Senior Research Engineer I

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Job Description

The System Offices is one of several system members within the Texas A&M University System representing one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a network of 12 universities, a comprehensive health science center, nine state agencies, and the RELLIS Campus. The Texas A&M University System mission is to provide education, conduct research, commercialize technology, offer training, and deliver services for the people of Texas and beyond.

The System Offices, within the Texas A&M University System, provides an outstanding benefits package including, but not limited to: competitive health benefits; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; a defined benefit retirement plan to include an employer contribution through Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS); if applicable, a defined contribution retirement plan to include an employer contribution through an approved ORP vendor: additional voluntary tax deferred annuity (TDA) options; tuition assistance; and wellness programs to promote work/life balance.

Salary:

$6,251.00 - $10,000.00 per month commensurate with experience.

Job Description Summary:

The Senior Research Engineer I serves as a lead technical architect and contributor, driving the high-level design of the BCDC autonomy stacks while scoping and prototyping solutions for emerging technical challenges. At the George H.W. Bush Combat Development Complex (BCDC), the Research Engineer for Multi-Agent Autonomy develops next-generation autonomous systems that enable coordinated, heterogeneous fleets to operate in complex, unstructured environments. This research focuses on the integration of diverse platforms, ranging from tactical UTVs and military-grade UGVs to unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and autonomous helicopters. We aim to solve the fundamental challenges of multi-agent coordination and shared situational awareness, fostering the human-agent teaming essential for future mission success. By bridging the gap between sophisticated algorithms and real-world application, our team develops technologies that significantly enhance unit capabilities, mobility, and speed of action. We translate theoretical breakthroughs into field-demonstrated reality through System Experimentation and Field Testing using our multi-vehicle fleet in the diverse off-road terrain of the RELLIS campus.

Responsibilities:

- Architects and implements the core frameworks for multi-agent coordination, setting the standard for modularity, performance, and scalability across all BCDC autonomy stacks.

- Conducts targeted background research in unfamiliar technical domains to scope emerging problems and develop initial proof-of-concept prototypes, accelerating the team's ability to adopt new methodologies.

- Acts as a primary developer for the most complex algorithmic challenges, producing high-performance, robust code (Python/C++) for embedded hardware and ROS2 middleware.

- Drives the development of cross-platform communication and shared situational awareness architectures, ensuring the seamless integration of air and ground assets.

- Serves as a technical authority on the evolution of the autonomy stacks, identifying and implementing emerging technologies that enhance multi-agent performance.

- Directs the design of multi-level simulation environments, ensuring they accurately reflect the complexities of field deployment for heterogeneous fleets.

- Architects integrated hardware-software systems, conducting technical trade studies to select sensor suites and compute platforms that optimize mission-level capabilities.

- Oversees the system-level integration of ROS2 nodes across complex platforms, including autonomous helicopters and robotic ground vehicles, to ensure hardware-software synergy.

- Leads high-stakes System Experimentation and Field Testing at the RELLIS campus, serving as the technical lead for large-scale demonstrations and ensuring mission success.

- Analyzes complex field data to generate system-level requirements and performance metrics, closing the loop between experimental results and future development cycles.

- Ensures technical continuity across multiple projects, helping the team balance efforts between established research and high-priority new initiatives.

- Mentors research staff through high-level design reviews and collaborative implementation, elevating the-technical standard of the entire development group.

- Translates high-level mission objectives and guidance from senior staff into robust system architectures and actionable development roadmaps.

- Collaborates with faculty and senior staff to identify and pursue new research opportunities, lead the development of technical proposals, and identify strategic funding trajectories for the autonomy group.

- Leads the generation of high-impact technical reports, presentations, and peer-reviewed publications.

Education and Experience:

- Master’s degree in applicable field or equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Six years of related experience.

- Experience prototyping architectures for decentralized communication frameworks, with the ability to select and implement middleware solutions for varying mission requirements.

- Experience identifying funding opportunities and contributing to the development of technical proposals for research sponsors.

Registration, Certifications, and Licenses:

- Must be able to obtain a U.S. Department of War Security Clearance.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

- Advanced knowledge of system architecture for multi-agent robotics and distributed autonomous systems.

- Ability to conduct technical scouting and scoping for novel research challenges in unfamiliar domains.

- Capability to develop system-wide frameworks and support technical continuity across multiple projects.

- Strong ability to bridge the gap between academic research (papers/theory) and field-deployable code.

- Familiarity with or exposure to leading System Experimentation and Field Testing for complex, multi-vehicle missions.

- Strong communication and presentation skills, with the capability to represent technical achievements to sponsors and research partners.

- A desire or capacity to mentor staff and contribute to long-term technical roadmaps for an autonomy team.

- Strategic thinking regarding technology transition and scaling.

- Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Other Requirements:

This is a security-sensitive position and is restricted to U.S. citizens only. Only complete applications will be considered for employment at The Texas A&M System Offices. Incomplete job application data could result in your application being rejected without an option to reapply. A cover letter and resume may be required in addition to a completed employment application.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.