Rolling Admission

Note: This is a rolling admission. WATonomous will prioritize applicants for positions that desperately need filling.

Currently, WATonomous is prioritizing individuals who can help with:

• Marketing and Outreach
• Graphic Design
• CAD design
• Experience with machining

If you can prove to us your ability to work proactively and critically, then we will prioritize you no matter what. Some ways of showing it include: consistent GitHub contributions, project portfolios, internal references, word of mouth.

Description

WATonomous is a student design team at the University of Waterloo centered around a singular mission: to show that world that bunch of students can make autonomous robots. Our team has a strong history with robotics software for autonomous vehicles, and we have since transitioned to building a multitude of different AI/Robotics projects that both support other design teams with their own Autonomy goals as well as just for the fun of it.

Currently, WATonomous is focused on the following projects:

• Eve Autonomy: This is our historically core initiative focusing on building an Autonomous Vehicle.
• Micro Autonomy: A competition-driven initiative pursuing international competitions such as F1Tenth. This team also supports other design teams with their edge-computing platforms, such as drones.
• Rover Autonomy: A competition-and-project driven initiative building indoor robots and mars rovers in conjunction with University of Waterloo Rover Team (UWRT).
• Humanoid Autonomy: A joint initiative with University of Waterloo Reality Labs building a Teleoperated Humanoid Robot.

Each project has its own flavour of Robotics, and we highly encourage members of WATonomous to switch between these initiatives to get a broader sense of perspective.

Our Internal Structure

WATonomous has four main divisions:

• Business Operations (BizOps) Division: Responsible for ensuring the success of the team from a marketing, outreach, and financial standpoint.
• Autonomous Software Division (ASD): Our biggest division. It consists of multiple subdivisions that are each responsible for the robotics software of a WATonomous project.
• Autonomous Platform Division (APD): A multidisciplinary team that manages the hardware/firmware for all the robotics projects.

This application is used for admission into each divison. Note that each division has their own onboarding/admissions process.

Responsibilities

At WATonomous, you will be exposed to a plethora of opportunities that promote your career growth. We encourage members to take on a multitude of different tasks that both benefit themselves and also benefit the team's longevity.

What you could be doing:

• Coding for Robots (C++, Python, ROS2, Docker, Docker Compose, AI, Concurrency, Interprocess Communication, Hardware Interfacing, Networking, Statistics/Probability, Robot Embodiment)
• Building Robots (Mechanical Design, PCB manufacturing, Hardware Interfacing, 3D Printing, Machining, Power Management, Networking)
• Ensuring the success of our Team (Leadership, Graphic Design, Social Media Marketing, Planning, Website Development, Professional Communication, Sponsorship Outreach, Fundraising)

Members who can work on more than just one are HIGHLY valued.

Key Qualifications

These qualifications depend on what you want to do in the team, but below is a non-exhaustive list of potential nice to haves:

• Experience in previous robotics competitions such as First Robotics
• Experience with Object Oriented Programming in C++, Python
• Knowledge of Interprocess Communication with tools such as ROS2
• Experience with AI frameworks such as PyTorch and TensorFlow
• Research Experience, such as published papers
• Experience in PCB design and fabrication
• Experience with CAD tools such as Solidworks
• Experience with machining parts with shop tools
• Experience pitching business ideas to potential investors
• Experience in leadership, and leading by example
• Experience in art, such as drawing, painting, digital platforms, etc.
• Experience in marketing and managing social media

In your application, you have the option to choose what you are interested in. Our team will match you with your skillset accordingly.

What we are Looking for Above All Else

WATonomous values proactive individuals who have the willingness to learn new concepts, no matter how daunting they may be. Regardless of your background, or your seniority, we believe that anyone can become a great member of our team, and a leader in the robotics community, given time, stubborness, and passion.