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Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # Staff Software Engineer, Perception - **Company:** Saildrone, Inc. - **Location:** Alameda, CA, United States - **Experience:** Expert - **Salary:** $215,000.0 - $270,000.0 - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Algorithm Design, Data Analysis, C++ (Programming Language), Nvidia CUDA, Middleware, Systems Analysis, Python (Programming Language), Machine Learning, Sensor Fusion, Signal Processing, Systems Architecture, Information Technology - **Published:** June 3, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=3ade6b902dd97092 ## About the Role Do you have experience in Systems analysis?, Do you have a Master's degree?, * Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field. * 10+ years of experience building production perception or autonomy systems, including significant experience developing high-performance C++ software for real-time embedded or edge platforms * Deep experience building and deploying Radar and Camera-based perception systems, including GPU-accelerated pipelines (CUDA) and robotics middleware (ROS), in real-time or edge-constrained environments. * Proven ability to solve complex tracking and classification problems in high-noise maritime environments using advanced filtering techniques (Kalman/Particle). * Strong track record of making and communicating system-level tradeoffs across sensing performance, compute constraints, power budgets, and deployment realities in cross-functional environments. * Ability to work effectively in a high-stakes R&D environment, translating ambiguous mission needs (e.g., counter-smuggling) into structured technical requirements. * Strong knowledge of signal processing fundamentals and the deployment of ML models to resource-constrained edge devices (NVIDIA Jetson/AGX). * Experience with Python for prototyping, data analysis, and large-scale performance tracking preferred. ## Description Saildrone is seeking a Staff Software Engineer, Perception to join our Perception team. Reporting to the Engineering Manager, Perception, you will play a critical role in enabling real-time detection, tracking, and classification of vessels across Saildrone's autonomous fleet. You will architect and deliver perception systems that operate reliably in complex maritime environments, directly advancing Saildrone's mission to provide persistent maritime intelligence. We are looking for a technical expert who creates clarity from ambiguity, drives high-performance systems from concept to deployment, and thrives in solving hard autonomy problems in real-world conditions., The Perception Engineering team is responsible for designing and deploying sensing and perception capabilities that power Saildrone's autonomous operations. We focus on building robust, scalable perception systems that fuse data from radar, cameras, and other sensors to deliver situational awareness at sea, supporting global maritime domain awareness in national security and defense environments., * Algorithm Development: Design, implement, and optimize perception algorithms (detect, track, classify) to achieve high-fidelity situational awareness in contested maritime environments. * System Architecture: Be accountable for high-performance C++ systems on NVIDIA Jetson/AGX platforms, ensuring ownership of the real-time "digital overwatch" stack. * Multi-Sensor Fusion: Work closely with Autonomy and ML teams to architect pipelines that fuse Radar, Camera, and AIS data, utilizing Kalman or Particle filtering to mitigate vehicle motion and wave clutter. * Sensor Integration: Lead technical evaluation and integration of new sensing technologies, partnering with Hardware and Systems teams to harden hardware-software interfaces for months-long deployments. * ML & Signal Processing: Monitor for end-to-end system performance bottlenecks, taking action to optimize GPU-accelerated signal processing and machine learning models for onboard execution. * Regression & Data Science: Adhere to rigorous testing standards by developing large-scale regression frameworks and using Python to analyze mission telemetry and sensor performance. * User Awareness: Provide timely updates and collaborate with UI/Platform engineers to ensure perception outputs are clearly visualized for remote pilots and navigational safety systems. * Risk & Lifecycle Management: Perform all responsibilities with a focus on hardening algorithms against environmental degradation, identifying technical risks, and driving mitigation strategies for autonomous survival. ## Related Videos - [Coffee with Developers - Stephen Jones - NVIDIA](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1303-coffee-with-developers-stephen-jones-nvidia) - [Robots are coming into the wild! 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