{"id":2230020,"url":"https://alion.io/job/fortastra-autonomy-engineer","title":"Sr. Autonomy Engineer","company":{"id":3910291,"name":"Fortastra","domain":"fortastra.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/fortastra","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":75,"open_postings":3,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":null,"computed_at":"2026-10-24T06:02:35Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Torrance, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":195000,"max":225000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":225000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"AI Agents","optional":false},{"name":"C++","optional":false},{"name":"Linux","optional":false},{"name":"Motion Planning","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"ROS","optional":false},{"name":"Sensor Fusion","optional":false},{"name":"Ubuntu","optional":false},{"name":"Claude","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-24T16:37:05Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-22","last_verified_at":"2026-10-24T12:37:13Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":29,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":29},"description":"Company Overview\nFortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We integrate advanced autonomy, sensing, and control into systems engineered for reliability, speed, and scale. Our culture values simplicity, accountability, and disciplined execution empowering every engineer to think systemically, act decisively, and build with purpose. Aggressive innovation. Disciplined execution. Strength among the stars.\nWe recently closed a $30M Series A to build the future of on-orbit security and we’re just getting started!\nTeam / Department\nYou will join Fortastra’s Engineering Division, responsible for the design, development, and test of flight systems across our autonomous spacecraft portfolio.\nThe Role \nFortastra is seeking an Senior Autonomy Engineer. You will focus on the tactical execution of our autonomous spacecraft by developing the software and algorithms that enable multi-agent coordination, vehicle navigation, and trajectory planning across a distributed spacecraft constellation. You’ll work closely with GNC and Flight Software engineers to implement and validate onboard autonomy, from simulation to on-orbit operations.\nKey Responsibilities\nBuild autonomy algorithms for multi-agent spacecraft coordination, drawing from paradigms in UAVs, drones, and advanced driver assistance systems.\nDevelop vehicle navigation and trajectory planning software tailored to space mission constraints and safety requirements.\nDesign and implement multi-sensor fusion approaches, with emphasis on camera-based perception and familiarity with radar and lidar.\nContribute to edge compute selection and trade studies for onboard autonomy, including watchdog concepts and reliability considerations.\nDevelop and integrate autonomy capabilities within Fortastra’s proprietary simulation environment and ROS-based toolchains.\nImplement autonomy software in Python and C++, targeting Linux (Ubuntu) environments and eventual flight software integration.\nDefine and support failure operation modes and contingency behaviors for spacecraft autonomy.\nCollaborate with GNC, avionics, and flight software teams to define interfaces, data models, and test strategies for autonomy features.\nQualifications & Skills\nB.S. Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace, Robotics, or other sciences and/or physics-based degree.\n5-8 years of industry experience in robotics, autonomy, or related fields (not including internships; exceptional internship experience considered).\nExperience in robotics or autonomous systems, including vehicle navigation and trajectory/motion planning.\nProficiency in software development with Python and C++.\nFamiliarity with Linux (Ubuntu) development environments.\nExperience with simulation tools such as ROS or similar robotics frameworks.\nUnderstanding of safety-critical or failure modes for complex systems (spacecraft, automotive, aviation, industrial, or robotics).\nExposure to sensor fusion concepts (camera, radar, lidar) and active safety systems or ADAS is a plus.\nComfort using modern agentic AI tools (e.g., Claude) in the development workflow.\nAbility to work independently and in small, fast-moving teams.\nWork is on-site, remote or hybrid arrangements will not be considered.\nU.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain or have an active TS/SCI clearance (US Person considered).\nWhy Fortastra\nWe are a small, high-impact team building the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security space. At Fortastra, leaders own outcomes from first principles through flight and directly shape the future of resilient, mission-critical spacecraft autonomy.\nFORTASTRA TALENT & CULTURE PRINCIPLES\nValues Driven by First Principles\nWe value engineers and operators who prioritize sound judgment, candor, technical rigor, bias for action, and intellectual honesty over corporate consensus. We care about the caliber of the system you build and the speed at which you solve problems.\nTalent Density Over Headcount\nA high-performing startup is built on dense talent, not organizational bloat. A single exceptional engineer designs, tests, and delivers faster than a bloated committee. We intentionally maintain a lean, elite engineering crew where every contributor directly moves the needle on the mission. \nHigh Autonomy, High Ownership\nWe hire domain experts to execute, not to micromanage them. You own your systems end-to-end, from initial architecture and hardware design to testing and deployment. With absolute ownership comes the responsibility to deliver mission critical reliability. \nMission Context Over Bureaucracy\nThe best execution happens when teams are provided clear technical objectives, constraints, and operational context, rather than rigid top-down policies. We strip away red tape so builders can iterate, make decisions, and push hardware and flight software forward rapidly. \nDisciplined Speed & Flight Rigor\nWe move fast because we test often and kill artificial bottlenecks, not because we cut corners. Rapid iteration on the test stand and in simulation is how we learn; an uncompromising flight-readiness bar is how we earn trust. Precision without friction, speed without recklessness.\nDirect Impact, Not Career Bureaucracy\nYou don’t come to Fortastra to climb a corporate ladder or manage slide decks; you come to build complex, flight-ready systems from day one. Growth here is organic, driven by the magnitude of technical challenges you solve and the trust you build across the team. \nBenefits\nWe take care of our employees so they can focus on what matters most: family, well-being, and life outside of work.\nUnlimited Paid Time Off so that you have the time you need to rest and recharge.\nComprehensive Healthcare: Medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, because peace of mind starts with feeling cared for.\nEquity: Share in Fortastra's success with equity in the company you're helping build.\n401(k): A 401(k) plan to help you invest in your future and plan for what's ahead.\nSocial Events: Regular social events, team outings, and company-sponsored activities that make this a place people are glad to be part of.\nThe pay range for this role is $195,000.00 - $225,000.00. Where an offer falls within that range depends on factors like your qualifications, experience, location, and interview performance, which we weigh against the market rate for the position.\nRecruiters & Agencies: Fortastra does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from recruiters, agencies, or third parties. Any candidate submitted without a signed agreement and prior written authorization from Fortastra will not be subject to any fee, and no relationship is implied. Please do not contact Fortastra employees, hiring managers, or recruiting team directly.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6890,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Satellite Manufacturing","Space Defense"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-10T19:41:07Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":58,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.773,"p_room":0.75,"age_days":29,"expected_fill_days":36,"reasons":["conf:2","win:late"],"computed_at":"2026-10-24T06:02:35Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":225000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/fortastra-autonomy-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/fortastra-autonomy-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-24T15:43:03Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":22618,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-25T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":3910291},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=3910291"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Ffortastra-autonomy-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Ffortastra-autonomy-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Ffortastra-autonomy-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/fortastra-autonomy-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Ffortastra-autonomy-engineer"}]}