Pratt Miller is a world-class technology company and a respected leader in motorsports, automotive, defense, and aerospace industries providing clients with advanced engineering and low-volume manufacturing solutions.
Ground Robotics and Autonomy has been identified by Pratt Miller as an emerging industry that will see rapid growth in defense, automotive, agriculture, industrial, and commercial industries. Pratt Miller is positioned to extend its competencies in mobility, lightweight systems, control systems, and vehicle integration to develop a competitive advantage in ground robotics and autonomous mobility platforms.
Pratt Miller is looking for qualified candidates to support technical development of its Robotics and Autonomy Group. This candidate will be responsible for algorithm development of full or semi-autonomous systems. In addition, they will assist with market research and analysis, developing strategic business plans, and building the technical team to create a sustainable and profitable ground robotics and autonomy service and product line.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Typical responsibilities include but are not limited to the following items:
- Controls Development
- Lead the specification and design of core vehicle control algorithms
- Lead the execution of ground robotics and autonomy controls projects with responsibility for technical approach and oversight utilizing cross-functional resources and best practices
- Lead the verification and validation activities using modeling, test benches, and vehicle testing
- System Simulation and Modeling
- Lead the selection of simulation tools based on project needs
- Implement simulation models for algorithm development and verification
- Correlate models to real world data
- System Hardware Specification
- Specify controls electrical architecture including controller, sensing, and perception hardware
- Communicate mechanical requirements of system to design staff
- Communicate wiring and connector requirements to support harness builds
ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
In addition to the responsibilities mentioned above, tasks relating to the following area will be assigned as required.
- Leads the projects controls team and provides mentorship to team members
- Interaction with current & potential customers
- Planning & program management on internal and customer projects
- Continuous professional development
- Participate in developing engineering best practices and integrating their deployment throughout the organization
ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
Desired Education and Training:
- MS in engineering or science and 7 years of relevant work experience in the ground robotics and/or autonomous vehicles industry
- Degrees in Electrical, Computer Engineering or Computer Science are preferred
Desired Knowledge and Skills:
- Practical experience deploying advanced control strategies is preferred (MIMO optimal control, adaptive control, robust control, regression, classification, supervised or unsupervised recommenders, neural networks, etc.)
- Related ground robotics and mechatronics experience, including experience specifying sensors (LIDAR, radar, IP cameras, antennas, etc.), implementing data acquisition, configuring wireless networks, and mobility systems.
- Strong mix of academic and practical experience. The candidate must be able to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team environment focused on innovation and excellence
- Strong technical/engineering background in Ground Robotics and Autonomous Vehicles with strong understanding of System Engineering, Vehicle Dynamics, Safety Systems, and Functional Safety (ISO 26262, MIL-STD-882)
- Familiarity with UXV interface protocols (JAUS, IOP, etc.)
- Experience in the Test and Evaluation lifecycle, including early design, test and evaluation plans, developmental test and evaluation, and integrated verification and validation strategies. Experience maintaining and repairing such systems in the field is an advantage
- Understanding of current autonomy capabilities and limitations relating to military and automotive systems
- Experience managing software development for unmanned systems including formal software validation and verification and traditional software analysis tools (static analysis, unit testing, regression testing, etc.)
- Experience in test and evaluation of ground robotic systems and test capabilities and procedures
- Strong communication, presentation, and customer service skills required
- Strong skills using MATLAB, Simulink, and Stateflow
- Strong skills with autonomy development tools including ROS, Linux, Ubuntu, Python, and C++
- Experience with communication protocols (CAN, Ethernet, LIN, etc.)
- Knowledge of cybersecurity
- Excellent skills using Microsoft Office programs (Excel, Word, Power Point, and Outlook)
WORK ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
- Stress may occur periodically
- Long hours may occur periodically
- Some travel may be required
- Some on-customer-site work may be required
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:
This position will require lawful access to ITAR/EAR controlled information and employees in this role will need to meet those requirements. Requirements include US Citizenship, US Permanent Resident or ability to meet licensure requirements.
Pratt Miller is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.