Autonomy Test/ Integration Engineer

Who We Are: AM Pierce & Associates and Applied Technologies Group (ATG), a wholly owned subsidiary of AM Pierce and Associates, is a woman-owned small business providing Engineering & Research, Cyber, C5ISR, Program & Acquisition Management services and solutions to a diverse government and industry client base. We are a stable and growing company who offers our employees a rich benefits package, supportive and flexible work environment, and the opportunity to work with experts in their field.

The Position: We are looking for a candidate who will be performing the role of an Autonomy Test & Integration Engineer – Journeyman. The Autonomy Test & Integration Engineer develops independent test infrastructure used to integrate, exercise, and evaluate third-party autonomy software. The position is not initially focused on developing autonomy products; however, hands-on autonomy implementation experience is a key qualification. Credible autonomy testing requires understanding how autonomy systems represent operational state, plan, make decisions, execute behaviors, interact with controlled systems, process feedback, and adapt to changing mission conditions.

The engineer will apply this knowledge to develop test strategies, simulation and integration capabilities, test harnesses, instrumentation, automation, analysis tools, and vendor adapters capable of supporting different autonomy architectures without designing the test environment around a single vendor's implementation.

Salary: The estimated salary range for this position is $100,000 – $115,000 annually, based upon an individual's level of experience, skillset, and education. The range that is given is an estimate and may vary based on contractual constraints. At AM Pierce & Associates, it is our goal to provide equitable compensation for all employees.

The Location: Patuxent River, MD

The Work Environment: On-site

The Description:

• Design, develop, integrate, and maintain third-party autonomy test frameworks and supporting software.
• Analyze vendor autonomy architectures, software, interfaces, data models, decision/execution mechanisms, and feedback paths to determine appropriate integration and test approaches.
• Develop adapters, test harnesses, simulation interfaces, instrumentation, test automation, data collection, analysis, visualization, and supporting tools.
• Adapt the test framework to accommodate different autonomy architectures, interfaces, execution models, and system configurations.
• Develop test strategies that evaluate autonomous behavior and mission performance, not simply interface or message compliance.
• Create repeatable scenarios and test stimuli involving changing mission conditions, constraints, threats, failures, degraded capabilities, resource limitations, and other operational events.
• Instrument and analyze autonomy decisions, plans, behaviors, commands, state transitions, feedback, and mission outcomes.
• Determine whether observed anomalies originate in the autonomy implementation, integration, simulation, configuration, or test infrastructure.
• Integrate autonomy software with vehicle models, mission systems, simulations, communications infrastructure, and external services.
• Support software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, distributed simulation, demonstrations, experimentation, and formal test events.
• Document test architecture, procedures, assumptions, results, limitations, and technical findings.

Education & Required Experience:

• Active DoD Secret Clearance, required.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics, Systems Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• 3-8 years of relevant engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated capability.
• Candidates should have practical experience developing, integrating, extending, debugging, or rigorously testing autonomous system software and understand the fundamental autonomy processing chain:

Mission / Task Inputs → Operational State → Planning / Decision → Execution → System Command → System Response → Observation / Feedback → Updated State

• Relevant experience may include mission autonomy, planning and replanning, decision-making, behavior execution, world models, state management, vehicle control interfaces, mission systems, multi-agent coordination, resource management, runtime feedback, or failure recovery.
• The engineer must be capable of examining unfamiliar autonomy implementation and determining what must be stimulated, controlled, observed, measured, and evaluated to establish whether the autonomy is operating correctly.
• Hands-on experience implementing, integrating, debugging, or testing autonomy software.
• Demonstrated understanding of the architecture and operation of at least one autonomy system or significant autonomy subsystem.
• Strong software development skills, preferably C++, with Python or similar languages for test automation, simulation, and analysis.
• Experience with software integration, automated testing, test harnesses, simulation, instrumentation, or engineering support tools.
• Experience debugging complex software and system-integration problems using logs, telemetry, runtime traces, or similar evidence.
• Linux development and Git/configuration-management experience.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and technical communication skills.

Desired Experience:

• Experience with multiple autonomy architectures; mission autonomy; robotics or uncrewed systems; AI/planning systems; multi-agent autonomy; aerospace systems; modeling and simulation; SIL/HIL testing; real-time or embedded software; vehicle dynamics; JSBSim, FlightGear, JSE/JTB, AFSIM, or similar environments; DDS/UDP/distributed communications; tactical or mission systems; MOSA; and government or defense software development.

Travel:

• On some occasions, the employee may be required to drive to offices or buildings near the work site. In rare occasions, travel may be required.

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AM Pierce & Associates, as well as its subsidiaries, invests in its employees beyond just compensation. Elements of the Total Rewards package include competitive base pay and variable compensation opportunities. AM Pierce & Associates, as well as its subsidiaries, also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including:

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Life and Accidental Death & Disability Coverage
• Traditional 401(k) and ROTH 401(k) Retirement Plans
• Paid Time Off and Holidays
• Professional Development Opportunities
• Incentive Programs, Awards and Recognition
• Employee Assistance Program
• Will Preparation
• Identity Theft Protection & Legal Support
• Referral Program
• Voluntary Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity Coverage
• Pet Insurance
• Norton Life Lock
• HSA and FSA plans

The specific program and options available to any given employee may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, Full or Part-time status, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

For all positions requiring access to technology/software source code that is subject to export control laws, employment with the company is contingent on either verifying U.S.-person status or obtaining any necessary license. The applicant will be required to answer certain questions for export control purposes, and that information will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law. AM Pierce & Associates, as well as its subsidiaries may choose not to apply for a license for such individuals whose access to export-controlled technology or software source code may require authorization and may decline to proceed with an applicant on that basis alone.

AM Pierce and Associates, Inc. and Applied Technologies Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AM Pierce and Associates, Inc., are Equal Opportunity Employers. It is the policy of AM Pierce & Associates, Inc. and Applied Technologies Group, Inc. not to discriminate or allow the harassment of employees. All applicable laws are followed to ensure all qualified applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment, without regard to their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, local, or international law.

If you are an individual with a disability require reasonable accommodations to apply for a position with AM Pierce & Associates, as well as its subsidiaries, through its online applicant system, please contact AM Pierce & Associates Human Resources Department at (240) 718-3800 or email us at [email protected].

If your background meets the qualifications of the position, please submit your resume and salary requirements to [email protected] or submit an application online.

AM Pierce & Associates, as well as its subsidiaries, verifies employment eligibility through E-Verify.

This is a non-management position.