Full-Time

State Estimation Engineer (GNSS/INS Focus)

Posted on 10/31/2025

Forterra

Forterra

501-1,000 employees

Autonomous driving system for retrofitted vehicles

Compensation Overview

$140k - $210k/yr

+ Equity

Arlington, VA, USA

In Person

Category
Electrical Engineering (1)
Required Skills
Python
MATLAB
C/C++
Requirements
  • B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Engineering or related field
  • 5+ years of relevant engineering experience
  • Strong proficiency in Kalman filtering (Extended Kalman Filters, Unscented Kalman Filters, etc.) and other real-time state estimation techniques
  • Strong proficiency in non-linear optimization (gradient descent, Levenberg-Marquardt, etc.)
  • Familiarity with GNSS/IMU/INS algorithms, sensor calibration, and error modeling
  • Strong background in linear algebra, computational mathematics
  • Proficiency in programming languages such as C++, Python, and/or MATLAB
Responsibilities
  • Design, develop, and implement state estimation algorithms for GNSS/INS-based systems
  • Utilize sensor fusion techniques to combine data from multiple sources, including GNSS, IMUs, and other navigation sensors
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand system requirements and develop high-performance solutions for navigation and positioning in dynamic environments
  • Test and evaluate performance of software both in simulation, data playback, and on-vehicle
  • Travel occasionally to support on-site vehicle testing
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience developing localization/navigation systems for a variety of vehicles, including large trucks and small skid steer vehicles
  • Familiarity with industry-standard navigation software and hardware tools

Forterra provides autonomous vehicle technology for defense and industrial sectors. Its AutoDrive® installs as a retrofit kit that adds sensors, computing, and software to existing ground vehicles, enabling unmanned operation in challenging environments. It differentiates itself by upgrading current fleets rather than buying new vehicles and by serving both military and industrial markets. The goal is to deploy and scale AutoDrive® across applications to improve efficiency and safety, backed by its Series B funding.

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

Debt Financing

Total Funding

$634M

Headquarters

Clarksburg, Maryland

Founded

2002

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • BAE Systems partnership develops AMPV prototype by 2026, expanding to Bradley A4.
  • $238M funding at $1B valuation accelerates MESA and AutoTT production in 2026.
  • Kalmar JDA integrates AutoDrive into terminal tractors for ports by late 2026.

What critics are saying

  • BAE develops in-house autonomy for Bradley A4, eroding Forterra's expansions in 12 months.
  • DoD cancels RCV and SMET under Replicator, stranding vehicles without contracts in 18 months.
  • goTenna integration fails GPS-denied tests, triggering investor exodus in 6 months.

What makes Forterra unique

  • AutoDrive retrofits drive-by-wire vehicles for off-road, GPS-denied autonomy across defense platforms.
  • TerraLink orchestrates multi-vehicle swarms via TAK and WMI military interfaces.
  • Selected for DoD's RCV, GEARS, ROGUE Fires, and SMET programs with 400,000 miles driven.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Unlimited Paid Time Off

Paid Vacation

Parental Leave

Professional Development Budget

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Paid Holidays

Hybrid Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

-6%

1 year growth

-5%

2 year growth

-9%
Bloomberg Law
Nov 12th, 2025
Forterra Raises $238M, Hits $1B Valuation

Forterra, a startup specializing in autonomous military vehicle technology, has raised $238 million in a new funding round, boosting its valuation to over $1 billion. The funding, which includes $50 million in debt, was led by Moore Strategic Ventures. The investment will accelerate the production of Forterra's versatile military vehicles, capable of operating individually or in swarms for tasks like surveillance and transporting missiles and AI-supporting hardware.

Bloomberg L.P.
Nov 12th, 2025
Autonomous Military Vehicle Startup Notches Over $1 Billion Valuation in New Deal

Moore Strategic Ventures, Franklin Templeton and others have invested $238 million in Forterra.

CityBiz
Oct 9th, 2025
Forterra Acquires goTenna Networking Solutions

Forterra, a leader in autonomous mission systems, has announced its acquisition of goTenna, a pioneer in tactical mesh networking solutions.

intelligence360
Sep 29th, 2025
Forterra Raises $188M in New Funding

Robotic Research OpCo, operating as Forterra, has filed a notice with the U.S. SEC for an exempt offering to raise up to $188.3 million in new funding. This filing is required under federal securities law for companies selling securities without registration under specific exemptions. The notice must be filed within 15 days of the first sale. Forterra specializes in autonomous vehicle systems for defense and national security.

The Business Journals
Aug 22nd, 2025
Forterra raises $93M for autonomous vehicles

Clarksburg-based autonomous vehicle developer Forterra has raised $93 million in funding.

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