Job Description
Job Description
Computer Vision & Perception Engineer Power the Eyes and Mind of Next-Gen Autonomous Defense Systems!
Austin, TX | Hybrid
Opportunity Summary
A well-funded, venture-backed startup is developing compact, intelligent robotic systems to counter high-speed aerial threats. As one of the earliest engineering hires, youll own the design and deployment of our perception stack, turning raw sensor data into actionable intelligence in real time. This is a zero-to-one role where youll architect, implement, and field-test computer vision and sensor fusion systems that operate in extreme, unpredictable conditions. Youll work directly with technical leadership to integrate your algorithms into embedded platforms and see your work in action, moving from simulation to live operational hardware in days, not months.
About Us
We build autonomous robotic defense systems that perform in chaotic, high-threat environments. Our team blends deep expertise in defense systems, autonomy, robotics, and machine learning. We push the boundaries of perception, control, and embedded integration to deliver systems that work anywhere, anytime. Our mission is urgent, our pace is fast, and our engineering culture is built on trust, ownership, and solving hard problems head-on.
Job Duties
- Design and optimize multi-sensor perception pipelines for speed, accuracy, and robustness in real-world conditions
- Develop and deploy computer vision and object detection models tailored for compute-constrained embedded hardware
- Architect sensor fusion systems integrating camera, IMU, and acoustic data for reliable state estimation and situational awareness
- Lead data acquisition, labeling, and training workflows to improve performance across diverse environments
- Implement real-time tracking and classification for high-speed targets in noisy, dynamic scenes
- Bring up and integrate embedded vision hardware (cameras, IMUs, audio sensors) with custom drivers and firmware
- Prototype, test, and refine perception algorithms in both lab and outdoor field environments
- Collaborate with controls, embedded, and hardware teams to ensure full system integration and reliability
- Build internal visualization, replay, and diagnostics tools to accelerate development cycles
- Help set the technical roadmap for perception, influencing product direction from the earliest stages
Qualifications
5+ years designing and deploying computer vision systems for robotics, autonomy, or embedded platformsProven experience shipping ML / CV models into latency- and resource-constrained environmentsProficient in Python and C++ for both algorithm prototyping and embedded implementationStrong foundation in object detection, classification, and tracking in real-time systemsExperience with sensor fusion (EKF / UKF or equivalent) using camera and IMU dataFamiliarity with audio-based sensing or acoustic signal processing for robotics applicationsSkilled with embedded inference platforms such as NVIDIA Jetson, Coral, or similarHands-on engineer comfortable with sensor bring-up, debugging, and tuning in hardwarePreferred Experience
Perception systems for unmanned vehicles, cUAS, robotics, or defense applicationsEdge inference optimization (model pruning, quantization, TensorRT) for speed and efficiencyKnowledge of acoustic localization, triangulation, and noise filteringBackground in startup or rapid iteration engineering environmentsExperience in safety-critical or real-time embedded systemsWhy Join Us
Founding engineer position with end-to-end ownership of perception systemsYour work goes live fast, from code to operational hardware in daysEngineering-led culture with high trust and autonomyShape the technical vision and culture of the perception teamBuild a system that protects people and infrastructure in real-world missionsCompetitive salary plus early equityHealthcare coverage (medical, dental, vision)Relocation support for AustinCompensation Details
150,000 $220,000 + Equity