Software Engineer - Perception (Fallback Stack)

About the role

As a Perception Software Engineer on the Autonomy team, you will build the perception system for L4 autonomous trucks operating at highway speeds. The stack combines state-of-the-art machine learning - multi-modal 3D detection, BEV representations, learned tracking - with rigorous classical perception: state estimation, multi-object tracking, and sensor fusion. You will own problems end-to-end, from model architecture and training through onboard deployment and on-road validation. This is safety-critical software: every capability passes formal simulation, closed-course, and safety sign-off gates before it reaches public roads.

You will collaborate daily with behavior/planning engineers, systems and safety engineers, and validation teams.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Design, train, and deploy deep learning models for 3D object detection across LiDAR, camera, and radar sensors

• Build multi-sensor fusion architectures that combine independent detection and classification streams

• Characterize perception failure modes, build targeted evaluation sets, and hill-climb system-level metrics

• Build and operate the data engine: shadow-mode comparison against production, automated data mining, and retraining loops

• Contribute to camera- and LiDAR-based localization perception under degraded conditions

• Take your work through the full safety validation pipeline before it operates on public roads

We're looking for someone who has:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field

• 4+ years of professional experience in ML-based perception, computer vision, or robotics

• Strong proficiency in Python and C++

• Hands-on experience training and deploying deep learning models in production (e.g., PyTorch)

• Solid grounding in classical perception: multi-object tracking, state estimation, and 3D geometry

Nice to have:

• Experience working in modern ML-based perception for autonomous systems

• Experience with multi-sensor calibration and fusion

• Experience optimizing models for onboard/embedded GPU inference

• Background in safety-critical or automotive software development

• Experience in a startup or fast-paced environment

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.