Senior Robotics Engineer – Undersea Focus
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 13, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 13, 2026.
Interested in Challenging Work in an Essential Industry? Sonalysts, Inc. is seeking a Senior Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) Engineer with critical thinking and effective communication skills to perform testing & engineering functions for unmanned systems, combat systems, torpedo development, and/or torpedo defense development projects. The successful candidate will be a key contributor to the development of mission-critical, real-time military UUV hardware, software, and/or interfaces across all phases of the system development lifecycle.
Who are we:
Sonalysts, Inc. is a small, 100% employee owned business (ESOP) which supports a very diverse set of customers. While the company was originally founded in 1973 with a focus on sonar analysis (hence the name) for the Navy, Sonalysts has since expanded into a variety of other Defense and Commercial spaces. With current contracts supporting the Navy, Air Force, and Army and many other customers, Sonalysts relies on the skills and knowledge of its employee owners to help solve the Department of Defense’s most challenging problems while providing the best benefit to our customers. Ranging from retired service members from all branches of the military, to professionals with a wide mix of different commercial and technical backgrounds, Sonalysts has a diverse and capable workforce. From software development to operations analysis, engineering, wargaming, targeted knowledge elicitation, or large group facilitation - Sonalysts is capable of meeting any challenge.
By utilizing a small central corporate structure, coupled with a largely de-centralized approach to project management, Sonalysts is competitive with larger Defense Contractors while remaining agile and entrepreneurial at heart to provide rapid and innovative responses to customer requests. This allows our employee-owners to lead and support existing projects and to get involved with developing new business and winning new work. If you are looking for a way to use your technical or operational knowledge to support solving challenging problems for the military while being afforded the flexibility and empowerment of being a contractor or potential future leader in a small business, then Sonalysts may be the place for you.
What you will be doing:
- Work on interesting and challenging projects such as:
- Planning, coordinating, and supervising unmanned system development and testing
- Modeling and simulation of unmanned systems
- Hands on hardware and software integration of government owned UUVs
- Assist government teams with engineering development and system integration
- Participate in all areas of the UUV development lifecycle from planning through test evaluation, including evolutions at sea
What’s in it for you:
- Opportunity to challenge yourself intellectually
- Participate in the research and development of novel and cutting edge technology
- Ability to advance and lead independent project teams
- Salary ranges between $120,000-$185,000, dependent on experience, qualifications and other relevant business criteria
- Becoming an integral part of an innovative employee-owned company which includes:
- Flexible Time Program enabling an optimal work-life balance by permitting partners to arrange their work around personal appointments, parent-teacher conferences, children’s activities and the like, so long as the partner gets the job done on-time.
- Paid Time Off
- 401(k) Plan with company match
- Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
- Sales Bonus Program
- Special Performance and Retention Bonus Program
- Health and Dental Insurance
- Dependent Care Assistance Plan
- Health Care Reimbursement Plan
- Employee Referral Bonus Program
- Professional Development through Tuition Reimbursement Program, Online Training Program and Targeted Skills Program
- Relocation Assistance
Required Qualifications:
- U.S. Citizen, possessing an active Department of Defense SECRET (or higher) security clearance*
- Bachelor’s degree in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Ocean Engineering, or Systems Engineering or related technical degree
- 10+ years of relevant experience including at-sea operations.
- Significant experience with the full spectrum of unmanned systems (e.g., UUVs, UAVs, USVs) or related robotic systems, including:
- Operating, building, or testing unmanned systems/vehicles
- Modeling and simulation of unmanned systems (e.g., Gazebo, AirSim, AFSIM, MATLAB)
- Sonar and communications systems
- Operating systems and hardware integration
- Concept of operations, mission planning, and post-mission analysis
- Post-mission data and sonar analysis
Strongly Desired Experience/Qualifications:
- Prior military service in US Navy, especially service involving the employment of UUVs
- Master’s degree in any of the above fields
- Experience in and/or knowledge of:
- Troubleshooting unmanned systems/vehicles
- Ability to communicate with a dynamic group
- Deployed or expeditionary experience with unmanned systems/vehicles
- UUV autonomy frameworks and employment in complex environments
*Maintaining a U.S. Government security clearance involves periodic comprehensive background checks. Candidates are eligible for a clearance if they have demonstrated sound financial management (including good credit) over time, are free of criminal records, have limited foreign contacts or ties, and other factors indicative of a position of trust to protect information sensitive to the U.S. Government.
Sonalysts, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, disability, or other basis protected by law.
This job is not available to residents of New York City because of local law restrictions there.
Drug Testing Employer
www.sonalysts.com