Maritime Robotics Systems Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) seeks a Maritime Robotics Systems Engineer to design, integrate, and test advanced autonomous maritime systems for Defense & Aerospace missions. In this Engineering & Design role, you will architect robotic platforms, develop control and perception solutions, and support sea trials to validate performance in operationally relevant environments. Collaborate with multidisciplinary experts in a mission-driven, inclusive culture that values innovation, ethical research, and continual learning while advancing national security and global resilience.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop maritime robotic systems, including AUVs, USVs, and associated payloads for national security missions
• Perform end-to-end systems engineering, from requirements analysis and architecture design to integration, verification, and validation
• Develop and implement perception, guidance, navigation, and control algorithms for autonomous maritime operations
• Integrate and characterize maritime sensors such as sonar, radar, EO/IR, inertial, and GPS systems
• Contribute to real-time and embedded software for autonomy and control using languages such as C/C++ and Python and robotic middleware (e.g., ROS/ROS2)
• Conduct modeling, simulation, and hardware-in-the-loop testing to evaluate performance and refine system designs
• Support laboratory prototyping, system integration, and field testing at sea, including test planning, execution, and data analysis
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across mechanical, electrical, software, and ocean engineering disciplines
• Produce clear technical documentation, design artifacts, and test reports, and present findings to internal stakeholders and government sponsors
• Adhere to systems engineering, configuration management, and cybersecurity best practices appropriate for defense and aerospace applications

Required Skills

• Maritime robotics systems design
• Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) development
• Unmanned surface vehicle (USV) development
• ROS/robotic middleware (e.g., ROS/ROS2)
• Real-time embedded software development (C/C++/Python)
• Guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) algorithms
• Sensor fusion and perception (sonar, radar, EO/IR)
• Acoustic and RF communications at sea
• Systems engineering and requirements analysis
• Modeling and simulation of maritime systems
• Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing
• Ocean engineering and marine systems integration
• Safety, reliability, and mission assurance
• Version control (Git) and CI/CD practices
• Data analysis and post-mission evaluation
• Technical documentation and reporting
• Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams
• Do
• D / defense systems familiarity
• Cybersecurity considerations for unmanned systems
• Field test planning and execution