Perception Engineer

Job Description

Here is the enriched job description for the Perception Engineer role at Anduril Industries:

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About Anduril Industries

Anduril Industries is a cutting-edge defense technology company dedicated to transforming U.S. and allied military capabilities through advanced technology. We bring the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, changing how military systems are designed, built, and sold. Our family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that converts thousands of data streams into a real-time, 3D command and control center. As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to rapidly deploying cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

About The Job: Perception Engineer (Costa Mesa, CA)

We are actively seeking a highly skilled Perception Engineer with a strong background in computer vision to join our rapidly expanding team in Costa Mesa, CA. In this pivotal role, you will be at the forefront of developing advanced perception systems for complex autonomous aerial platforms. Your deep expertise in computer vision algorithms, combined with a solid understanding of robotics principles, will be crucial in tackling a wide variety of challenges, including:
• Visual perception
• SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping)
• Motion planning
• Controls
• State estimation

This role demands not only technical expertise in computer vision and robotics but also the ability to make pragmatic engineering tradeoffs, considering the unique constraints of aerial platforms. Your work will directly contribute to the seamless integration of Anduril’s products, achieving critical outcomes in autonomous operations. This position requires strong systems-level knowledge and experience, as you’ll be working at the intersection of computer vision, robotics, and autonomous systems. If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of computer vision in robotics, possess a “Whatever It Takes” mindset, and can execute in an expedient, scalable, and pragmatic way while keeping the mission top-of-mind and making sound engineering decisions, then this role is for you.

What You’ll Do

• Work at the intersection of 3D perception and computer vision, developing robust algorithms that power real-time decision-making for autonomous aerial systems.
• Develop and implement advanced structure from motion and SLAM algorithms to create accurate 3D models from multiple camera inputs in real-time.
• Integrate perception outputs with path planning algorithms to enable autonomous navigation in complex, unstructured environments.
• Design experiments, data collection efforts, and curate training/evaluation sets to develop insights for both internal purposes and customers.
• Collaborate closely with robotics, software, and hardware teams to integrate perception algorithms into autonomous aerial systems.
• Work with vendors and government stakeholders to advance the state-of-the-art in perception and world modeling for autonomous aerial systems.

Required Qualifications

• Education: BS in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 3D Computer Vision Expertise: Strong knowledge of 3D computer vision concepts, including multi-view geometry, camera models, photogrammetry, depth estimation, and 3D reconstruction techniques.
• Domain Libraries Fluency: Fluency in standard domain libraries such as numpy, opencv, pytorch, etc.
• Algorithms & Optimization: Proven understanding of data structures, algorithms, concurrency, and code optimization.
• Programming Languages: Experience working with Python, PyTorch, or C++ programming languages.
• Deployment Experience: Experience deploying software to end customers, whether internal or external.
• Travel: Must be willing to travel 25%.
• Security Clearance: Eligible to obtain an active U.S. Secret security clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Education: MS or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Platform Experience: Experience with perception systems for aerial robotics or other highly dynamic platforms.
• Sensor Integration: Experience with real-world sensor integrations, including LiDAR, RGB-D cameras, IR cameras, stereo cameras, or TOF cameras.
• GPU Programming: Experience with GPU / CUDA programming for accelerated computer vision processing.
• Path Planning: Knowledge of path planning algorithms and their integration with perception systems in dynamic environments.

Healthcare Benefits

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full-time offers; and are considered part of Anduril’s total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:
• US Roles: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans at little to no cost to you.
• UK & AUS Roles: We cover full cost of medical insurance premiums for you and your dependents.
• IE Roles: We offer an annual contribution toward your private health insurance for you and your dependents.

Additional Benefits

• Income Protection: Anduril covers life and disability insurance for all employees.
• Generous Time Off: Highly competitive PTO plans with a holiday hiatus in December. Caregiver & Wellness Leave is available to care for family members, bond with a new baby, or address your own medical needs.
• Family Planning & Parenting Support: Coverage for fertility treatments (e.g., IVF, preservation), adoption, and gestational carriers, along with resources to support you and your partner from planning to parenting.
• Mental Health Resources: Access free mental health resources 24/7, including therapy and life coaching. Additional work-life services, such as legal and financial support, are also available.
• Professional Development: Annual reimbursement for professional development.
• Commuter Benefits: Company-funded commuter benefits based on your region.
• Relocation Assistance: Available depending on role eligibility.

Retirement Savings Plan

• US Roles: Traditional 401(k), Roth, and after-tax (mega backdoor Roth) options.
• UK & IE Roles: Pension plan with employer match.
• AUS Roles: Superannuation plan.

The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

To view Anduril’s candidate data privacy policy, please visit https://anduril.com/applicant-privacy-notice/.