Senior Robotics Engineer – Perception (Hybrid: NYC or Philadelphia)

We are seeking a Senior Robotics Engineer (Perception) to help push the limits of autonomy in complex, GPS-denied field environments. This role is central to scaling next-generation robotics for the utility sector, enabling reliable and safe infrastructure management across thousands of miles of critical assets.

About the Role

You will own and advance perception, sensor fusion, and calibration pipelines that directly impact scalability and reliability. Early priorities include leading SLAM development to improve performance in GPS-degraded environments, automating sensor fusion and calibration workflows, and enabling scalable mapping solutions that improve delivery speed and product consistency.

This is a hybrid position based in New York or Philadelphia, with occasional on-site collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and optimization of SLAM solutions using ground-based LiDAR and multimodal sensors.
• Develop and implement solutions for perception challenges including calibration, sensor fusion, and large-scale mapping.
• Improve quality, consistency, and scalability across varied and degraded operating conditions.
• Automate alignment of LiDAR and imagery data to produce reliable, consistent large-scale scenes.
• Eliminate reliance on manual extrinsic sensor measurements and proactively catch/correct data quality issues at their source.
• Collaborate with a cross-disciplinary team of robotics, AI, and enterprise software engineers.

Requirements

• 4+ years’ experience in perception and mapping within robotics.
• Extensive experience with SLAM using ground-based LiDAR.
• Strong proficiency in C++ and Python.
• Experience with intrinsic and extrinsic sensor calibration, ideally automated and data-driven.
• Hands-on with multimodal sensor fusion (LiDAR, imagery, IMUs, wide-angle cameras, etc.).
• Practical experience working with mobile platforms (cars, drones, or ground robots) in production environments.
• Background in mapping at large scales (beyond room- or object-level).
• Track record in small, fast-moving teams, with the ability to operate close to hardware and systems.

Soft Skills

• Mission-first mindset, oriented toward real-world impact and customer outcomes.
• Curious and adaptable, with a willingness to iterate quickly and adopt new approaches.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, high-growth startup environment.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $160,000 – $190,000
• Equity: Included in package
• Location: Hybrid in New York or Philadelphia (visa sponsorship available)
• Hiring Goal: 1–2 hires by end of Q3

🎯 Ideal Candidate Profile – Senior Robotics Engineer (Perception)

• Robotics perception specialist with deep SLAM expertise and strong coding ability.
• Comfortable working close to the hardware (sensors, cameras, vehicles) rather than purely in simulation.
• Experienced with sensor calibration & fusion pipelines at production scale.
• Thrives in small, mission-driven teams where adaptability and speed matter.
• Likely backgrounds include: Skydio, Nuro, Aurora, Waymo, Shield AI, defense robotics labs, or fast-moving field robotics startups.
• Motivated by the opportunity to deploy robotics at scale in the energy sector, not just research.