What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Autonomy position at Saab, Inc.?
Job Description:
Looking to shape the future of autonomy at enterprise scale? Skapa by Saab is seeking a Director of Autonomy to define and evolve Saab’s enterprise autonomy strategy across multi-domain unmanned systems.
This role serves as the senior technical authority for autonomy across Skapa by Saab, establishing the technical vision, architectural principles, and organizational direction guiding autonomy development for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
The Director of Autonomy bridges advanced research, platform integration, and mission application — ensuring technical coherence, long-term scalability, and operational relevance across the autonomy portfolio. While we strongly prefer candidates who are able to work on-site at our San Diego office, we are open to remote applicants.
Responsibilities include:
The compensation range provided is a general guideline. When extending an offer, Saab, Inc. considers factors including (but not limited to) the role and associated responsibilities, location, and market and business considerations, as well as the candidate's work experience, key skills, and education/training.
Skills and Experience:
Requirements:
Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Drug-Free Workplaces:
Saab is a federal government contractor and adheres to policies and programs necessary for sustaining drug-free workplaces. As a condition of employment, candidates will be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen.
Benefits:
Saab provides an excellent working environment offering professional growth opportunities, competitive wages, work-life balance, a business casual atmosphere and comprehensive benefits.
Highlights include:
Saab is a leading defense and security company with an enduring purpose, to help nations keep their people and society safe. Empowered by its 28,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world. In the U.S., Saab delivers advanced technology and systems, supporting the U.S. Armed Forces and the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as international and commercial partners. Headquartered in Syracuse, New York, the company has business units and local employees in ten U.S. locations.
Saab is a company where we see diversity as an asset and offer unlimited opportunities for advancing in your career. We are also a company that respects each person’s needs and encourage employees to lead a balanced, rewarding life beyond work. Saab values diversity and is an Affirmative Action employer for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Saab is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran, disability status, or any other federal, state, or locally protected category.
Looking to shape the future of autonomy at enterprise scale? Skapa by Saab is seeking a Director of Autonomy to define and evolve Saab’s enterprise autonomy strategy across multi-domain unmanned systems.
This role serves as the senior technical authority for autonomy across Skapa by Saab, establishing the technical vision, architectural principles, and organizational direction guiding autonomy development for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
The Director of Autonomy bridges advanced research, platform integration, and mission application — ensuring technical coherence, long-term scalability, and operational relevance across the autonomy portfolio. While we strongly prefer candidates who are able to work on-site at our San Diego office, we are open to remote applicants.
Responsibilities include:
- Define and evolve Skapa’s enterprise autonomy strategy across multi-domain unmanned systems.
- Establish the technical vision, architectural standards, and guiding principles for autonomy development, ensuring consistency across platforms and programs.
- Build, lead, and scale a high-performing autonomy organization, including technical leaders and managers.
- Serve as the senior autonomy advisor to executive leadership, providing insight on capability gaps, technology risk, investment direction, and strategic positioning.
- Shape autonomy investment priorities and portfolio direction across IRAD and strategic customer-funded efforts.
- Provide strategic technical guidance to major autonomy initiatives, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture and long-term capability objectives.
- Represent Skapa’s autonomy capabilities to customers, partners, and strategic stakeholders through technical briefings, reviews, and thought leadership engagements.
- Support growth efforts through technical positioning, customer engagement, and shaping of differentiated autonomy strategies for priority pursuits.
- Promote best-in-class engineering practices for autonomy software, simulation, integration, and validation — without assuming direct program execution ownership.
The compensation range provided is a general guideline. When extending an offer, Saab, Inc. considers factors including (but not limited to) the role and associated responsibilities, location, and market and business considerations, as well as the candidate's work experience, key skills, and education/training.
Skills and Experience:
Requirements:
- MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Software Engineering, or related technical discipline.
- 12 years of experience in autonomy, AI/ML, robotics, or advanced technology development, including leadership of complex technical teams and senior technical leaders.
- Demonstrated experience defining enterprise-level technical strategy and architecture across multiple concurrent programs or initiatives.
- Deep understanding of autonomy architectures, including multi-agent systems, perception and sensor fusion, decision-making, and control.
- Proven ability to translate mission and business objectives into executable autonomy roadmaps and investment priorities.
- Experience guiding advanced autonomy capabilities from research maturity through integration and operational application.
- Working knowledge of AI/ML development pipelines, simulation-based development, and autonomy test & evaluation methodologies.
- Strong enterprise systems thinking across heterogeneous unmanned platforms.
- Experience engaging directly with U.S. DoD customers, research organizations, and strategic partners
- Effective executive communicator capable of influencing senior leadership and representing autonomy capabilities externally.
- Must hold or be able to obtain a U.S. DoD security clearance and be a U.S. Citizen.
- Willingness to travel up to 50% in support of customer engagements and demonstrations.
Must be a U.S. citizen. Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Drug-Free Workplaces:
Saab is a federal government contractor and adheres to policies and programs necessary for sustaining drug-free workplaces. As a condition of employment, candidates will be required to pass a pre-employment drug screen.
Benefits:
Saab provides an excellent working environment offering professional growth opportunities, competitive wages, work-life balance, a business casual atmosphere and comprehensive benefits.
Highlights include:
- Medical, vision, and dental insurance for employees and dependents
- Generous paid time off, including 8 designated holidays
- 401(k) with employer contributions
- Tuition assistance and student loan assistance
- Wellness and employee assistance resources
- Employee stock purchase opportunities
- Short-term and long-term disability coverage
Saab is a leading defense and security company with an enduring purpose, to help nations keep their people and society safe. Empowered by its 28,000 talented people, Saab constantly pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world. In the U.S., Saab delivers advanced technology and systems, supporting the U.S. Armed Forces and the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as international and commercial partners. Headquartered in Syracuse, New York, the company has business units and local employees in ten U.S. locations.
Saab is a company where we see diversity as an asset and offer unlimited opportunities for advancing in your career. We are also a company that respects each person’s needs and encourage employees to lead a balanced, rewarding life beyond work. Saab values diversity and is an Affirmative Action employer for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Saab is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer, all qualified individuals are encouraged to apply and will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran, disability status, or any other federal, state, or locally protected category.
Salary : $237,000 - $319,900