Job Description

About the Job

InDro Robotics is expanding our autonomy team in response to growing demand for outdoor robotic systems operating in complex, unstructured environments. The Autonomy Engineer role is critical in advancing programs focused on ground vehicles that must navigate dynamic terrain, limited infrastructure, and GPS-denied conditions.

In this role, you will develop and deploy core autonomy software for real robotic platforms, enabling vehicles to perceive their environment, localize reliably, plan safe and efficient paths, and execute control strategies in environments that are often unpredictable and only partially observable.

You will work across the full autonomy stack, from algorithm design and simulation through real-world field testing, balancing performance, robustness, and safety. This is a hands-on role where your work will regularly transition from code to hardware operating outdoors.

This position involves continuous development of navigation, localization, planning, and control algorithms, with a strong emphasis on autonomy that functions without reliance on structured maps or consistent GPS availability.

About the Company

INVENT. ENHANCE. DEPLOY.
Founded in 2014, InDro Robotics is a rapidly growing robotics R&D company focused on building advanced autonomous systems for real-world applications. With our primary technical operations based at Area X.O in Ottawa, our team has access to a secure, technology-rich environment designed for testing, hardening, and demonstrating robotic systems in realistic outdoor conditions.

Our work spans ground and air robotics, with a strong emphasis on autonomy that performs beyond controlled indoor settings.

About the Team

We are a multidisciplinary team of engineers, researchers, and operators who are passionate about pushing the limits of field-ready autonomy. Our team values hands-on testing, rapid iteration, and learning directly from real-world deployments. You will work closely with hardware, systems, and field operations teams to bring autonomy from concept to operation.

About You

You will enjoy a career at InDro Robotics if you are motivated by solving hard autonomy problems in the real world, rather than only in simulation. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building systems that must operate reliably in outdoor environments with uncertainty, sensor noise, and incomplete information.

You thrive in collaborative R&D environments, are comfortable iterating based on field data, and take pride in seeing your autonomy software running on real vehicles.

Primary Responsibilities

Developing navigation, localization, planning, and control software for outdoor robotic vehicles Designing autonomy solutions for unstructured terrain and GPS-denied or GPS-degraded environments Implementing and evaluating state estimation, sensor fusion, and motion planning algorithms Testing, validating, and optimizing autonomy software for robust real-world performance Conducting applied research to expand InDro's outdoor autonomy capabilities Supporting field deployments, testing campaigns, and system integration Collaborating with academic and industry partners Mentoring and assisting with supervision of interns and junior engineers
Required Technical Skills

Bachelor's or Graduate degree in Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related field Minimum 3+ years of experience in autonomy engineering Practical experience in two or more of the following areas: Localization and state estimation (e.g., SLAM, odometry, sensor fusion) Path and motion planning Vehicle control and modeling Multi-agent or collaborative autonomy Strong software development skills in Modern C++ Proficiency with Linux Hands-on experience working with autonomous robotic systems
Bonus Points For

ROS or ROS2 experience Strong Python or Lua skills Experience with outdoor ground vehicles or aerial platforms Familiarity with GPS-denied navigation techniques Understanding of sensors and error models, including LiDAR, IMU, vision systems, and GNSS Experience transitioning autonomy algorithms from simulation to real-world deployment
Desired Soft Skills

Ability to communicate technical ideas clearly and efficiently Strong planning and time-estimation skills A learning mindset and positive attitude Comfort working in dynamic R&D environments with evolving priorities
Benefits

Casual dress Company events Dental care Vision care Extended health care Flexible schedule On-site parking Paid time off Stock options
Additional Details

Schedule:

Monday to Friday - 37.5 hours per week Occasional field work as required
Work Location:

In person at Area X.O, Ottawa, ON
Language Requirement:

French not required
Education:

Bachelor's Degree required
Experience:

Autonomy Engineering: 3 years (required) ROS or ROS2: 3 years (required)
If you'd like, next I can:

Tune this toward UGVs only (vs air + ground) Add a security clearance-friendly version Adjust it upward to a Senior Autonomy Engineer or Staff Autonomy Engineer posting Align it more explicitly with TerrAIn-style unstructured terrain autonomy
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: $65,000.00-$85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

Casual dress Company events Dental care Discounted or free food Extended health care On-site parking Stock options Vision care
Ability to commute/relocate:

Nepean, ON: reliably commute or be willing to relocate with an employer-provided relocation package (preferred)
Work Location: In person