Swarm Engineer - Multi-Agent Task Planning

Company background

Swarmbotics AI is a low-cost, swarm robotics company for industry and defense.  We see a world of ubiquitous low-cost robots transforming almost all aspects of society, but we see an urgent need in the defense industry.  We focus on building swarms of robots that incorporate a low-cost BOM, an autonomous stack optimized for off the shelf components, and a global planner that enables swarm capabilities for groups of robots to accomplish sophisticated tasks.  

Our first product is a defense application building Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), collectively termed - Attritable, Networked, Tactical Swarm (ANTS).  Each UGV in ANTS is an independently-tasked, attritable robot designed for on-demand and autonomous mobility.  When operating as a swarm, ANTS is capable of executing more advanced and coordinated, high-level capabilities across a battlespace.  ANTS will help solve some of the DoD’s biggest problems that will save lives and increase defense capabilities.

Stephen Houghton and Drew Watson are the Founders and have decades of experience in self-driving cars and trucks, humanoids, and UAVs with experience from NASA, JPL, Cruise, Embark, McKinsey, Amazon, and the CIA.  

Job description

Swarmbotics is on the forefront of deploying unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) swarms for defense applications and is seeking a highly skilled Multi-Agent Engineer with Task Planning experience to join our dynamic team. This role is essential in designing, implementing, testing, and maintaining multi-agent algorithms that enable coordinated task execution among our unmanned ground vehicles. The ideal candidate will specialize in multi-agent coordination, task planning algorithms, and distributed decision-making, ensuring our robotic swarms can operate collaboratively and efficiently in complex, dynamic environments. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to build and refine a modern multi-agent system from the ground up and execute swarm algorithms on physical UGV swarms of unprecedented size and capability.  

Required qualifications

• Multi-Agent Algorithm Development: Experience architecting and implementing multi-agent systems that enable coordinated task execution and decision-making among autonomous robotic platforms.
• Task Planning Algorithms: Expertise in developing and integrating task planning algorithms that optimize task allocation, scheduling, and execution for robotic swarms.
• Distributed Systems: Proficiency in designing and implementing distributed systems that facilitate reliable communication and coordination among multiple agents in real-time, particularly at scale.
• Implementation:  Strong background in C++ or Python
• Fault Management: Experience in designing systems for fault detection, resolution, and recovery in multi-agent systems, enhancing overall system reliability.
• Performance Optimization: Expertise in optimizing task planning and multi-agent coordination algorithms for efficiency and scalability in large-scale deployments.
• Comfortable working in the high-paced, fluid environment of a tech startup.
• Excited to contribute to the defense of the United States and its allies.
• Able to obtain and hold a U.S. security clearance.
• Ability to work onsite in Phoenix, AZ area.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with unmanned ground vehicles or robotic swarms.
• Experience with popular robotic simulation tools for testing multi-agent behaviors.
• ROS2 Integration: Experience developing and integrating multi-agent and task planning systems within ROS2, ensuring seamless communication and operation across robotic subsystems.
• Proven track record of implementing multi-agent systems in real-world robotics applications.

The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for the position.  Swarmbotics is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, caste, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law.

The preceding description is not designed to be a complete list of all duties and responsibilities required for the position. Swarmbotics is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, caste, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, uniform service, Veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law.