Mission Software Engineer - Large Vessels - San Diego

📋 Description

• • **Own the Full Lifecycle of Mission-Critical Software on Large Maritime Vessels:** As a Mission Software Engineer at Havoc AI, you will be at the forefront of bringing advanced autonomy to life on substantial maritime platforms. This role demands end-to-end ownership of software solutions, from initial integration and deployment to ensuring their reliable and effective operation in real-world, demanding environments. You will be directly responsible for the software that enables autonomous capabilities on large vessels, aligning every aspect of your work with critical mission objectives and customer operational needs.
• • **Bridge the Gap Between Autonomy and Real-World Maritime Operations:** This position is uniquely positioned at the intersection of cutting-edge autonomy systems, established maritime standards, complex vessel hardware, and the practicalities of live operations. Unlike purely theoretical or lab-based roles, you will be deeply involved in the tangible application of our technology. This includes hands-on integration of the autonomy stack onto large vessels, ensuring seamless communication and functionality, and adapting our systems to the specific constraints and interfaces inherent to each unique platform.
• • **Drive Autonomy Integration and Scalability:** A core aspect of your role will involve integrating and deploying our sophisticated autonomy software onto large maritime platforms. You will collaborate closely with platform engineering teams to ensure that these capabilities can be scaled effectively across an entire fleet. This requires a deep understanding of how autonomy interacts with vessel systems and the ability to troubleshoot and optimize performance in diverse operational contexts. Your work will directly contribute to the widespread adoption and success of autonomous technology in the maritime domain.
• • **Master Maritime Communications and Standards:** You will develop, maintain, and enhance interfaces that adhere to critical maritime communication protocols. This includes working with standards such as NMEA, CAN, MQTT, and UMAA to ensure robust and compliant data exchange. Your expertise will be vital in guaranteeing that our autonomous systems can communicate effectively with various vessel subsystems and external command networks, forming the backbone of reliable autonomous operations.
• • **Engage in Cross-Functional Collaboration for Complex Integrations:** This role necessitates close partnership with diverse engineering teams, including autonomy, hardware, and mission engineering specialists. You will be instrumental in planning, building, and rigorously testing complex shipboard integrations. Your ability to navigate these interdependencies and contribute to integrated solutions will be key to overcoming the challenges of deploying advanced technology in a maritime setting.
• • **Ensure Monitoring, Reliability, and Performance at Sea:** Designing and implementing comprehensive monitoring, logging, and debugging frameworks is crucial for maintaining the health of our deployed systems. You will develop key performance metrics to actively ensure the reliable operation of autonomy at sea, proactively identifying and addressing potential issues before they impact missions. This focus on operational integrity is paramount for mission success.
• • **Provide Essential Troubleshooting and Field Support:** When issues arise in live vessel deployments, you will be on the front lines, diagnosing and resolving complex problems. This often involves coordinating resolution efforts across internal engineering teams and customer stakeholders, requiring strong communication and problem-solving skills in high-pressure situations. Your ability to provide effective support in the field is critical to customer satisfaction and system reliability.
• • **Collaborate Directly with Operators and Customers:** You will play a vital role in translating real-world vessel operational needs and challenges into actionable software features and improvements. This requires balancing the user experience and practical requirements of shipboard environments with the technical realities and possibilities of autonomy systems. Your insights will directly shape the future development of our technology.
• • **Support Deployment Readiness and At-Sea Operations:** As mission requirements dictate, you will actively support shipboard and at-sea deployments. This hands-on involvement ensures that our software is not only robust in theory but proven in practice, providing invaluable feedback for continuous improvement and validating system performance in the most demanding conditions.
• • **Shape the Future of Maritime Autonomy:** Your contributions will have a direct and significant impact on how large autonomous maritime systems are integrated into real-world fleets. You will be instrumental in defining the standards and best practices for this rapidly evolving field, helping to shape the future of maritime autonomy and its potential to enhance safety, efficiency, and capability at sea.