Senior Robotics Engineer, Sensing and Perception

Oakland, CA (In Person Only)
Full-time

First, the good news: The world now has over 2 terawatts of cumulative solar capacity and solar PV is the lowest-cost source of energy generation worldwide.

The challenge: The world must build 3 terawatts of new solar capacity every year for the next 25 years to meet surging power demand and decarbonize.

Planted is creating new technology to overhaul how the industry develops and builds solar power resources. We’re expanding our team of ambitious, curious, and hands-on engineers and operators who want to accelerate that transition. Come take ownership of large parts of our product and core technology as we help power the world with 100% clean and abundant energy.

As a member of the Robot Hardware & Systems team, this role will play a key part in the development of the next generation of our autonomous solar-installation robots. Responsibilities will include integrating sensors, implementing/developing/testing vision algorithms, and implementing real-time robotics software. This is a hands-on, high impact role! The ideal candidate should be ready to own a project from ideation to implementation: not-only designing solutions, but also participating in the real world testing and analysis of the results.

The salary range for this full-time position is $145,000 - $195,000 plus stock and benefits. Pay within the range is based on candidate experience, job-specific skills, education, and work location. The target experience for the position is 4-8 years.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and implement both monocular and stereo vision pipelines for ingestion into robotic systems and feedback to operators
• Assess new sensors  for integration into our hardware suite.
• Develop and refine sensor calibration and verification processes.
• Develop and implement core the perception algorithms critical for our workflow 
• Work with mechanical, electrical, and software teams to refine system architecture and requirements
• Contribute to the development of innovative features and improvements for our robotic systems.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or equivalent.
• 4-8 years of experience in robotics, perception, or computer vision 
• Strong C++ and Python programming for real-time systems and hardware interfacing.
• Experience with stereo vision, depth estimation, and visual geometry
• Experience with ROS2 and ecosystem (Gazebo, tf2, etc)
• Experience with industrial camera protocols (GigE/GSML/FPD-Link) and localization sensors (IMU, GNSS, etc)
• Hands-on experience with robot calibration, system integration, and troubleshooting.
• Knowledge of camera intrinsics/extrinsics, coordinate transforms, and real time video
• Experience with point clouds and other sensor outputs from perceptions systems.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working with robotics in harsh environments (construction, ag-tech, industrial).
• Experience with visual-inertial odometry, or ORB-SLAM type systems.
• Knowledge of Sensor Fusion, Kalman Filters, etc.
• Knowledge of real time operating systems.

*A note on qualifications: Many people only apply for jobs if they believe they can perform every task in the job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job and will consider equivalent combinations of knowledge, skills, education, and experience to meet minimum qualifications. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and skill set for the role.

PHYSICAL AND SENSORY REQUIREMENTS

• Mostly desk work using standard office equipment
• Position will require in-field testing

• 11 paid company holidays and flexible Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Company-paid in-office lunches
• Stock options
• Medical, vision, dental, and other benefits
• Pre-tax commuter benefits
• 401(k)
• A chance to have an empowered, meaningful, and early role in climate

• You want to solve challenging problems
• You are biased toward action and focus on the vital work that drives the most impact
• You prioritize the physical and psychological safety of yourself and those around you
• You are humble, embrace change, and deliver and receive candid feedback
• You are optimistic about the future and can make tough decisions to help get there
• You have high expectations and coach, develop, and make time to help others
  

Planted Solar is an equal opportunity employer committed to growing inclusively, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, medical condition, age, or veteran status. However you identify, or whatever background you bring with you, please apply. We look forward to hearing from you.