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Updated 21 hours ago

Posted May 27, 2026

Autonomy Engineer - Planning and Controls

Skyd IO

Zurich, Switzerland

engineeringfull-timehybriddronecontrolsautonomy
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Role details

Job description

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.

About the role:

The planning algorithms running onboard the vehicle define its behavior, giving our drones their character. You will contribute to the development and implementation of the core motion planning software, touching everything from the low-level stabilization and control, to high level, task specific frameworks.

How you'll make an impact:

  • Conceive, design, implement, simulate, evaluate, and fly new motion planning strategies

  • Work across the software system to define the right data and interfaces for successful motion planning

  • Develop, tune, and evaluate low level controllers

  • Work with the UX team to explore and define planning/UI boundaries for new interaction paradigms

What makes you a good fit:

  • Experience writing software that controls real hardware, e.g. grasping / manipulation of a robotic arm, self-driving cars, any kind of mobile robot

  • Configuration and free space representations

  • Modern and classical control design methods

  • Dynamic programming

  • Non-linear optimization

  • Solid software engineering foundation and a commitment to writing clean, well architected code

  • High proficiency in C++

#LI-SM1

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

Role context

This Autonomy Engineer - Planning and Controls role at Skydio sits in the engineering track within drone and robotics operations. The position is tied to Zurich, Switzerland and is posted earlier in the current hiring cycle, which signals active hiring intent rather than archived demand. Compensation is not disclosed in the source listing, so candidates should verify range details directly with the employer. Combined with the live company and role links on this page, this listing gives candidates a direct path to compare equivalent openings by employer, market, and role focus.

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Zurich, Switzerland

Location

Zurich, Switzerland

Approximate role location based on the employer listing.

Zurich, Switzerland

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