The MITRE Corporation

Oct 9, 2026

Autonomous Systems Engineer

United States

New Bedford, Massachusetts, United States · McLean, Virginia, United States

Docker

About the opportunity

At MITRE, your passion fuels work that impacts our nation and improves lives. This is where your skills strengthen national security, cybersecurity, health, transportation, and citizen services. We’re a nonprofit engineering, applied research, and advanced technology organization working in the public interest. With objectivity and integrity at our core, we lead federally funded research and development centers for U.S. government agencies – collaborating with industry and academia to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions that advance our nation’s health, security, and prosperity. Our people tackle the toughest technical challenges, supported by competitive benefits, meaningful career development, and a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence. Choose MITRE for a career with purpose — and help shape the future.

The Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Department works to enable effective and safe adoption of embodied AI solutions for the most critical challenges. Our technical team of experts, developers, and strategists are helping to realize the benefits autonomy will bring across various sectors including defense, healthcare, transportation, and law enforcement. We bring our unique and unbiased understanding of missions, the innovation landscape, and technology to focus in areas where industry is not incentivized or able to operate to bring insights and solutions to MITRE’s sponsors and partners.

Roles & Responsibilities

Maintain knowledge of advances of autonomy and robotics capabilities

Leverage technical expertise to evaluate and improve AI/Autonomy system performance

Provide thought leadership centered around autonomy/AI technology adoption on robotics hardware and cloud-based computing environments

Evaluate autonomy or AI solutions and provide guidance to sponsors based on their requirements

Work on topics in robotics-relevant fields, such as computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, planning, human machine teaming, and multi-robot systems

Build capabilities in one of more growth area for Autonomous Systems (e.g., maritime autonomy, healthcare robotics, space robotics)

Help department and division execute strategy around enabling high-consequence applications of Autonomy, including necessary assurance, T&E, and societal implications

Basic Qualifications

Typically requires a Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2 years of autonomy and AI experience; or an advanced degree with relevant experience who can immediately contribute at this job step; or equivalent combination of autonomy -related education and work experience

Hands-on experience with one or more of the following technical areas: computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, control theory, human–machine teaming, or multi-robot systems

Ability to clearly articulate autonomy-specific challenges (perception, reasoning, behaviors, collaboration), understand real-world application constraints, discuss critical issues, and identify capability gaps

Familiarity with state-of-the-art autonomy research and tools, including ROS 2 and Docker

Ability to work independently to learn new technologies, methods, processes, frameworks, platforms, and systems

Excellent written and verbal communication skills to articulate challenging technical concepts to both lay and expert audiences

Experience executing autonomy-focused research initiatives

Ability and willingness to obtain and maintain a DOD Secret clearance within 12 months from the date of hire

Per the U.S. Government’s eligibility requirements, you must be a U.S Citizen to be considered for a security clearance

This position requires a minimum of 3 days a week on-site.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

None

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Secret

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree in related field such as Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, etc.

Experience with software development in a production setting

Knowledge of advances of Autonomy and AI evaluation capabilities in industry and academia

Domain knowledge of swarming systems, red teaming, counter UxS, robotic test and evaluation, agentic AI, manufacturing robotics, and/or missile defense

Experience with configuring and writing software for open-source flight controllers (ArduPilot, PX4. Mission Planner, QGroundControl, etc)

Experience with rapid prototyping, including fabrication and electronics

Experience with field testing autonomous systems, particularly unmanned aerial systems

Knowledge and/or experience with edge computing, C-SWAP (compute, size, weight, and power) platforms, and/or surrogate or scaled platforms

Work and/or leadership of teams to implement and evaluate AI and Autonomy algorithms

Active DoD Top Secret clearance

Salary compensation range and midpoint: $121,600 - $152,000 - $182,400 Annual

Work Location Type: Onsite

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. If you are unable to search or apply for jobs and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of MITRE’s employment process, please email recruitinghelp@mitre.org for general support and collegerecruiting@mitre.org for intern positions. This service is for individuals requiring reasonable accommodation requests. Please note that vendor solicitations will not receive a reply.

Benefits information may be found here.

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Autonomous Systems Engineer

About the opportunity

Roles & Responsibilities

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

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