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Perception Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The role As a Perception Engineeryou will help develop and deploy next-generation sensing capabilities to fish farms across the world. While our current product utilizes underwater cameras and ...

Our perception stack is responsible for building Zoox's world-class 3D environment model from multi-modal sensor data. We create novel AI architectures that combine the latest academic results with ...

About the Job As a Software Engineer - Perception at Lodestar, you'll be joining the perception and machine vision teams to rapidly grow our vision and perception models at MITHRIL's center. You'll ...

Lead Perception Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$120K - $158K/yr

The Lead Perception Engineer will develop perception algorithms and tools to ensure safe operations for heavy machinery in construction and mining environments. Responsibilities : • Re-use, adapt ...

New

Sr. Manager, Perception

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$243K - $304K/yr

Collaborate with other leads in Perception and in the broader Autonomy organization to set the technical direction for the organization and continuously deliver improved autonomy and safety features ...

About the Job As a Software Engineer - Perception at Lodestar, you'll be joining the perception and machine vision teams to rapidly grow our vision and perception models at MITHRIL's center. You'll ...

Director of Perception

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$200K - $230K/yr

As the Director of Perception you will lead our computer vision and sensing efforts in developing robust, real-world robotic systems. You will build and manage a world-class team responsible for ...

Senior Perception Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$123K - $168K/yr

The Senior Perception Engineer will build perception algorithms and architecture to ensure safe operations for heavy machinery on construction and mining sites. Responsibilities : • Re-use, adapt ...

New

Senior Perception Engineer

San Francisco, CA

$123K - $169K/yr

As a Perception Engineer, you will own the full stack of how our robots see and understand the world: from integrating cutting-edge camera hardware, to training production-grade deep learning models ...

Perception Los Angeles, US About Lodestar Lodestar's mission is to develop the first "Protect and Defend" capability for high-value space assets in orbit. Our flagship product MITHRIL is the critical ...

Senior Perception Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$123K - $169K/yr

Aeva's mission is to bring the next wave of perception to a broad range of applications from automated driving to industrial robotics, consumer electronics, consumer health, security, and beyond.

Tech Lead, Perception

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$51K - $67K/yr

Work on multiple parts of the Perception ML pipeline: 2D and 3D, closed and open vocabulary detection, data-driven tracking, classification and segmentation * Design and implement sensor fusion ...

Aeva's mission is to bring the next wave of perception to a broad range of applications from automated driving to industrial robotics, consumer electronics, consumer health, security, and beyond.

Perception Data Engineer

Mountain View, CA

$135K - $162K/yr

Aeva's mission is to bring the next wave of perception to a broad range of applications from automated driving to industrial robotics, consumer electronics, consumer health, security, and beyond.

Aeva's mission is to bring the next wave of perception to a broad range of applications from automated driving to industrial robotics, consumer electronics, consumer health, security, and beyond.

Tech Lead, Perception

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$51K - $67K/yr

Work on multiple parts of the Perception ML pipeline: 2D and 3D, closed and open vocabulary detection, data-driven tracking, classification and segmentation * Design and implement sensor fusion ...

Use your knowledge of perception systems combined with Waymo's safety and business targets to propose requirements based on statistical, risk based arguments. * Lead the qualification of perception ...

Director of Perception

San Carlos, CA · On-site

$200K - $230K/yr

As the Director of Perception you will lead our computer vision and sensing efforts in developing robust, real-world robotic systems. You will build and manage a world-class team responsible for ...

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Perception information

See California salary details

$29.4K

$154.9K

$234K

How much do perception jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for perception in California is $154,935.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $125,341.00 and $181,157.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are perception jobs?

Perception jobs typically refer to roles within the fields of robotics, autonomous vehicles, and artificial intelligence that focus on enabling machines to interpret and understand sensory data from the environment. Professionals in perception roles develop algorithms and systems that process information from cameras, LiDAR, radar, and other sensors to help machines recognize objects, obstacles, and their surroundings. These positions are crucial for applications like self-driving cars, robotics, and advanced computer vision systems.

What is a Perception job?

A Perception job typically involves developing and improving a system's ability to interpret and understand sensory data, often in fields like robotics, autonomous vehicles, and computer vision. Professionals in this role work with sensor fusion, machine learning, and computer vision algorithms to detect, track, and classify objects in an environment. Their goal is to enable machines to perceive and react to their surroundings accurately, enhancing safety and efficiency.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals working in perception roles within autonomous vehicle development teams?

Professionals in perception roles often encounter challenges related to processing large volumes of sensor data, such as lidar, radar, and cameras, in real time to ensure accurate object detection and scene understanding. Balancing the need for high accuracy with the computational limitations of embedded systems can be demanding. Additionally, perception engineers frequently collaborate with teams in sensor fusion, mapping, and planning, requiring strong communication and interdisciplinary problem-solving skills. Adapting to rapidly evolving technologies and continuously improving algorithms to handle edge cases in complex environments are also key aspects of the role.

What is the difference between Perception vs Data Analyst?

AspectPerceptionData Analyst
Required CredentialsVaries; often no formal certification requiredBachelor's degree in statistics, data science, or related field; certifications like CAP or Microsoft Data Analyst
Work EnvironmentResearch, consulting, or strategic planning settingsBusiness, finance, healthcare, and tech industries
Employer & Industry UsageUsed in marketing, psychology, and strategic rolesCommon in corporate, finance, and tech sectors
Search & Comparison IntentUnderstanding how perceptions influence decisionsAnalyzing data to inform business strategies

Perception focuses on how individuals interpret and understand information, often in psychological or strategic contexts. Data Analysts interpret and analyze data sets to support business decisions. While perception is more subjective and qualitative, Data Analysts rely on quantitative data analysis. Both roles are essential in decision-making processes but serve different functions within organizations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Perception Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Perception Engineer, you need strong foundations in computer vision, robotics, and sensor fusion, typically supported by a degree in computer science, robotics, or a related field. Familiarity with tools like ROS, OpenCV, TensorFlow, and experience working with LiDAR, radar, or camera systems are highly valuable. Excellent problem-solving skills, adaptability, and effective communication help you collaborate within multidisciplinary teams and tackle complex technical challenges. These skills are crucial for developing reliable perception systems that enable autonomous machines to interpret and interact safely with real-world environments.
What are the most commonly searched types of Perception jobs in California? The most popular types of Perception jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Perception jobs? Cities in California with the most Perception job openings:

Perception Engineer

Aquabyte

San Francisco, CA

$130K - $175K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 26 days ago


Job description

Our mission
Aquabyte is on a mission to revolutionize the sustainability and efficiency of aquaculture. It is an audacious, and incredibly rewarding mission. By making fish farming more efficient and viable, we aim to promote healthy (for the fish and environment) production of low carbon protein and mitigate one of the biggest causes of climate change. Aquaculture is the single fastest growing food-production sector in the world, and now is the time to define how technology is used to harvest the sea and preserve it for generations to come.
We are a diverse, mission-driven team that is eager to work alongside kindred spirits. If this vision inspires you please get in touch.
Our product
We are currently focused on helping salmon farmers better understand their fish population and make environmentally sound decisions. Through custom underwater cameras, computer vision, and machine learning we are able to quantify fish weights, detect the health status, and generate optimal feeding plans in real time. Our product operates at three levels: on-site hardware for image capture, cloud pipelines for data processing, and a user-facing web application. As a result, there are hundreds of moving pieces and no shortage of fascinating challenges across all levels of the stack.
Above all, Aquabyte is a customer-driven company. Our product development is dictated by the needs of fish farmers and we prioritize customer delight in everything we do. We are committed to building a global, collaborative team.
The role
As a Perception Engineeryou will help develop and deploy next-generation sensing capabilities to fish farms across the world. While our current product utilizes underwater cameras and computer vision to quantify fish health and growth, we are expanding our sensor suite to create a comprehensive understanding of the underwater environment.
Key Responsibilities
  • Signal Processing: Design and implement algorithms to process raw sensor data, correcting for environmental attenuation, noise, and physical constraints
  • Sensor Fusion & Calibration: Develop techniques to fuse multi-modal sensor streams and perform precise sensor calibration to ensure data alignment and accuracy across the hardware stack
  • 3D Scene Reconstruction: Build pipelines that generate 3D representations of the environment from complex inputs
  • Feature Detection: Apply a combination of conventional and deep learning approaches to identify key features and objects within the sensor data
  • Production Engineering: Contribute to the production codebase, ensuring algorithms are scalable, robust, and well-tested in a primarily Python-based stack
Required Qualifications
  • Educational Background: BS/MS in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a relevant technical degree
  • Experience: 3+ years of experience in perception or signal processing
  • Technical Proficiency: Strong coding ability with a mastery of Python and experience with SQL
  • Domain Expertise: Demonstrated experience with sensor fusion, state estimation, or 3D computer vision (e.g., SLAM, structure-from-motion, or point cloud processing)
  • Engineering Best Practices: Strong software engineering skills, including knowledge of testing, version control, and deployment pipelines.
Bonus Qualifications
  • Experience processing underwater acoustics or sonar data
  • Familiarity with cloud data infrastructure (e.g., Snowflake, dbt, Airflow)
  • Experience with containerization (Docker) and cloud development (AWS).
Benefits
  • Competitive salary and equity
  • Unlimited vacation policy
  • Flexible working hours + hybrid work policy
  • Medical, vision, & dental insurance
  • Retirement matching plan
  • Potential travel to Norway
  • Evolve in a fast-paced environment
  • Be able to shape a business in its early days
  • Get ideas, feedback, and suggestions from other best-in-their-field colleagues
  • Mentorship opportunities, we'll be dedicated to investing in you and supporting you as you grow

$130,000 - $175,000 a year
Aquabyte takes a market-based approach to compensation. The pay varies on a variety of factors including: job-related qualification, years of experience and competence level, interview performance, and work location.
At Aquabyte, we admire interesting people with a unique background. We strongly encourage you to apply even if you don't satisfy all the requirements, and we will get back to you as soon as possible!
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.