Autonomous Systems Project Engineer

PPT Solutions is looking for an Autonomous Systems Project Engineer in the Launched Effects platforms!

About PPT Solutions,

We’re a team of passionate problem-solvers helping organizations transform how they serve their customers. At PPT Solutions, we believe in doing work that matters, with people who care. We combine deep expertise with a get-it-done mindset to deliver innovative, customer-centric solutions that make an impact. If you’re entrepreneurial minded, energized by leading teams, building customer relationships, and driving meaningful business results - you might be exactly who we’re looking for.

Role Overview:

The Project Engineer serves as the technical innovator and engineering lead driving the development, integration, and flight-testing of next-generation uncrewed Launched Effects (LE) platforms. The incumbent holds technical accountability across vendor platforms spanning rapid prototyping, hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) verification, flight demonstration, and low-rate production.

We seek a bold, intellectually curious engineer passionate about autonomous systems, edge AI compute, dynamic networking, and sensor-to-shooter integration. This role is not for passive caretakers of legacy processes: it requires a builder willing to challenge dogmatic engineering reviews, defy sluggish waterfall bureaucracies, and break through conventional acquisition stovepipes to deliver warfighter overmatch at operational speed.

Core Responsibilities:

• Rapid Prototyping & Flight Execution: Drive hands-on technical execution across vendor platforms from concept to range testing. Prioritize iterative hardware builds, live-fire flight demonstrations, and speed-to-ramp over protracted paper design cycles.
• Frontier Tech, AI & Payload Integration: Lead integration of edge AI compute, collaborative swarming algorithms, automated target recognition (ATR), and GPS-denied navigation into uncrewed airframes. Integrate modular payloads spanning electronic warfare (EW), RF sensors, EO/IR optics, and kinetic effects.
• Open Architecture (MOSA) & System Defiance: Enforce Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) standards to break proprietary vendor lock-in. Challenge legacy MIL-STDs and rigid requirements when commercial technologies, open APIs, or advanced manufacturing yield superior capability faster.
• Cost, Schedule & Technical Stewardship: Monitor and manage vendor technical baselines, test schedules, and delivery milestones. Identify design vulnerabilities, component obsolescence, and schedule drift early, holding industry partners accountable for rigor.
• Agile Contracting & Acquisition Packages: Develop technical requirements for Statements of Work (SOW), Performance Work Statements (PWS), and Contract Requirements Packages (CRP) leveraging rapid vehicles, including Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs) and Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA).
• Root-Cause Anomaly Resolution: Lead failure analysis and anomaly investigations following ground discrepancies and flight anomalies, applying radical technical candor to treat failures as rapid learning loops.
• Executive Technical Advocacy: Synthesize flight telemetry, complex engineering data, and risk-trade analyses into concise, decision-grade briefings and white papers for Program Managers and General Officers.

Key Competencies & Mindset:

• Intellectual Curiosity: Continuous appetite to master emerging UAS dynamics, collaborative autonomy, and contested electromagnetic warfare developments.
• Institutional Disruptor: Courage to challenge legacy processes, championing velocity, modularity, and prudent risk-taking to outpace pacing threats.
• Pragmatic Systems Builder: Aptitude for bridging commercial dual-use tech with military airworthiness, cyber survivability, and tactical durability realities.

Qualifications:

Required

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, Computer, Systems, or related field).
• Technology & Autonomy Passion: Demonstrated technical literacy in uncrewed systems (UAS), autonomous flight dynamics, robotics, edge computing, or embedded systems.
• Technical Leadership & Risk Management: Proven success identifying complex engineering risks, isolating root causes, and leading multi-disciplinary Integrated Product Teams (IPTs) through resolution.

Preferred

• Domain Mastery: Experience in Group 1-3 UAS, loitering munitions, cruise missiles, or precision-guided aerial delivery systems.
• Payload & Sensor Integration: Direct experience integrating kinetic warheads, EW systems, EO/IR sensors, tactical datalinks (MANET, Link 16), or Software Defined Radios (SDR).
• Rapid Acquisition Frameworks: Working familiarity with OTAs, Section 804 MTAs, Commercial Solutions Openings (CSO), or rapid defense innovation hubs (DIU, RCCTO, DARPA).
• Open Architecture Knowledge: Experience with defense open standards (e.g., OMS, UCI, FACE, SOSA) and payload plug-and-play standards.
• Clearance Level: Active Top Secret / SCI clearance.

Autonomous Systems Project Engineer-Launched Effects:

The Launched Effects Product Office develops attainable, collaborative, and transformative uncrewed capabilities for multi-domain operations. We value velocity over bureaucracy, candor over conformity.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

This job typically operates in a professional office environment with moderate noise level. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. This role may be required to remain stationary for extended periods of time. This role may require lifting lightweight objects, typically used in an office environment, such as a computer laptop, files, or copy paper.

For some, acknowledged at hire and in support of specified contract tasks, this role may be required to

work outside in moderate weather conditions, stand/remain stationary for long hours, and climb in and

out of vehicles/aircraft. The noise level in this work environment ranges from moderate to loud and may

require protective devices such as wearing ear plugs. Specific vision abilities required include close vision,

distance vision and the ability to differentiate between colors.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to

successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to

enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

At PPT, we value our employees. You can take comfort in the fact that here you will be treated as a professional, given room to grow and compensated with a benefits package to care for you and your family. You have made the decision to do meaningful work and we believe you should be rewarded for that decision. Explore our website and learn more about what it means to be a part of PPT Solutions.

Benefits offered include medical, dental, vision, basic life w/AD&D, supplemental life, short and long-term disability, EAP, FSA, 401(k), paid holidays, paid time off, employee referral award program and reimbursable job-related education/professional certification training.

PPT Solutions, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

1126-26