Software Architecture Engineering

Software Engineer, Verification and Validation (V&V), Perception
FieldAI's Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California's robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field.
We are looking for a Software Engineer, Verification and Validation (V&V), Perception to join our Autonomy V&V team and help ensure the performance, robustness, and reliability of our robotic perception stack in real-world operating conditions. In this role, you will focus on the independent verification and validation of perception software that is designed and developed by our Perception team, helping provide objective assessment of system readiness, performance, and quality.
You will work closely with Perception, Autonomy, Systems, Hardware, and Field Test teams to define validation strategies, execute test campaigns, analyze failures, and communicate results. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being the technical bridge between development and release quality, bringing rigor, independence, and strong engineering judgment to the evaluation of perception capabilities built on LiDAR, cameras, radars, GPS, and IMUs.
Independently validate perception software developed by the Perception team
Evaluate perception software from a V&V perspective to ensure it meets system and product requirements.
Work closely with developers while maintaining an independent quality and validation role.

Establish performance metrics, quality gates, and release readiness criteria.

Validate performance across simulation, replay, and real-world test environments.
Ensure coverage across environmental, operational, and sensor failure scenarios.

Perform structured root-cause analysis on perception and sensor-related failures.
Support regression coverage across software releases and perception updates.
Contribute to clear reporting and measurable quality tracking.

Collaborate with Perception, Autonomy, Systems, Hardware, and Field teams on validation priorities and readiness.
Communicate risks, findings, and recommendations to technical stakeholders.
Support data-driven release decisions with clear, independent validation evidence.

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.

• 3+ years of experience in verification, validation, systems test, or perception evaluation for robotics, autonomous systems, automotive, or similar domains.
• Experience developing test plans, validation procedures, performance metrics, and structured test reports.
• Experience analyzing logs, datasets, and field results to debug issues and perform root-cause analysis.
• Experience validating perception systems for autonomous vehicles, mobile robots, drones, industrial robots, or defense robotics platforms.

Familiarity with perception workflows such as detection, tracking, localization, mapping, or sensor fusion.
Experience with simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and replay-based validation.
Experience with sensor calibration, synchronization, time alignment, and sensor health monitoring.
Experience building automated regression tools or validation infrastructure.
Knowledge of structured verification processes, requirements traceability, and safety-oriented development practices.
$Our local team builds and tests systems on real hardware with real sensors, then ships them to operate in unstructured, previously unknown environments around the world. We are solving one of robotics' hardest challenges: reliable deployment outside the lab. Our Field Foundational Models™ raise the bar for perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, with an emphasis on explainability and safety for real-world use.
We bring deep experience from organizations such as DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, along with a track record of field deployments and strong performance in DARPA challenge segments.
Our teams span AI, software, robotics engineering, product, field deployment, and technical communication, all focused on shipping systems that perform in the real world.
Join us in Southern California and help define what dependable, field-ready autonomy looks like.
We evaluate candidates and employees based on merit, qualifications, and performance, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.