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Staff Systems Engineer - Payload Lead

Costa Mesa, CA (OC-00)💼 Full-time💰 $191,000–$191,000🗓 2026-09-18 → 2026-09-25

Core

Define and validate the architecture, performance models, and verification strategy for multi-modal sensing systems (EO, LiDAR, RADAR) on autonomous attack rotorcraft.

Role type

Staff Systems Engineer (Payload Lead)

Builds

Mission systems and autonomy for aerial robotic systems (Thunder)

Domain

Defense / Autonomous Aerial Systems / Sensor Fusion

Deliverable

production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis

Required skills

Multi-modal sensor architecture, detection physics, system interface definition, quantitative performance verification, electro-optical/LiDAR/RADAR engineering, systems engineering rigor, technical authority

Preferred skills

Learned perception in safety-critical systems, embedded compute SWaP-C budgeting, environmental qualification (MIL-STD), requirements management tooling (Jama), standards participation

Technologies

Electro-optical, LiDAR, RADAR, Lattice OS

Responsibilities

Decompose mission needs into detection/range/latency requirements; own sensor suite baseline and configuration; set and defend sensing performance models; drive V&V strategy for perception; lead sensor trades; drive modularity and reuse; own perception in flight tests; represent company as technical authority externally

Seniority

Staff, hands-on IC with technical authority

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