Decision Autonomy Engineer
Applied Intuition is the vehicle intelligence company that accelerates the global adoption of safe, AI-driven machines. Founded in 2017, Applied Intuition delivers the ADAS/AD toolchain, Vehicle OS, and autonomy stack to help customers build intelligent systems, create next-generation experiences, and shorten time to market. 18 of the top 20 global automakers trust Applied Intuition’s solutions to drive the production of modern vehicles. Applied Intuition serves the automotive, trucking, construction, mining, agriculture, and defense industries and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA, with offices in San Diego, CA, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, Ann Arbor and Detroit, MI, Washington, D.C., Stuttgart, Munich, Stockholm, Seoul, and Tokyo. Learn more at appliedintuition.com.
We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that 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. (Note: this is not applicable for EpiSci roles).
About EpiSciEpiSci, an Applied Intuition company, develops next-generation, tactical autonomy solutions for national security problems. EpiSci’s autonomy software is technology agnostic, operationally informed, tactically relevant, and has piloted swarms of uncrewed aerial systems and tactical fighter aircraft. Additional applications include crewed-uncrewed teaming for air dominance, cognitive sensors, and networks for advanced communications systems, as well as battle management command and control for informed decision-making. EpiSci delivers unmatched speed, cost-efficiency, and scalability as the preferred partner for defense agencies and industry teams seeking mission-critical autonomy solutions.
About the roleEpiSci is seeking a Decision Autonomy Engineer with strong theoretical foundations in algorithmic optimization and multi-agent systems. You’ll tackle complex computational challenges in our real-time decision-making platform, designing and implementing advanced algorithms that push the boundaries of autonomous coordination and planning. We seek motivated engineers driven by core mission values to join our Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) autonomy engineering team focused on next-generation human-machine teaming and real-time decision-making systems. You’ll help build intelligent agents that plan and execute missions using advanced reasoning, planning, and optimization algorithms. Our work spans real-time scenarios, heterogeneous platforms (air, space, land, surface, sub-surface), and software that integrates seamlessly with human operators. If you thrive in fast-moving, mission-oriented environments and love building autonomy that help our warfighters, this is your role.
Your work will support our BMC2 systems, enabling breakthrough capabilities in human-machine teaming across air, surface, and maritime domains. If you’re passionate about applying cutting-edge algorithms to solve mission-critical coordination problems, this role offers exceptional opportunities to advance the state of the art in autonomous decision making systems.
At EpiSci, you will:- Design and implement multi-agent optimization algorithms for distributed decision-making and coordination problems
- Develop temporal logic frameworks and constraint-satisfaction algorithms for complex planning scenarios
- Create mathematical models for sequential decision process under uncertainty with probabilistic outcomes
- Build computational frameworks that balance algorithmic efficiency with human-interpretable reasoning
- Implement and evaluate quantitative metrics for algorithm performance, solution quality, and computational efficiency
- Translate theoretical approaches into production-ready software implementations with rigorous testing methodologies
- Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to refine algorithmic approaches based on empirical evaluation
- Communicate technical details effectively across stakeholders, sponsors, and leadership
- MS or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Optimization, Decision Science, or related field, OR 3+ years of experience developing intelligent agent or planning systems
- Strong theoretical understanding of algorithmic complexity, graph theory, information theory, and optimization techniques
- Experience implementing algorithms for constraint satisfaction problems, scheduling, or path planning
- Proficiency with modern programming paradigms and languages (C++, Python) and development environments
- Demonstrable skill in analyzing and visualizing algorithm performance and solution quality
- Ability to translate complex mathematical concepts into clear technical documentation
- Strong critical thinking skills and methodical approach to algorithm development and validation
- Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment
- Occasional travel required (approx. 10–20%) for demonstrations, integration, or customer engagement
- This role can be based in one of the following locations: Washington, DC; Mountain View, CA; San Diego, CA; Ann Arbor, MI; or Fort Walton Beach, FL. While preference will be given to candidates local to these areas, applicants from other U.S. locations will also be considered, provided they are willing to travel or potentially relocate for the position.
- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Must be eligible for a U.S. SECRET clearance with Special Access Program (SAP) eligibility
For more information about U.S. security clearances: click here.
Nice to have:- PhD in algorithms, computational optimization, or autonomous systems, OR 5+ years of experience building autonomous decision systems
- Publication record in relevant areas such as multi-agent coordination, temporal logic, or decision theory
- Experience with advanced planning paradigms (PDDL, HTN planning, Monte Carlo tree search, constraint programming)
- Expertise in temporal reasoning systems, formal verification methods, or symbolic planning approaches
- Background in game-theoretic approaches to multi-agent coordination or negotiation protocols
- Experience with real-time optimization under hardware constraints or edge computing environments
- Familiarity with Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) concepts or defense applications
- Willingness to relocate to one of our facilities
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’s 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: $155,000 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.
Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.