Field Test Engineer - Autonomous Systems

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co .

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that full-time employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions

About the role

As a Test Engineer for Autonomous Systems, you will be on the front lines of proving our autonomous surface vehicles are ready for real-world deployment. This is a hands-on, on-the-water role: you will spend significant time aboard vessels executing test events, operating and monitoring autonomy systems, collecting data, and turning what you observe at sea into actionable findings for the engineering team. You will help bridge the gap between cutting-edge R&D and mission-proven capability, ensuring our systems are performant, reliable, and safe in the most demanding environments on Earth.

At Applied, you will:

• Execute on-water test events for our fleet of autonomous surface vehicles, participating directly in sorties aboard test and chase vessels in closed-course and open-ocean environments

• Support pre-underway system checkouts, launch and recovery operations, and pier-side preparation of test vessels

• Operate and monitor autonomy systems during test events, executing test cards and procedures while maintaining situational awareness and safety on deck

• Collect, manage, and perform first-pass analysis of test data, ensuring data quality and completeness for each sortie

• Identify, document, and triage system discrepancies and anomalies using agile program management tooling such as Atlassian Jira, working closely with autonomy and hardware engineering teams

• Contribute to test plans, test procedures, and test readiness reviews under the direction of the Test & Evaluation Director

• Author clear, comprehensive after action reports and test reports that capture results, observations, and recommendations

• Support Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) and simulation-based testing between on-water events

We're looking for someone who has:

• Bachelor's Degree in a relevant engineering discipline (e.g., Mechanical, Electrical, Ocean, Systems), Computer Science, or a related technical field — or equivalent hands-on experience

• 3+ years of experience in test, integration, or field operations of complex electro-mechanical or software-intensive systems

• Hands-on experience testing or operating autonomous or unmanned systems in a relevant domain (air, ground, or sea)

• Comfort and demonstrated ability working on vessels offshore for extended periods, in potentially harsh conditions

• Experience with agile program management tooling such as Atlassian Jira

• Strong technical writing skills, with the ability to draft clear test reports and after action reports

• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30% of the time, including periods spent offshore on vessels of various sizes

• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret security clearance

Travel Requirements:

• Up to 40% travel, including significant time offshore

• Role will be based in San Diego, CA

Security Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen

• Must hold or be eligible for a U.S. Secret security clearance

Nice to have:

• Direct, hands-on experience with Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) or Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs)

• Experience with on-deck maritime operations, including vessel handling, launch and recovery, and working with pier-side and port service partners; USCG credentials or small boat qualifications are a plus

• Familiarity with marine electronics, RF communications, GPS/GNSS, and shipboard sensor systems

• Experience supporting government test programs, particularly with the U.S. Navy

• Prior military experience in a relevant operational or technical field (e.g., Navy EOD, Naval Special Warfare (NSW), or billets related to operations of robotic and autonomous systems (RAS))

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Please reference the job posting subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $145,000 to $190,000 USD annually.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.