Principal Engineer - AQNav

About SandboxAQ

SandboxAQ is a high-growth company delivering AI solutions that address some of the world's greatest challenges. The company’s Large Quantitative Models (LQMs) power advances in life sciences, financial services, navigation, cybersecurity, and other sectors.

We are a global team that is tech-focused and includes experts in AI, chemistry, cybersecurity, physics, mathematics, medicine, engineering, and other specialties. The company emerged from Alphabet Inc. as an independent, growth capital-backed company in 2022, funded by leading investors and supported by a braintrust of industry leaders. 

At SandboxAQ, we’ve cultivated an environment that encourages creativity, collaboration, and impact. By investing deeply in our people, we’re building a thriving, global workforce poised to tackle the world's epic challenges. Join us to advance your career in pursuit of an inspiring mission, in a community of like-minded people who value entrepreneurialism, ownership, and transformative impact. 

At AQNav, we're not just building navigation systems; we're pioneering a new era of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) that transcends the limitations of GPS. We're developing cutting-edge magnetic navigation solutions that provide robust and reliable positioning in GPS-denied environments, opening up possibilities for autonomous systems, advanced aerospace applications, and beyond. We're a team of world-class innovators, driven by a shared passion for pushing the boundaries of what's possible in navigation technology. Fresh off being named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024 and Fast Company’s 'Next Big Thing in Transportation,' we’re expanding our team to drive the future of navigation. If you're a visionary engineer seeking to make a real-world impact, join us as we redefine how the world finds its way.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Principal Engineer to lead the development and integration of our next-generation magnetic navigation solutions. As a leader of a small and nimble team, you’ll have opportunities to both do engineering as a senior individual contributor as well as direct the efforts of the team overall. In this role, you will be joining the team AQNav leadership team in a senior role.

This role offers an exciting, and unparalleled opportunity to shape the future of PNT, working at the forefront of a rapidly evolving field. You will be instrumental in developing and deploying technology that will have significant implications for national security, commercial aviation, and other critical sectors.

If this challenge resonates with you and you’re excited about the idea of building something new and necessary, come join our team!

As a Principal Engineer, you will:

• Lead and define AQNav’s strategic technical direction in magnetic navigation, leading development workstreams across a multidisciplinary engineering organization including hardware, software, AI,  and navigation algorithm engineers.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and guidance to a team of talented engineers, fostering their professional growth and contributing to a culture of technical excellence.
• Trailblaze the cutting edge of magnetic navigation technology, actively researching and evaluating advancements in quantum sensing, AI/ML-driven navigation, and other relevant fields to ensure AQNav remains a leader in the industry
• Attend and present on behalf of the AQNav team to external stakeholders, including governmental, client, and regulatory bodies, including at relevant industry conferences or conventions.
• Spearhead the design, development, and rigorous testing of cutting-edge magnetic navigation systems for a variety of challenging operational platforms, including advanced aircraft, unmanned vehicles, and other demanding applications. 
• Work with subject matter experts to establish and execute rigorous calibration, validation, and verification procedures to ensure the highest levels of performance and reliability in diverse operational environments.
• Oversee the efficient operation of a set of cross-functional teams, including hardware, software, and testing engineers both internal and external to the company, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment to drive seamless system integration and rapid prototyping.
• Execute our transition plan from prototype to production over the coming years, including international expansion.
• Work directly with engineers, and cross-functionally, to problem-solve priority workstreams and accelerate development. efforts.

About You

• MS or PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related engineering field.
• 10+ years of demonstrated experience in avionics electrical system development, with a proven track record in transitioning technologies from prototype to production.
• Able to take complex problems and devise elegant solutions leading dynamic, multidisciplinary teams.
• You have a growth mindset and are an empathetic leader. 
• You embrace ambitious goals and are adept at getting your team to execute against them. 
• You have a strong understanding of sensors and sensor systems involved in navigation and positioning technologies. You are able to understand key information needed for good system level decisions.
• You use a strong knowledge and intuition of physical principles underlying such systems to find elegant solutions to complex problems, especially around optimization and error reduction.
• You have worked on emerging or novel technologies where risk reduction strategies are key
• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• U.S. Citizenship is required due to USG contract requirements. 

Preferred Qualifications

• 12+ years of significant experience in avionics system development for demanding aerospace or defense applications, with a proven history of delivering successful solutions.
• Hands-on experience with advanced sensing and sensor fusion technologies, demonstrating practical knowledge of their implementation and capabilities.
• Extensive experience with advanced signal processing, robust navigation, and enhanced system performance.
• Direct experience with aviation or military certification processes for navigation systems, including familiarity with relevant regulatory requirements and standards.
• Proven experience with flight testing, data analysis, and system optimization in real-world operational environments and strong understanding of the product development lifecycle in aerospace.
• Familiarity with relevant industry standards (e.g., DO-160, RTCA) and best practices for aerospace systems development.
• Demonstrated expertise of Python, or C/C++ with a demonstrated ability to design and optimize algorithms for production-ready systems, including system simulation and scalability considerations.
• A strong foundational knowledge of physics and curiosity for quantum and AI. 
• Located in or able to travel to the SF Bay Area to collaborate with engineering teams.

The US base salary range for this full-time position is expected to be $220k - $315k per year. Our salary ranges are determined by role and level. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. This role may be eligible for annual discretionary bonuses and equity.

SandboxAQ welcomes all.

We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where we have zero tolerance for discrimination. We invest in our employees' personal and professional growth. Once you work with us, you can’t go back to normalcy because great breakthroughs come from great teams and we are the best in AI and quantum technology.   We offer competitive salaries, stock options depending on employment type, generous learning opportunities, medical/dental/vision, family planning/fertility, PTO (summer and winter breaks), financial wellness resources, 401(k) plans, and more.    Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.   Accommodations: We provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities in job application procedures for open roles. If you need such an accommodation, please let a member of our Recruiting team know. Apply