About Forterra

Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.

About the role

We are seeking a mission-driven leader to define and deliver Forterra’s mission autonomy capabilities, the orchestration layer that transforms autonomy from single-vehicle control into coordinated, cross-domain mission execution. As Director of Mission Autonomy, you will lead the systems engineering, integration, and delivery of technologies that enable our autonomous platforms and their mission payloads to work together seamlessly with human operators and command-and-control systems.  

A key aspect of this role is advancing agentic AI within mission autonomy: building adaptive, goal-driven agents that can reason about mission context, collaborate across domains, and make decisions under uncertainty. These agents will serve as the backbone of scalable mission autonomy, enabling heterogeneous fleets and payloads to act cohesively while remaining transparent and controllable to human operators.  

This role is not about research in isolation, it is about building and fielding production-ready mission autonomy. You will ensure that planning, task allocation, payload control, and multi-agent coordination capabilities are robust, adaptable, and integrated across ground systems and partner domains such as air and maritime. Your team will work closely with simulation groups for validation, and with field and product teams to deliver mission-ready autonomy that scales from controlled tests to contested operations. 

What you'll do

• Define and own Forterra’s mission autonomy systems architecture, spanning task planning, fleet coordination, and mission payload integration. 

• Lead the application of agentic AI to mission autonomy, creating adaptive agents capable of reasoning, learning, and collaborating across contested and dynamic environments. 

• Lead the delivery of cross-domain mission autonomy solutions that enable heterogeneous platforms (ground, air, maritime) to operate together under a common C2 framework. 

• Develop operator-in-the-loop interfaces that combine commander intent with AI-driven mission execution, ensuring trust and transparency in human-machine teaming. 

• Ensure robust integration of mission autonomy with payloads (sensors, effectors, logistics modules) as well as vehicle platforms. 

• Partner with simulation and test teams to validate autonomy and agentic AI behaviors in realistic and contested mission scenarios. 

• Collaborate with perception, autonomy stack, and product groups to ensure mission autonomy works seamlessly across the Forterra ecosystem and with partner systems. 

• Build and manage a high-performing team of autonomy systems engineers focused on delivery and 1 integration. 

• Develop and execute the long-term mission autonomy roadmap in alignment with product strategy, customer needs, and cross-domain partnerships. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering systems-level autonomy solutions into production or operational environments. 

• Deep expertise in mission planning, multi-agent coordination, or autonomy orchestration. 

• Experience integrating autonomy into C2 frameworks and operator-facing systems. 

• Familiarity with mission payload integration, distributed systems, and communications-constrained operations. 

• U.S. Person status is required, as this position requires access to export-controlled data.  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with cross-domain unmanned systems (ground, air, maritime) and joint operations. 

• Strong expertise in AI/ML, agent-based reasoning, or decision-making under uncertainty. 

• Background in defense, aerospace, or robotics with a focus on field deployment. 

• Strong understanding of mission payload integration and human-machine teaming concepts. 

• Experience working with partner ecosystems and interoperability standards. 

• Startup or high-growth experience in mission-critical or regulated domains. 

US Salary Range
 $ — $

Location

Palo Alto, CA (preferred)

Arlington, VA (alternate)

The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:

• Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.  
• Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
• Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
• Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
• A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption. 
• A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
• Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires. 
• 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.

Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.  

CLEARANCE ELIGIBILITY - This position may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance. For more information about U.S. Security Clearances: click here.   

Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in all personnel practices. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain.  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any factor, including veteran and disability status, and criminal history, in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws.

Forterra is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

To see Forterra’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit Forterra Legal | Job Applicant Privacy Notice.