---
title: 'Systems Engineer - Robotics at Applied Intuition'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/systems-engineer-robotics-applied-intuition-washington-851jj0anzv65'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-13'
---

# Systems Engineer - Robotics at Applied Intuition

- **Company:** [Applied Intuition](https://feeny.ai/companies/applied-intuition)
- **Location:** Washington, DC
- **Compensation:** $140k–$180k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-11
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/applied/a6756597-b30b-497b-ae1c-da66dc2912ae

## Job description

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](http://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 Systems Engineer, you will play a critical role in defining system requirements, designing architectures, and integrating Applied Intuition’s technology onto autonomous vehicles and defense systems. This role combines systems engineering, robotics, software deployment, architecture, integration, and real-world testing. You will work across both office and field-based environments, with significant time spent deploying, testing, and validating software on autonomous systems in dynamic, operationally relevant settings. You will collaborate closely with software engineers, autonomy engineers, perception teams, data scientists, and field operators to ensure systems are robust, reliable, and ready for deployment.

At Applied, you will:

- Define system requirements from user needs on operational concepts
- Define system and system-of-systems architectures and align with open standards such as PYRAMID, FCADE, etc.
- Design and build out reference architectures for multiple systems of interest including autonomy systems, mission systems, and weapon systems
- Lead the development of system engineering models and artifacts to capture key design decisions
- Develop, deploy, and validate software systems on autonomous vehicles, focusing on robotics, sensors, and vehicle autopilots
- Participate in hands-on fieldwork, deploying software on vehicles and ensuring proper functionality in dynamic, real-world environments
- Work with the Perception and Autonomy teams to deploy and optimize perception pipelines (Vision, Radar, Fusion) and vehicle autonomy SW, ensuring robust and safe vehicle operation
- Address inter-vehicle communication, ensuring seamless data exchange between vehicles for collaborative autonomous operations
- Leverage simulation environments to test vehicle systems, validating software behavior in various scenarios before field deployment
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including software engineers, data scientists, and field operators, to ensure the successful deployment of systems. Document processes and provide updates on system status and improvements

We’re looking for someone who has:

- MS or PhD in Robotic Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Optimization, or equivalent OR 5 years of relevant experience designing multi-agent autonomy
- Strong proficiency in Linux and command-line tools
- Strong proficiency in Python and/or C++
- Hands-on experience with robotic systems, sensors (such as RADAR, cameras, radar), and vehicle autopilots (e.g., PX4, ROS) -> something out of those
- Knowledge of communication protocols for inter-vehicle communications (e.g., DDS, ROS 2, or similar)
- Experience in integrating third-party software and APIs
- Experience with standards such as PYRAMID, FACE, ARP 4754A, DO-178C, or similar.
- Systems architecturing and requirements writing experience
- Ability to work in field environments, troubleshooting, testing, and deploying systems in challenging conditions

Travel Requirements:

- Must be willing to travel as projects requires; average travel varies, but can be up to once a month for up to 1 week (~50%)

Nice to have:

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document processes and communicate technical concepts to cross-disciplinary teams
- Experience working on autonomy, robotics, aerospace, defence, mission systems, or safety-critical systems
- Experience working directly with customers, operators, or end users in field-based environments
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment, including under challenging conditions in remote or field locations
- References who will describe them as low-ego, highly motivated, thoughtfully opinionated, strong communicators and curious listeners

Security Requirements:

- Must hold or be eligible to obtain and maintain a US security clearance

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.

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. FOR US-BASED ROLES: Applied Intuition is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact careers@applied.co. We will work with you!

## About Applied Intuition

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Applied Intuition builds software and digital infrastructure to bring physical AI — autonomous driving and robotics — to every moving machine on the planet.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series C; $1.5B total funding raised)
- **Headquarters**: Sunnyvale, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2017
- **Founders**: Qasar Younis (CEO) and Peter Ludwig (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry/industries**: Autonomous driving, robotics, defense technology, simulation and validation software for ADAS/AD systems.
- **Target customers**: B2B — automotive OEMs (18 of top 20 global automakers), trucking, construction, mining, agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies.
- **Mission or purpose statement**: “To build physical AI that creates a safer, more prosperous world.”

## Products & Services
- **Tools for Vehicle Intelligence**: Simulation, validation, and data management platforms for ADAS and autonomous vehicle development. SaaS and software tools for engineers building intelligent machines.
- **Vehicle OS**: An operating system for vehicles that manages over-the-air updates, data pipelines, and in-vehicle software, enabling automakers to deploy and maintain software-defined vehicles at scale.
- **Self-Driving Systems / Autonomy Stack**: End-to-end autonomous driving solutions, including perception, planning, and control, designed for cars, trucks, and off-road machinery.
- **NextGen OS & Infrastructure**: Platforms for defense, robotics, and next-generation physical AI applications, including solutions used by the U.S. military.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: ~$15 billion (as of 2024/2025, per LinkedIn profile)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding of $1.5 billion; 1,153 employees (+55% YoY); 396 active job postings
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Floodgate, NVIDIA, Databricks; partners include 18 of top 20 global automakers and U.S. defense agencies.
- **Growth Signals**: 
  - Acquired EpiSci (Feb 2025), Caliber Data Labs, and entities in Germany/UK.
  - Headcount grew 55% YoY; 1,000+ engineers.
  - Office expansion to 12 countries (US, UK, Germany, Sweden, South Korea, Japan, India, etc.).
  - Active hiring — job postings up 117.6% YoY.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Deep domain expertise**: Founded by YC alum/former GM engineer (Qasar Younis) and ex-Google Maps/Android Automotive engineer (Peter Ludwig).
- **Talent density**: 1,000+ engineers, 40+ ex-CTOs, and 30+ former founders on staff — a unique concentration of senior, founder-level talent.
- **Breadth of industry coverage**: Serves automotive, defense, trucking, mining, agriculture, and construction — rare diversification in physical AI.
- **Trusted by government and top OEMs**: U.S. military and 18 of top 20 global automakers rely on their stack, creating high switching costs and deep moats.
- **End-to-end platform**: Covers simulation, validation, OS, and full autonomy stack — not just a point solution.

## Strategic Focus
- **Expansion into defense**: Heavy investment in defense AI, including acquisitions and dedicated government offices in Washington D.C., San Diego, and Ft. Walton Beach.
- **Scaling physical AI beyond automotive**: Driving autonomy into mining, agriculture, construction, drones, and satellites.
- **Growing global footprint**: Opening offices in Europe and Asia to serve local OEM and defense clients.
- **Deepening the research lab**: Building a world-class AI research team focused on real-world intelligence.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “1,000 engineers, 40 ex-CTOs, and 30 former founders” — a high-agency, high-trust environment where engineers take ownership of hard problems from day one.
- **Impact**: Work on technology that goes from sports cars to fighter jets to mining trucks — real-world physical AI that saves lives and reshapes industries.
- **Benefits**:
  - 100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
  - 50% 401(k) matching
  - Up to 12 weeks fully paid parental leave
  - Learning stipend for education and training
  - Fitness and wellness stipend
  - 25 free Lyra coaching/therapy sessions per year
  - Catered lunches and expensed dinners, snacks, and drinks at offices
  - Alumni network for long-term professional connections
- **Work model**: Office-first culture with global hubs (12 offices across US, Europe, and Asia). Not fully remote — roles are generally tied to a specific office location.

## Sources
1. [appliedintuition.com — About](https://www.appliedintuition.com/about)
2. [appliedintuition.com — Homepage](https://www.appliedintuition.com/)
3. [linkedin.com — Applied Intuition Company Page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/applied-intuition-inc)
4. [appliedintuition.com — Careers](https://www.appliedintuition.com/careers)
5. [appliedintuition.com — Jobs](https://www.appliedintuition.com/jobs)

## Other roles at Applied Intuition

- [Learning Experience Designer](https://feeny.ai/job/learning-experience-designer-applied-intuition-sunnyvale-nw5fbax08gjq) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Engineering Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-technician-applied-intuition-australia-sjpctwrdzdde) — Australia
- [Software Integration Engineer - Defense](https://feeny.ai/job/software-integration-engineer-defense-applied-intuition-ann-arbor-q5y0wh7s3yef) — Ann Arbor, MI
- [Forward Deployed Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-software-engineer-applied-intuition-sunnyvale-2q2scpmyc7gc) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Prediction and Planning - Technical Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/prediction-and-planning-technical-lead-applied-intuition-sunnyvale-t6dj9pk6p4ze) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Senior Technical Recruiter - Physical AI & Defense](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-technical-recruiter-physical-ai-defense-applied-intuition-washington-mj0jkf60xwpt) — Washington, DC
- [Legal Operations Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/legal-operations-manager-applied-intuition-sunnyvale-8pkfnbyc1pnz) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Customer Technical Program Manager, Vehicle OS](https://feeny.ai/job/customer-technical-program-manager-vehicle-os-applied-intuition-sunnyvale-10961xxtmd6d) — Sunnyvale, CA
- [Software Engineering Manager - Simulation Products](https://feeny.ai/job/software-engineering-manager-simulation-products-applied-intuition-ann-arbor-54qpw9ccj3z2) — Ann Arbor, MI
- [Electrical Engineer - New Grad (December 2026)](https://feeny.ai/job/electrical-engineer-new-grad-december-2026-applied-intuition-sunnyvale-12z69ymkt03g) — Sunnyvale, CA