Principal Engineer – Autonomous Systems (m/f/d)

Responsibilities

We are representing a confidential robotics organization seeking a Principal Engineer to take complete technical ownership of an autonomous system operating in demanding real-world conditions. In this role, you will:

• Own system architecture, integration, and deployment from end to end with full technical authority and accountability
• Make final technical decisions across all subsystems without relying on project management layers
• Build solutions hands-on alongside your team daily, working directly in the codebase
• Prioritize ruthlessly, cutting anything that does not contribute to the next milestone before optimizing
• Conduct field testing with clear, measurable pass/fail criteria
• Collaborate directly with company leadership and customers without intermediary layers
• Mentor engineers through building alongside them, not through presentations or documentation

What We're Looking For

Our client needs a builder with a proven track record of shipping real systems, not just designing them. You must have:

• Demonstrable experience building products or systems that reached real users—something you took from concept to deployment
• Prior experience founding or leading a technical project where you carried sole responsibility, with measurable outcomes
• Deep expertise in real-time embedded systems, sensor fusion, or perception technologies proven through deployed solutions
• Strong proficiency in C++ and ROS2, especially under strict latency constraints
• A track record of delivering end-to-end hardware and software solutions independently
• An instinct to challenge requirements and eliminate unnecessary complexity before building
• Experience coaching engineers by working directly in the code with them
• Citizenship of a NATO member country or close ally
• Willingness to work on-site in Munich five days per week

This is not a fit if you prefer consensus-driven decision-making, prioritize design over functioning systems, or need formal authority structures to be effective.

How We Work with You

Candidates interested in this position apply directly through Get A Job.ai. Our talent team will conduct an initial screening to understand your background and assess alignment with the role. If there is a strong match, we will submit your profile to our client for consideration. Please do not attempt to contact the client organization directly, as all communication is managed through our recruiting process to ensure confidentiality and professionalism.

Pay

Compensation details will be discussed during the screening process based on experience and qualifications.

Equal Opportunity

Get A Job.ai is committed to inclusive hiring practices and evaluates all candidates based on qualifications and merit.