application of any approved geographic salary differential.

What Your Job Will Be Like

Organization 05447, Autonomous Sensing and Control, is currently seeking a Software Engineer who is dedicated, loves to explore different solutions, and solve difficult problems for our nation's security!
On any given day, one may be called upon to:

• Design and perform implementation of algorithms to enable advanced autonomous perception based on geometry, semantics, and phenomenology (e.g. EO/IR, EM, acoustic, seismic, kinematic, etc.)
• Design, develop, and test systems to detect physical threats
• Conduct research and development to create novel autonomous sensors
• Write software and implement on embedded hardware to demonstrate real-time performance for low-power sensor systems
• Create and implement novel algorithms to analyze/exploit data
• Test and qualify sensing systems in the field
• Collaborate with teammates with diverse expertise, customers, suppliers, and other partners
• Propose, plan, and implement R&D on advanced algorithm development

Some travel is required for this position.

Qualifications We Require

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant STEM field and a Master's degree in Computer Science, Mathematics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a relevant STEM field, plus 1 year related experience
• Experience in developing mathematical algorithms and implementing them in software
• Experience in Python, C and/or C++, or similar programming languages
• The ability to occasionally travel to customer locations
• The ability to acquire and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance

Qualifications We Desire

• Expert-level experience developing code in Python, C++, or similar languages
• A familiarity with Unix/Linux programming environments
• Completed courses in machine learning applications
• Research experience in remote sensing, data analysis, image processing, machine learning, and/or detection algorithms
• Research accomplishments/publications in Automatic Target Recognition, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Remote Sensing, or related areas
• Experience in some of the following:
  • GPU/TPU with CUDA or similar programming
  • Applying novel image- and/or signal-processing algorithms to sensor data
  • Software development and related tools and methods including version control tools (e.g., GitLab), communication and task management tools (e.g., mattermost, JIRA), and dynamic task planning (e.g., Agile)
  • Implementing low-power algorithms on FPGA, ARM, or similar processors
  • A familiarity with ROS and/or UAV
  • Developing electronic circuit boards, electrical power systems, etc.
  • A familiarity with multi-agent/swarm coordination
• Excellent communication and teaming skills

About Our Team

Sandia's Autonomous Sensing and Controls department is a diverse and highly collaborative R&D team delivering next-generation sensor systems and algorithms for: detecting and classifying targets; detecting, segmenting, and classifying signals or images; navigating, guiding, and controlling flight bodies, including computing trajectories for hypersonic flights; and coordinating heterogeneous agents in battlespace. The department's unique expertise enables its sensors and control systems to have small size, weight, and power (SWaP). The sensors perform signal processing on-board in real time. They are networked and communicate with each other, and they are autonomous, requiring no human intervention once deployed. The development encompasses concept, algorithm, prototyping, programming at all levels, testing and qualification, and hardware delivery.
The customers are Defense (such as DTRA and DARPA) and Intelligence communities, Homeland Security, and other groups within Sandia, especially the flight Navigation, Guidance, and Control group. The department supports national security missions including nuclear proliferation detection, treaty monitoring, arms control, battlefield, and other critical high-reliability missions. The department collaborates extensively with other groups at Sandia, such as Optics, Embedded Systems, Synthetic Aperture Radar, Weapon Components, Geoscience, Robotics, and Satellites. The department staff also perform fundamental research under Sandia's Laboratory Directed Research and Development program, including the $40M/6yrs Autonomy-for-Hypersonics Mission Campaign.

About Sandia

Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation, with teams of specialists focused on cutting-edge work in a broad array of areas. Some of the main reasons we love our jobs:

• Challenging work with amazing impact that contributes to security, peace, and freedom worldwide
• Extraordinary co-workers
• Some of the best tools, equipment, and research facilities in the world
• Career advancement and enrichment opportunities
• Flexible work arrangements for many positions include 9/80 (work 80 hours every two weeks, with every other Friday off) and 4/10 (work 4 ten-hour days each week) compressed workweeks, part-time work, and telecommuting (a mix of onsite work and working from home)
• Generous vacations, strong medical and other benefits, competitive 401k, learning opportunities, relocation assistance and amenities aimed at creating a solid work/life balance*

World-changing technologies. Life-changing careers. Learn more about Sandia at: http://www.sandia.gov
*These benefits vary by job classification.

Security Clearance

Sandia is required by DOE to conduct a pre-employment drug test and background review that includes checks of personal references, credit, law enforcement records, and employment/education verifications. Applicants for employment need to be able to obtain and maintain a DOE Q-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship. If you hold more than one citizenship (i.e., of the U.S. and another country), your ability to obtain a security clearance may be impacted.
Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by DOE, resulting in the inability to perform the duties assigned and subsequent termination of employment.

EEO

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status and any other protected class under state or federal law.