Principal Platform Systems Engineer (Test Automation Lead)

About Us:

At Quartermaster AI, we believe the ocean should be a safe and sustainably managed resource for all. By leveraging cutting-edge AI and robotics, we unlock capabilities that were recently impossible. Our distributed open-ocean systems enable every vessel to sense, compute, and communicate, enhancing maritime domain awareness for those who need it most.

Job Description:

We are seeking a hands-on Principal Platform Systems Engineer to build the foundation for reliable, high-velocity development across cloud infrastructure, edge compute, and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing. Reporting to the Head of Platform, you will be a systems generalist fluidly moving between AWS pipelines, lab automation, and embedded edge devices. You will own the infrastructure that allows our hardware, ML, and robotics teams to ship safely in demanding maritime environments.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and operate hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) and software-in-the-loop (SIL) test environments, automating lab workflows and hardware bring-up paths for deterministic regression coverage.

• Build and maintain robust deployment pipelines with specialized release gating for embedded and edge systems (e.g., NVIDIA Jetson), ensuring reliable updates for hardware-dependent software.

• Develop standardized internal tooling and simulation/replay pipelines that improve "inner-loop" speed and reliability for robotics and ML engineering teams.

• Implement observability mechanisms across lab rigs and edge deployments while providing technical leadership on architecture, standards, and cross-team quality gates.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years in systems/platform engineering, DevEx, or embedded infrastructure, with a proven ability to drive execution in ambiguous startup environments.

• Deep expertise in Linux systems engineering, networking fundamentals, and production-level troubleshooting for containerized and reproducible runtime environments.

• Hands-on experience with hardware interfaces (UART, SPI, I2C, CAN), low-level device communication, and integrating lab instrumentation into automated test harnesses.

• Familiarity with the NVIDIA Jetson ecosystem, SDR/RF validation, or deploying AI/ML workloads at the edge in harsh or maritime operating environments.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary and equity package.

• Hybrid work flexibility and professional development opportunities.

• The chance to work on innovative robotics projects with a global environmental and security impact