Perception Engineer Jobs
Perception Engineer jobs are open from new-grad to senior and staff levels across autonomous vehicles, robotics, and consumer electronics, with specializations in sensor fusion, 3D object detection, and lidar/camera pipeline development. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Showing 5 of 132+ Perception Engineer jobs
About the Role
Lead the perception stack for an autonomous defense robotics system, covering detection, tracking, classification, and sensor fusion. You will partner with robotics, controls, and hardware engineers to deliver reliable performance in real-world field conditions.
What You'll Do
Own perception architecture across detection, tracking, classification, and sensor fusion.
Build ML models and training pipelines, then deploy models to embedded hardware.
Fuse EO/IR and other sensor data across the perception system.
Optimize real-time perception for embedded compute and strict latency budgets.
Work closely with robotics, controls, and hardware teams to deliver systems that perform in the field.
Mentor perception engineers while contributing directly to implementation.
What We're Looking For
At least 5 years building and shipping perception systems on physical hardware.
Strong Python and production C++ skills, with experience in ML engineering and computer vision.
Experience building real-time detection and tracking using live sensor data, including moving-target tracking and ego-motion compensation.
Hands-on deployment of ML models with TensorRT, ONNX, or equivalent, and optimization for embedded compute.
Experience developing ML training pipelines through deployment and delivering systems that work against real-world targets.
Background in robotics, autonomy, aerospace, or defense perception; experience with aerial targets, thermal imagery, radar, or multi-sensor fusion is helpful.
BS, MS, PhD, or equivalent experience in computer science, electrical engineering, robotics, or a related field.
Compensation & Benefits
Base salary range: $190,000 to $222,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.
Location
On-site in San Francisco, California, United States.
Compensation Range: $190K - $222K
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Find Perception Engineer JobsPerception Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software10
- Science & Research6
- Automotive5
- Manufacturing3
- Artificial Intelligence3
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in perception engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, electrical engineering, or robotics
- Proficiency in C++ and Python for real-time perception system development
- Hands-on experience with lidar, camera, or radar sensor data processing
- Familiarity with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow for object detection
- Experience with sensor fusion techniques including Kalman filtering or particle filtering
- Knowledge of ROS or ROS2 for robotics middleware integration and testing
Tips for Your Perception Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to sensor modalities
Hiring managers scan for the specific sensors you've worked with, lidar, radar, cameras, or ultrasonic. List each modality explicitly on your resume alongside the datasets and frameworks you used, rather than grouping them under a generic 'perception' bullet.
Show benchmark results, not just methods
Employers want to see that your perception pipeline improved a measurable outcome, whether that's detection accuracy, latency reduction, or false-positive rate. Quantify at least one result per project so reviewers can assess real impact, not just technical familiarity.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists perception engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter openings by deployment environment
A perception role at an autonomous trucking company differs sharply from one at a consumer robotics startup. Look for the deployment context, highway autonomy, indoor robotics, or aerial drones, in job descriptions, then target the opening that matches your hands-on experience most closely.
Prepare a live coding or algorithm walkthrough
Most perception engineer interviews include a technical screen where you implement or debug a detection or tracking algorithm on the spot. Practice coding non-maximum suppression, Kalman filter updates, or point-cloud preprocessing from scratch before your first technical call.
Negotiate around hardware access, not just title
If two offers look similar on paper, ask each team about their data labeling pipeline, sensor hardware budget, and compute resources. Constrained tooling slows career growth in this field, so those details matter as much as level or scope when you're evaluating competing offers.
Perception Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most perception engineers?
The most active employers for perception engineers right now are NVIDIA, Apple, and Rivian, and the most openings are in California, Massachusetts, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Autonomous vehicle programs and advanced robotics divisions tend to drive the highest sustained hiring volume.
How many perception engineer jobs are remote?
About 47% of perception engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, which is relatively low compared to most software roles. Positions focused on algorithm research, model training, or offline evaluation tend to offer more flexibility, while roles requiring hardware-in-the-loop testing or on-vehicle integration are almost always on-site.
How do you become a perception engineer?
Start by building a foundation in linear algebra, probability, and computer vision through coursework or self-study, then work through open-source autonomous driving datasets to apply detection and tracking algorithms hands-on. Develop fluency in C++ and Python, contribute to a robotics or computer vision project you can show publicly, and build toward roles labeled 'computer vision engineer' or 'robotics software engineer' as stepping stones into dedicated perception work.
Can you get a perception engineer job with little experience?
Yes, entry-level perception engineer roles exist, particularly at startups and research labs, but they typically expect demonstrated project work even without professional history. Build a portfolio that includes a working object detection or sensor fusion implementation using public datasets, document your methodology clearly, and target companies with structured new-grad programs in autonomy or robotics where mentorship is explicitly part of the role.
What does the perception engineer interview process look like?
Most perception engineer hiring processes include an initial recruiter screen, a technical phone interview covering computer vision or probabilistic reasoning concepts, a coding round where you implement or debug an algorithm live, and a system design or architecture discussion focused on a real-world perception pipeline. Final rounds often involve a panel with engineers from adjacent teams, such as prediction or mapping, to assess cross-functional collaboration and communication.
Where can I find and apply to perception engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to perception engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Search the listings, find the roles that match your experience and target environment, and apply directly to each one that fits.
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