Research Engineer IV

Job Title

Research Engineer IV

Texas A&M University System Offices

Bush Combat Development Complex

Bryan, Texas

Staff

$5,667.67 – $9,583.33 per month, commensurate with experience

The Research Engineer IV serves as a lead technical contributor and architect, designing and implementing core autonomous behaviors while providing the technical oversight necessary to integrate complex subsystems across the BCDC autonomy stacks. 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.

The research focuses on the integration of diverse platforms—including tactical UTVs, military‑grade UGVs, UAVs, and autonomous helicopters—fostering the human‑agent teaming essential for future mission success. By bridging sophisticated algorithms and real‑world application, the team develops technologies that significantly enhance unit capabilities, mobility, and speed of action, translating theoretical breakthroughs through system experimentation and field testing on the RELLIS off‑road terrain.

• Design, implement, and optimize complex software architectures for multi‑agent coordination, serving as a primary contributor to the BCDC autonomy stacks.
• Generate prototype code and innovative algorithmic concepts to accelerate development cycles, providing technical breakthroughs to overcome project bottlenecks.
• Produce high‑performance, efficient code (Python/C++) subject to computational and resource constraints for reliable operation on embedded hardware and within ROS2 middleware.
• Actively develop and refine perception and navigation stacks for a diverse fleet including tactical UTVs, military‑grade UGVs, UAVs, and autonomous helicopters.
• Lead hands‑on troubleshooting and debugging of high‑level system failures, maintaining the stability and integrity of integrated autonomy systems.
• Direct and participate in the development of multi‑level simulation environments to validate algorithmic performance and bridge the gap to field deployment.
• Lead the exploration and selection of sensing and compute hardware, conducting trade studies to balance state‑of‑the‑art performance with economical sensor fusion strategies.
• Lead hands‑on integration and deployment of ROS2 nodes across heterogeneous air and ground assets, ensuring seamless hardware‑software interoperability.
• Actively perform system hardware integration and tuning for new platforms, ensuring the reliability of perception and navigation subsystems in the field.
• Provide technical leadership during system experimentation and field testing at the RELLIS campus, directly participating in the setup, execution, and evaluation of large‑scale demonstrations.
• Mentor junior research staff through collaborative development, code reviews, and shared field operations, fostering technical growth and consistency across the team.
• Translate high‑level research goals and guidance from senior staff into actionable technical roadmaps and software specifications.
• Collaborate with faculty and senior staff to align development efforts with project milestones, ensuring the continuous injection of new ideas into the research pipeline.
• Lead the generation of technical reports, presentations, and peer‑reviewed publications, identifying opportunities to extend current technology.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Six years of related experience.
• Experience designing and implementing multi‑agent coordination or path‑planning frameworks.
• Experience conducting technical trade‑off studies between hardware (sensors/compute) and sensor fusion strategies.

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

• Advanced proficiency in ROS2, C++ and Python for system‑level integration.
• Ability to evaluate or optimize distributed communication middleware (e.g., DDS Zenoh, ZeroMQ) for agent‑to‑agent…