Senior Perception ML Engineer

JOB SUMMARY

We are seeking an exceptional Perception ML Engineer to help drive the next generation of perception capabilities for humanoid robots. In this role, you will be directly involved in active research and development of algorithms focused on 3D scene reconstruction, SLAM, scene understanding, and behavior cloning, working in close collaboration with our interdisciplinary team of engineers.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Develop novel approaches to 3D scene reconstruction and SLAM for humanoid robots.
• Develop algorithms for scene understanding, enabling robots to interpret complex environments and make real-time decisions based on sensor data.
• Investigate and implement state-of-the-art techniques in behavior cloning, allowing robots to learn and replicate human-like actions through interaction and observation.
• Develop metrics and evaluation methods for perception accuracy and performance.
• Have an impact on all aspects of the perception pipeline, including model training, data pipeline development, evaluation, and finetuning as well as tooling and support.
• Engage in the full R&D lifecycle, from literature review and algorithm design to implementation, testing, evaluation, and deployment.
• Stay current with latest advancements in perception and robotics
• Follow best practices for reproducible research and code development
• Collaborate with a cross functional team of engineers to integrate perception algorithms into real-world robotic systems, iterate and improve the perception capabilities
• Represent and lead with Apptronik's core values: CHIPC - Curiosity, Humility, Integrity, Passion, Creativity

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS

• PhD (2+ years) or MS (4+years) in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. We are open to hiring at various levels based on experience
• Strong background in deep learning and reinforcement learning applied to computer vision, and robotics.
• Experience with 3D scene reconstruction, SLAM, and scene understanding techniques.
• Proficiency in Python and C++.
• Hands-on experience with popular machine learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch) and computer vision libraries (e.g. OpenCV).
• Familiarity with robotics frameworks such as ROS / ROS 2
• Strong R&D mindset with the ability to work independently and think critically to solve complex problems.
• Experience with Lidar, RGBD and IMU data
• Experience building data pipelines for sensor data processing.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate in an interdisciplinary team environment.
• Solid understanding of software development lifecycle (SDLC) and agile methodologies.
• (Preferred) Published papers in high-impact conferences (e.g., CVPR, NeurIPS, ICRA, IROS) or journals (e.g., IEEE Transactions on Robotics, International Journal of Robotics Research).
• (Preferred) Experience with behavior cloning techniques
• (Preferred) Familiarity with real-time perception systems and integration with robotic hardware.
• (Preferred) Experience with multi-modal sensor fusion
• (Preferred) Prior experience working on robotic perception for manipulation, automated warehouse systems, or autonomous vehicles

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

• PhD (2+ years) or MS (4+years) in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field. We are open to hiring at various levels based on experience
• 5+ years of experience with modern computer vision techniques for 3D scene reconstruction, object detection, scene understanding, & behavior cloning
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines, version control systems (Git), and automated testing frameworks is preferred.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
• Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
• Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
• Hearing and speech to communicate

Perks

• Competitive base w/ benefits
• Highly motivating equity incentive package
• Hybrid work schedule (i.e. work from home in some capacity) 
• Flexible work hours policy
• Professional development opportunities
• Open/Flexible Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 401k plan