Director of Perception

About you and this role:

Robust AI is a fast-growing, early-stage startup founded in 2019 by an unsurpassed team of veterans in robotics, AI and business. We are a collaborative group with a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, seeking talented individuals who are just as excited about robotics and AI as we are! Help us redefine the very foundation of robotics and build robots that are smart, collaborative, robust, safe, flexible and genuinely autonomous. As the Director of Perception you will lead our computer vision and sensing efforts in developing robust, real-world robotic systems. You will build and manage a world-class team responsible for enabling our robots to perceive, understand, and interact with complex, dynamic environments. This role requires a unique blend of technical depth, strategic vision, and leadership excellence. You are someone who is comfortable working in an early stage startup environment and are able to pivot effectively.

What you will bring to the table:

• PhD or MS in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or related field with 8+ years of relevant experience or BS with 10+ years
• 3+ years of experience leading and managing technical teams
• Deep expertise in computer vision, including object detection, segmentation, tracking, 3D reconstruction, and/or scene understanding
• Proven track record of shipping perception systems in real-world robotics or autonomous systems applications
• Strong foundation in machine learning, particularly deep learning for vision tasks
• Experience with sensor fusion across cameras, depth sensors, and other modalities
• Excellent software engineering skills and experience with production ML systems
• Strong communication skills with ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences

Responsibilities;

• Lead the perception team in developing state-of-the-art computer vision, sensor fusion, and 3D understanding systems for robotic applications
• Define and execute the technical roadmap for perception capabilities, balancing near-term product needs with long-term innovation
• Sensor & compute selection, validation & integration
• Build, mentor, and grow a high-performing team of perception engineers, computer vision researchers, and ML engineers
• Drive the development of robust perception systems that handle real-world variability, edge cases, and challenging environmental conditions
• Collaborate closely with robotics, planning, controls, and ML teams to ensure seamless integration of perception into complete robotic systems
• Establish best practices for data collection, annotation, model training, evaluation, and deployment of perception models
• Partner with product and business teams to translate customer needs into technical requirements and deliverables
• Stay current with latest research and industry developments, identifying opportunities to leverage cutting-edge techniques
• Contribute to the broader technical strategy and culture of the organization

Nice to have;

• Experience in warehouse automation, logistics robotics, or industrial robotics
• Experience with foundation models and their application to robotics perception3D from multiview and multi-sensor including 3D reconstruction and semantic segmentation
• Background in both classical computer vision techniques and modern deep learning approaches
• Track record of building teams and culture in fast-paced startup environments
• Experience with edge deployment and optimization of perception models

What we offer:

• Base pay between $200k and $230k, depending on your skills, qualifications and experience
• Stock options and huge potential for growth.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage
• Flexible vacation and sick leave practices
• Paid parental leave

Robust AI fosters a culture of belonging and a shared commitment to equality and equity. Having a diverse set of perspectives is key to ensuring AI and robotics serve the needs of all.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

About the company

Robust.AI