About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments.

About the role

We are looking for an experienced engineering leader to build and lead a new Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) testing capability for our defense products. This is a rare opportunity to stand up a team and lab from the ground up, shaping both the technical direction and culture of a critical function within our defense autonomy program. At Applied, we empower leaders to make meaningful decisions, build high-performing teams, and work directly with users and program stakeholders to drive impact.

At Applied, you will

Own the vision, planning, and execution of a new state-of-the-art Defense HIL lab in Ann Arbor, MI
Build and lead a team of HIL engineers, defining roles, hiring talent, and developing individuals as the program scales
Set technical strategy for HIL integration across defense programs, ensuring the lab supports representative test environments for aerial and maritime platforms
Partner closely with defense program leads, systems engineers, and autonomy teams to align HIL priorities with program milestones
Drive cross-functional collaboration with hardware, software, and field teams to deliver integrated, high-fidelity test solutions

We're looking for someone who

Has 7+ years of experience, with at least 2–3 years in an engineering leadership or team lead capacity
Has proven ability to hire, mentor, and grow technical teams in a fast-moving environment
Brings deep familiarity with real-time hardware platforms (e.g., dSPACE, Speedgoat, or equivalent) and HIL lab infrastructure
Can translate program requirements into a cohesive technical roadmap and lab development plan
Is a strong communicator who can represent the HIL function to senior leadership and external defense customers
Thrives in ambiguous, early-stage environments and has demonstrated ability to build structure from scratch

Nice to have

Hands-on experience with HIL integrations across aerial and/or maritime defense domains
Familiarity with software development practices (C/C++/Python) and the ability to engage credibly with software-focused engineers
Experience working within defense programs, including familiarity with relevant compliance and testing standards
Background in systems integration or model-based design (e.g., Simulink/Modelica)

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.

Engineering Manager, Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL)