Robotics Perception Engineer I/II – Perception Systems & Integration

Zone 5 Technologies is redefining what's possible in unmanned aircraft systems, developing cutting-edge autonomous solutions. The Robotics Perception Engineer will build and integrate real-time vision systems and perception infrastructure for unmanned aerial platforms, ensuring reliable perception performance across diverse operating conditions.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain camera drivers and sensor interfaces for multi-camera systems on embedded platforms
• Build efficient image processing pipelines using GStreamer, V4L2, and Jetson multimedia APIs
• Implement camera calibration workflows including intrinsic, extrinsic, and temporal synchronization
• Integrate off-the-shelf and custom perception algorithms into production autonomy stacks
• Design data logging and telemetry systems for perception subsystem monitoring and debugging
• Build ROS2 nodes for camera capture, sensor fusion, and perception output distribution
• Develop standardized message interfaces and APIs between perception, planning, and control systems
• Create visualization and diagnostic tools for real-time perception system health monitoring
• Implement efficient data serialization and transport for high-bandwidth sensor streams
• Maintain perception software repositories with proper documentation and version control
• Integrate visual-inertial odometry (VIO) and SLAM libraries for state estimation
• Tune EKF/UKF filters for multi-sensor fusion from IMU, cameras, barometers, and rangefinders
• Implement outlier rejection and sensor health monitoring for robust operation
• Optimize algorithm parameters based on flight test data and performance metrics
• Design comprehensive test scenarios in simulation environments
• Develop automated regression test suites for continuous integration of perception updates
• Analyze flight logs and sensor data to identify failure modes and performance degradation
• Create hardware-in-the-loop test setups for pre-flight validation
• Support flight test operations and conduct post-flight performance analysis

Requirements:

• Bachelor's in Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field – equivalent industry experience also welcome
• 1-4+ years of experience in robotics perception, computer vision, or sensor integration
• Proficient in C++14/17 with understanding of modern software development practices
• Strong hands-on experience with ROS2 architecture, packages, and development workflows
• Solid understanding of camera systems, image sensors, and computer vision fundamentals
• Experience with sensor calibration procedures and multi-sensor time synchronization
• Familiarity with Linux development environments and embedded systems
• Strong debugging skills and experience with system-level integration
• Experience with camera drivers, GStreamer, V4L2, or similar multimedia frameworks
• Hands-on experience with NVIDIA Jetson platforms (Orin, Xavier, AGX)
• Prior work with small UAVs, drones, or mobile robotics platforms
• Familiarity with PX4 or ArduPilot autopilot systems and MAVLink protocol
• Experience with state estimation techniques (EKF, UKF, particle filters)
• Knowledge of VIO/SLAM frameworks (OpenVINS, VINS-Fusion, ORB-SLAM)
• Python skills for data analysis, visualization, and tooling development
• Understanding of real-time systems and computational performance optimization
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines for robotics software
• Background in sensor fusion, optical flow, or feature-based tracking