Autonomy Engineer - Planning and Controls

Skydio Skydio · Defense · Zurich, Switzerland · R&D

Skydio is seeking an Autonomy Engineer specializing in Planning and Controls to develop and implement core motion planning software for autonomous drones. This role involves designing, implementing, simulating, evaluating, and flying new motion planning strategies, working across the software system, and developing/tuning low-level controllers. The position requires experience controlling real hardware, expertise in various control design methods, and strong C++ software engineering skills.

What you'd actually do

  1. Conceive, design, implement, simulate, evaluate, and fly new motion planning strategies
  2. Work across the software system to define the right data and interfaces for successful motion planning
  3. Develop, tune, and evaluate low level controllers
  4. Work with the UX team to explore and define planning/UI boundaries for new interaction paradigms

Skills

Required

  • Experience writing software that controls real hardware, e.g. grasping / manipulation of a robotic arm, self-driving cars, any kind of mobile robot
  • Configuration and free space representations
  • Modern and classical control design methods
  • Dynamic programming
  • Non-linear optimization
  • Solid software engineering foundation and a commitment to writing clean, well architected code
  • High proficiency in C++

What the JD emphasized

  • controls
  • motion planning
  • planning

Other signals

  • autonomous flight
  • motion planning
  • robotics
  • control systems