Staff Software Engineer, Perception

Job Description

Job Description

About Us

With more than 2 million nautical miles sailed and 50,000 days at sea, Saildrone has earned the trust of governments worldwide. Our unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) deliver continuous, real-time intelligence in the toughest oceans on Earth—giving our partners faster awareness, stronger security, and a decisive edge at sea.

Our USVs are long-range, extreme-endurance platforms powered by advanced sensors and proprietary AI - they have been designed to operate where no crewed vessel can. They collect critical insights above and below the surface to support border security, law enforcement, naval operations, and undersea infrastructure protection.

Headquartered in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington, DC, and global deployment hubs, Saildrone operates missions worldwide. Join a fast-moving, mission-driven team at the intersection of AI, autonomy, and defense technology—where data turns into intelligence, and intelligence drives action.

The Role

Saildrone uses an onboard perception system for ocean monitoring and navigational safety. Using a combination of machine vision, radar, acoustic and AIS data, our worldwide fleet of drones perceives the world in real-time to combat illegal fishing and safely sail through crowded seas. Ocean-going drones present a unique challenge for high-performance perception : our fleet is solar and wind powered, and can be deployed for up to one year without returning to port. These challenges make efficient algorithms a must and require thoughtful over-the-air deployment strategies. We’re looking for a top-notch Staff Perception Engineer to help drive projects within the Perception Team taking on these unique challenges.

As a Staff Perception Engineer at Saildrone, you will not only bring technical expertise but also serve as a key technical leader within the Perception Team. Being a technical leader means driving the team towards innovative solutions, fostering a collaborative environment, and setting a high standard for technical excellence. You will be responsible for guiding cross-functional project teams through complex challenges, making critical technical decisions, and ensuring that the team's output meets Saildrone's rigorous quality and performance standards. Your role will involve mentoring junior engineers, facilitating knowledge sharing, and leading by example in writing efficient, high-quality code. By embodying technical leadership, you will empower your teammates to excel, drive the team’s success, and contribute significantly to Saildrone's mission of enhancing ocean monitoring and navigational safety through cutting-edge perception systems.

This role is required to be onsite in Alameda, CA in the Bay Area 3 days per week - this is our hybrid model. This is not a remote position.

Responsibilities

• Lead technical initiatives within the Perception Team to improve performance and add new functionality for individual sensors and the algorithms that fuse that data together.
• Work cross-functionally with product managers, technical leads and system engineers to make critical decisions and ensure designs will meet overall system requirements
• Design, develop and evaluate perception and tracking algorithms to fuse data from cameras, radars, hydrophones and other sensors.
• Write efficient, well-tested C++ code to run on real-time operations systems.
• Work with cross-functional teams to ensure valid integration of sensor hardware into our perception systems.
• Work with machine learning engineers to ensure integration and end-to-end system performance is optimized on-board.
• Design, develop and maintain large-scale perception regression tests and replay scenarios to aid rapid software development and evaluate and track performance.
• Productionize and harden algorithms for real-world applications.
• Work with platform and UI engineers to ensure display of useful sensor information to users for near real time perception around the vessels as well as intelligent navigation.
• Lead initiatives and meetings within the team and functional area.
• Motivate and empower teammates to achieve a higher level of performance.
• Identify and propose strategies around technical problems affecting the team while communicating standards and getting buy-in on solutions.

Required Skills and Experience

Desired Skills and Experience

Location : This position is hybrid in Alameda, CA (Onsite 3 days per week required). Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

Benefits :

A reasonable estimate of the current range is $189,000-$243,000 annually.

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, and relevant experience, among other factors.

Saildrone is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.

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