Staff Software Engineer, Localization

Company: Tbwa Chiat/Day Inc
Location: Costa Mesa
Posted on: March 22, 2025

Job Description:

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century's most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril's family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.The Tactical Recon and Strike (TRS) team at Anduril develops aerial small drones (Group 1-3) and all equipment to test, deploy and operate. The team is responsible for taking products like Ghost, Anvil, Bolt and Altius from paper sketches to operational systems. We work in close coordination with specialist teams to solve some of the hardest problems facing our customers. We are looking for software engineers, hardware engineers, roboticists, and front-end mobile developers who are excited about creating a powerful robotics platform that can be tasked and viewed in real-time through a variety of interfaces.Anduril is seeking a skilled navigation, localization, and positioning leader with strong experience in robotics-focused pose localization techniques. This role emphasizes the design and implementation of Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) while leveraging sensor fusion algorithms and pose estimation methods for precise navigation of robotic vehicles. The ideal candidate will be a proven technical leader who can influence our organization to make the right decisions, demonstrate customer empathy, build trust with partners, mentor teammates, and transform culture within the team.Must be eligible to obtain and hold a US DoD Security Clearance.This position will be located at our headquarters in Costa Mesa, CA (relocation benefits provided.)WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Design and develop algorithms for real-time navigation, path planning and obstacle avoidance systems in a nominal, degraded and contested/adversarial environment (jamming, spoofing etc)
• Implement sensor fusion techniques to integrate data from multiple sensors such as GNSS, IMU, LIDAR, radar, sonar and cameras to enhance the accuracy and robustness of vehicle navigation where applicable
• Develop simulation and testing environment to evaluate the performance of Navigation and Localization solutions under different environmental conditions and scenarios
• Optimize and design fault tolerant algorithms for computational efficiency and robustness to ensure reliable operation in challenging and contested environments
• Analyze mission requirements and constraints across the Anduril product portfolio to determine optimal navigation, localization, and positioning system architecture
• Lead an Anduril-wide navigation, localization, and positioning community of practice
• Lead the navigation, localization, and position strategy, roadmap and solution architecture for Anduril
• Drive evaluation and integration of advanced alternative navigation aiding sources
• Design, develop, integrate and test inertial navigation systems (INS), GNSS products, visual navigation, and other related technologies for autonomous military vehicles (UAS, spacecraft, missiles, ground vehicles, underwater vehicles etc.)
• Develop algorithms for navigation, localization, and positioning systems, including Kalman filters (Extended-KF, Unscented-KF, Ensemble-KF, Iterated-EKF, Gaussian Sum Filter) and other estimation methods using various programming languages
• Architect and improve calibration procedures for sensor suites used in navigation systems
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate navigation solutions into overall vehicle systems
• Conduct rigorous simulation and testing for validation of navigation algorithms and systems performance
• Stay up-to-date with the latest developments and research in navigation technologiesREQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Master's or PhD degree in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics or a related field
  • Currently contributes to C++ or Rust projects in a Linux development environment with extensive experience in these languages
  • Proven experience in developing Navigation and Localization algorithms for autonomous vehicles, robotics, drones, maritime vehicles or similar application
  • Experience with sensor calibration, sensor fusion, state estimation, and SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) techniques
  • Strong knowledge of navigation principles, including inertial navigation, GPS, and other sensors such as star trackers
  • Experience with navigation, localization, and positioning systems design and development
  • Deep expertise in Kalman filtering, Extended Kalman filtering, and other estimation techniques.
  • Experience with real-time systems and diverse software development
  • Knowledge of sensor fusion and data integration techniques
  • Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
  • Experience applying covariance analysis techniques to optimize navigation system performance, error modeling, and system uncertainty assessments, and requirements methods
  • Must be eligible to obtain and hold a US DoD Security Clearance.PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
    • Experience applying real-time pose localization algorithms from robotics to enhance the accuracy and robustness of aerospace vehicle navigation.
    • Experience in developing navigation and localization solutionsUS Salary Range: $196,000 - $294,000 USDThe salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
      • Platinum Healthcare Benefits: For U.S. roles, we offer comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
      • Basic Life/AD&D and long-term disability insurance 100% covered by Anduril, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
      • Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a holiday hiatus in December, and highly competitive PTO plans.
      • 16 weeks of paid Caregiver & Wellness Leave to care for a family member, bond with your baby, or tend to your own medical condition.
      • Family Planning & Parenting Support: Fertility (eg, IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carrier coverage with additional benefits and resources to provide support from planning to parenting.
      • Mental Health Resources: We provide free mental health resources 24/7 including therapy, life coaching, and more. Additional work-life services, such as free legal and financial support, available to you as well.
      • A professional development stipend is available to all Andurilians.
      • Daily Meals and Provisions: For many of our offices this means breakfast, lunch and fully stocked micro-kitchens.
      • Company-funded commuter benefits available based on your region.
      • Relocation assistance (depending on role eligibility).
      • 401(k) retirement savings plan - both a traditional and Roth 401(k). (US roles only)Anduril is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. The Anduril team is made up of incredibly talented and unique individuals, who together are disrupting industry norms by creating new paths towards the future of defense technology. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the CA Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, Veterans, and those with disabilities to apply, and we work to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all applicants throughout the interview process.
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Keywords: Tbwa Chiat/Day Inc, Costa Mesa , Staff Software Engineer, Localization, IT / Software / Systems , Costa Mesa, California