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Senior Perception Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

TekSynap

Senior Data Engineer

Ashburn, VA

$150K - $200K/yr

The vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception ... ACTIVITIES & RESPONSIBILITIES The Senior Data Engineer will be responsible for developing and ...

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Senior Perception Engineer information

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

To thrive as a Senior Perception Engineer, you need a strong background in computer vision, machine learning, and sensor data processing, typically supported by a degree in computer science, robotics, or a related field. Proficiency with tools such as Python, C++, ROS, and deep learning frameworks (e.g., TensorFlow or PyTorch) is essential, along with experience working with LiDAR, radar, and camera systems. Excellent problem-solving abilities, collaboration, and strong communication skills help you tackle complex challenges and integrate seamlessly with multidisciplinary teams. These skills ensure the development of robust perception systems critical for the safety and performance of autonomous vehicles or robotic platforms.

What is the difference between Senior Perception Engineer vs Computer Vision Engineer?

AspectSenior Perception EngineerComputer Vision Engineer
Required CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS, EE, or related; experience in perception algorithmsBachelor's/Master's in CS, EE, or related; strong background in image processing and algorithms
Work EnvironmentAutonomous vehicles, robotics, AI systemsImage analysis, machine learning, AI applications
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, automotive, roboticsTech firms, research labs, automotive
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared due to overlapping skills in perception and visionRelated but more focused on visual data processing

While both roles involve working with perception and visual data, a Senior Perception Engineer typically focuses on integrating perception systems into autonomous platforms, whereas a Computer Vision Engineer specializes in developing algorithms for image and video analysis. The roles often overlap but differ in application focus and industry usage.

How does a Senior Perception Engineer typically collaborate with cross-functional teams in autonomous systems development?

As a Senior Perception Engineer, you will work closely with experts in robotics, software engineering, and hardware integration to develop and refine perception algorithms for autonomous systems. Collaboration often involves frequent meetings with sensor teams to ensure data quality, as well as alignment with planning and controls engineers to guarantee that perception outputs meet system requirements. You may also participate in code reviews, joint debugging sessions, and design discussions to ensure seamless integration of perception modules. This cross-disciplinary teamwork is essential for building reliable and robust autonomous solutions.

What are Senior Perception Engineers?

Senior Perception Engineers are specialized professionals who design and develop advanced perception systems for machines, such as autonomous vehicles or robots. They work on algorithms and sensor fusion techniques to help machines interpret and understand their environment, enabling safe navigation and decision-making. Their role often involves collaborating with cross-functional teams, optimizing software for real-time performance, and integrating sensor data from cameras, LiDAR, radar, and other sources. Senior-level engineers typically have several years of experience and take on leadership responsibilities within perception teams.
What are the most commonly searched types of Perception Engineer jobs in Washington? The most popular types of Perception Engineer jobs in Washington are:
What cities in Washington are hiring for Senior Perception Engineer jobs? Cities in Washington with the most Senior Perception Engineer job openings:
Senior Perception Engineer jobs near you
Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration - Expeditionary (R5193)

Senior Staff Software Engineer, Autonomous Pilot Integration - Expeditionary (R5193)

Shield AI

Washington, DC

$62.50 - $80.75/hr

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube. 

The Autonomous Pilot Integration team for expeditionary platforms builds autonomy solutions for V-BAT - an unmanned aircraft operating in expeditionary environments for ISR, target acquisition, communications, and multi-agent missions. The team also builds autonomy for X-BAT, a new platform under development by the aircraft team; for X-BAT, the team builds on top of the existing mission autonomy solution from the Strategic Systems (ACP) portfolio and works closely with the aircraft team on the flight-autonomy interface. We combine capabilities from the Autonomy Capabilities team (motion planning, tactics), the Perception team (e.g., ViDAR, ATR), and the HivemindSDK to develop the autonomy software that runs on these platforms, then integrate, validate, and field it on the real hardware - for U.S. and international defense customers. 
In this role, you'll own the technical direction for the Expeditionary portfolio, driving the evolution of autonomy architecture across V-BAT and X-BAT while ensuring scalable, mission-ready solutions that support current operators and future platforms. You'll define long-term technical strategy, solve the organization's most complex integration challenges, and influence the direction of autonomy software spanning mission behaviors, platform interfaces, payload integration, executive autonomy, and multi-agent operations. 

You'll partner closely with the Aircraft team, Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, GCS, Strategic Systems (ACP), engineering leadership, customer/program offices, and operational users to ensure Expeditionary autonomy continues to evolve while remaining reliable in operational environments. 

What You'll Do:

Technical Strategy & Portfolio Leadership - Define and drive the long-term technical direction for Expeditionary autonomy across V-BAT, X-BAT, and future platforms. 

Develop & Field Autonomy - Guide development of mission autonomy, payload integration, flight-autonomy interfaces, executive autonomy, and multi-agent capabilities while ensuring successful operational deployment. 

Aircraft Team Partnership - Establish long-term technical strategy with the Aircraft team for platform integration, interface evolution, and mission readiness. 

Cross-Engineering Leadership - Influence architecture across the Autonomy Capabilities, Perception, GCS, Strategic Systems (ACP), Aircraft, and customer organizations. 

Subject Matter Expertise - Serve as the organization's technical expert for complex autonomy integration challenges spanning software, hardware, and operations. 

Design & Engineering Excellence - Lead architecture reviews, engineering standards, interface definitions, and organization-wide technical improvements. 

Mentorship & Organizational Growth - Mentor senior engineers, develop technical leaders, contribute to leveling frameworks, and partner on senior hiring. 

Mission Readiness & Operational Excellence - Guide customer releases, deployment strategy, and mission validation while supporting critical operational events. 

Continuous Improvement - Drive long-term improvements to engineering processes, integration workflows, testing infrastructure, and developer experience. 

C2 Interoperability & Open Systems - Define technical strategy for command-and-control interoperability and adoption of open-systems standards. 

Hiring & Developing Technical Talent - Define the technical hiring bar for senior engineering roles, partner with engineering managers on long-term staffing strategy, and help grow the organization's technical capabilities. 

Travel Requirement - Members of this team typically travel around 10-20% of the year to different office locations, customer sites, operator training events, flight tests, and integration exercises. 

Required Qualifications:

  • BS/MS in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent experience.  

  • 10+ years of relevant experience.  

  • Expert-level C++ and Linux systems development experience.  

  • Demonstrated experience defining technical strategy across multiple engineering teams or programs.  

  • Proven track record influencing architecture and solving highly complex systems integration challenges.  

  • Experience mentoring senior engineers and driving engineering excellence.  

  • Ability to obtain a SECRET clearance. 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Extensive experience with Group 3 UAS, VTOL platforms, or comparable autonomous systems.  

  • Experience defining flight-autonomy interfaces or custom autopilot integrations.  

  • Experience deploying autonomy to operational military systems.  

  • Experience with international defense customers.  

  • Experience with STANAG 4586, UCI, OMS, and open-systems architectures.  

  • Experience shaping engineering practices across an organization. 

$233,760 - $350,640 a year
#LI-ED1
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
 
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
 
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
 
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. 
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. 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.
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