Principal Autonomous Systems Strategist

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.

MITRE’s Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, and Data Technical Division's Autonomous and Intelligent Department is an innovative team of engineers focused on the development of cutting-edge autonomous systems, robotics capabilities, and AI solutions for a safer world. The Autonomous and Intelligent Systems Department has a new opportunity for a strong technical candidate with a STEM degree to join an innovative team of engineers focused on developing Artificial Intelligence and/or Autonomous System solutions for sponsor needs.

The right candidate will enjoy a fast-paced team environment and work with groundbreaking technology.

• Lead strategic initiatives that advance the development, acquisition, integration, and responsible deployment of autonomous systems across government mission areas
• Help department and division define and execute strategy around enabling high-consequence applications of autonomy, including necessary assurance, test and evaluation, and sociotechnical implications
• Provide technical leadership on cross-functional teams evaluating and improving the performance of autonomous systems
• Maintain knowledge of advances in autonomy and robotics capabilities to help sponsors implement strategies and act on emerging technologies
• Engage cross-government sponsors, industry partners, and internal leadership on the strategic, technical, operational, and policy considerations associated with autonomous systems and AI-enabled capabilities
• Create and execute strategies that translate emerging AI and autonomy technologies into operational capabilities aligning technical approaches with acquisition pathways, governance frameworks, standardization, test and evaluation, and mission needs
• Critically assess and review technologies and proposals to ensure mission alignment, technical feasibility, and operational capability
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of engineers, researchers, operators, and program managers to develop innovative solutions that address complex sponsor challenges

• Typically requires a minimum of 10 years experience in Autonomy and AI with a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field; or 8 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with 5 years’ experience; or equivalent combination of autonomy-related education and work experience
• Demonstrated experience with autonomous systems, AI-enabled systems, or robotics across the capability lifecycle including research and development, strategy, policy, acquisition, systems engineering, test and evaluation, operations, program management, technology transition, or sustainment
• Experience with autonomous platforms operating in air, ground, maritime, or space domains
• Broad understanding of autonomous systems across multiple domains (Department of War, Services, Intelligence Community, DHS, transportation, industry, and academia)
• Excellent technical writing and verbal communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with sponsors and stakeholders, translate technical jargon for a range of audiences, and interpret and propose definitions in a repeatable and descriptive manner
• Applied expertise in counter autonomy (e.g., cUAS) and/or cybersecurity for autonomous systems
• Ability to understand complex technical concepts and translate them into…