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Software Perception Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Mytra Robotics

Senior ML Perception Engineer

Brisbane, CA · On-site

$125K - $172K/yr

We're applying robotics and distributed software to create a new class of product for this $1T ... About the role As a Senior ML Perception Engineer at Mytra, you'll be a key member of our Computer ...

Saildrone

Staff Software Engineer, Perception

Alameda, CA · On-site

$215K - $270K/yr

THE POSITION Saildrone is seeking a Staff Software Engineer, Perception to join our Robotics Software Org. Reporting to the Engineering Manager, Perception, you will play a critical role in enabling ...

Conduit

Data and Perception Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$134K - $162K/yr

... sensor and software a factory might have, agnostic of brand or backend. We partner with ... The Role This is a customer-first role applied to perception, computer vision, data science and ML.

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Software Perception Engineer information

See California salary details

$62.7K

$145.6K

$202.8K

How much do software perception engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 9, 2026, the average yearly pay for software perception engineer in California is $145,592.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a software perception engineer do?

A Software Perception Engineer develops algorithms and software systems that enable machines, such as autonomous vehicles or robots, to interpret and understand their environment using sensor data like cameras, lidar, and radar. They design, implement, and optimize perception pipelines that detect, classify, and track objects in real time. Their work enables machines to make informed decisions based on their surroundings, contributing to advancements in fields like robotics, automotive, and artificial intelligence.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a software perception engineer?

To thrive as a Software Perception Engineer, you need a strong background in computer vision, machine learning, and programming (often in C++ or Python), usually supported by a degree in computer science, robotics, or related fields. Experience with deep learning frameworks (such as TensorFlow or PyTorch), sensor data processing (like LiDAR or camera systems), and version control tools is typically required. Analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and teamwork are vital soft skills that help engineers tackle complex perception challenges and collaborate effectively. These competencies are crucial for developing reliable perception systems that enable autonomous technologies to interpret and interact safely with their environments.

How does a software perception engineer typically collaborate with hardware and robotics teams?

Software Perception Engineers often work closely with hardware and robotics teams to ensure that perception algorithms integrate effectively with sensors and robotic platforms. Collaboration typically involves joint design reviews, troubleshooting sensor data, and optimizing real-time processing pipelines. This cross-functional teamwork helps align software capabilities with hardware constraints, enabling robust perception solutions. Clear communication and regular syncs are essential to quickly address integration challenges and deliver reliable system performance.

What cities in California are hiring for Software Perception Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Software Perception Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Software Perception Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 88% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $145,592 per year, or $70 per hour.

Staff Perception Engineer - Robotics

Sunnyvale, CA • On-site

Knightscope, Inc
Public Safety Statistics Centers and Offices • 51 - 200 employees
Learn more about Knightscope, Incexternal

$240K - $275K/yr

Other

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 11 hours ago

Job description

About Knightscope

Knightscope is a security technology company building the Nation’s First Autonomous Security Force. The Company combines autonomous machines, advanced software, and human expertise to help protect people, property, and critical infrastructure. Knightscope’s long‑term mission is to make the United States of America the safest country in the world.

About the Role

In this role, you will own the full perception stack for our autonomous security robot platform, from raw LiDAR, camera, and thermal sensor data through 3D object detection, scene understanding, and persistent entity tracking. You will be a technical lead working across robotics, ML, and systems engineering to ship production‑grade perception capabilities that power real‑time threat detection, incident correlation, and evidence capture in the field.

Location Requirement: Full‑time, on‑site at Sunnyvale HQ (No relocation provided).

Key Responsibilities
  • Design, train, and deploy 3D perception models, object detection, segmentation, and multi‑object tracking, from multi‑modal sensor data (LiDAR, camera, thermal, radar) using state‑of‑the‑art BEV and transformer‑based architectures.
  • Own the end‑to‑end ML pipeline from large‑scale data curation and annotation strategy through model training, optimization (TensorRT/CUDA), and real‑time onboard deployment on edge compute.
  • Build persistent cross‑sensor identity: the same person, vehicle, or license plate maintains a stable track across camera handoffs, patrol legs, and time, feeding entity correlation and incident generation downstream.
  • Design and implement evidence‑first capture: pre/post-event clips, full‑frame and crop media, and structured detection output that is replay‑safe and analyst‑ready.
  • Explore and integrate Vision‑Language Models (VLMs) to enrich detection outputs with scene narration, anomaly reasoning, and long‑tail incident understanding, moving K7 beyond bounding boxes toward analyst‑ready scene descriptions.
  • Drive technical decisions on architecture, data strategy, and roadmap; mentor engineers across the team.
  • Design and run rigorous offline and closed‑loop evaluations; define metrics for safety‑critical perception performance across diverse real‑world deployment environments.
Required Qualifications
  • 7+ years of hands‑on experience at an OEM, AV company, physical security platform, or robotics tech company shipping perception software to production.
  • Deep expertise in 3D computer vision: LiDAR/camera 3D object detection, point cloud processing, multi‑view geometry, and sensor fusion.
  • Strong ML fundamentals, CNNs, Transformers, multi‑task architectures, with production deployment experience (TensorRT, ONNX, CUDA optimization).
  • Fluency in C++ (real‑time systems) and Python; experience with ROS2 and simulation environments (CARLA, Isaac).
  • Production‑first mindset demonstrated ability to take models from research to deployed, real‑world systems operating under real operational constraints.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Exposure to vision‑language models (VLMs): fine‑tuning, prompting, or integrating VLM outputs into a perception pipeline for scene understanding or anomaly narration.
  • Familiarity with Vision‑Language‑Action (VLA) or end‑to‑end policy models that map sensor observations directly to robot actions, and interest in applying these to active confirmation and repositioning behaviors.
  • Experience with ALPR, face recognition, or ReID systems in deployed security or automotive contexts.
  • Familiarity with evidence integrity, chain‑of‑custody media, or tamper‑evident capture pipelines.
  • Publications or open‑source contributions in 3D CV, embodied AI, or autonomous systems.
  • MS or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
Compensation & Benefits
  • Base Salary: $240,000 to $275,000 (DOE)
  • Equity: Stock options
  • Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off
  • Location Requirement: Full‑time, on‑site at Sunnyvale HQ
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