Director of Computer Vision

Director of Computer Vision & Machine Learning (Hands-On) | Defense Tech | Austin, TX or Mountain View, CA

A funded defense startup is building an autonomous turret that detects, tracks and defeats small drones and loitering munitions. Its founders are former Navy electrical engineers who have already sold two companies. The team is engineering-led and small, and the work goes into the field.

They're hiring the person who will own computer vision and ML for the system. This is a leadership role, but you'll still write the code.

What you'll do

• Own real-time detection, tracking and classification of small, fast-moving aerial targets
• Build and deploy ML models on embedded hardware with tight compute and power limits
• Work with electrical engineers to integrate cameras, radar and other sensors into the turret
• Run field testing and validation in difficult real-world conditions
• Help harden the prototype into a military-grade system, and adapt it for new weapon systems and engagement ranges
• Set the technical direction for CV/ML, and mentor and grow the team

What you'll bring

• 10+ years of hands-on ML-based computer vision, ideally in robotics, autonomy or defense
• A track record of shipping real-time CV systems, not just research prototypes
• Strong C++ and Python, and experience with PyTorch or TensorFlow
• Experience deploying models on embedded or edge hardware (e.g. Jetson, TensorRT, CUDA)
• Experience with multi-sensor systems (EO/IR, radar, LiDAR)
• Experience leading or mentoring engineers, while still enjoying hands-on technical work
• A Bachelor's degree from a top engineering program, plus a Master's or PhD in CS, EE or a related field
• US citizenship (required)

Bonus

• Counter-UAS, air defense, ATR or drone autonomy experience
• Current or previous security clearance

What's on offer

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity
• Full health, dental and vision cover, plus PTO
• Onsite in Austin or Mountain View, with relocation support

Interested, or know someone who fits? Message me directly for a confidential conversation.