Sr. ML Engineer, Perception

Aurelius SystemsSan Francisco, CA, USAUSD 190k-222k / year + EquityPosted on May 6, 2026Apply nowLocationSan FranciscoEmployment TypeFull timeLocation TypeOn-siteDepartmentEngineeringPerception & MLCompensation$190K – $222K Offers EquityWho We AreAurelius Systems is a VC backed defense tech startup building autonomous, edge deployed directed energy systems for counter-UAS. We build laser weapons to shoot down drones.We're a small team of engineers, former US military operators, and subject matter experts scaling America's directed energy dominance. The first cost effective, reliable and robust laser weapon system.Our namesake isn't an accident. Marcus Aurelius wrote about doing the work in front of you, every day, without excuses. Henry Ford didn't wait for permission to reinvent manufacturing. That's how we operate — small team, unreasonable output, no hiding behind the unachievable.In addition to our San Francisco lab, we’ve opened a Detroit manufacturing hub and we field test weekly on our own 400-acre private range.The Role And Your ImpactWe need a Senior Machine Learning Engineer to lead the perception stack for Archimedes — detection, tracking, classification, and sensor fusion across the targeting chain. You're the seasoned engineer who's shipped perception in something that had to work outside a benchmark. You'll partner directly with our CTO and the robotics software team, and own perception as a domain.What You'll OwnPerception architecture across detection, tracking, classification, and sensor fusionML model development, training pipelines, and on-device deploymentMulti-sensor fusion across EO/IR and other sensors as relevant to the targeting chainReal-time performance optimization on embedded targetsMentorship of perception engineers as the team growsDirect partnership with controls, robotics SWE, and hardware on what's actually achievableWhat We're Looking For5+ years building and shipping perception systems on real hardwareStrong Python and C++ with deep ML engineering experienceComputer vision, tracking, and detection in real-time, real-world conditionsOn-device deployment experience using TensorRT, ONNX, or equivalentTrack record optimizing perception for embedded compute and latency budgetsWhere you probably come from: Perception roles at defense companies, autonomy, perception-heavy robotics, or aerospace programs that put perception in front of real targets.We want to talk if: You've shipped a perception system that ran on real hardware against real targets. You know the gap between paper SOTA and what survives field conditions.Not a fit if: Your background is research only without deployment, you're a new grad (we'll have a junior role later), or your CV experience is offline batch processing only.Nice To HavesCounter-UAS or aerial target tracking experienceRadar or RF perceptionClassified program experienceSensor fusion in adversarial or denied environmentsEducationBS, MS, or PhD in CS, EE, Robotics, or equivalent. Track record matters more than degree.How You OperateExtreme bias for action. You ship working perception on real hardware, not slidewareYou debug from first principles, not intuition aloneComfortable with ambiguity and fast iteration in a startup environmentClear communicator across software, hardware, and operator-facing surfacesSelf directed. You identify what needs to happen next and do it without being toldWhy Join Aurelius Systems?Build more in 1 month than most engineers build in 1 year. We field test weekly. Your work goes downrange, not into a filing cabinet.Career velocity is real. At ~10 engineers, there are no layers between you and impact.Work on a problem that actually matters. Small cheap drones are changing warfare. Our laser systems are the asymmetric answer — infinite magazine, near zero cost per shot, scalable to every base, border, facility, and truck.Join the densest defense startup ecosystem in the country. California is where the next generation of defense companies are being built.How We WorkCore hours are Monday through Friday, 9 to 6. When we're sprinting toward a demo or field test, the team ramps up — nights, weekends, whatever it takes to ship. When the sprint lands, we ramp down. We don't manufacture intensity for show.BenefitsCompetitive salary + equityUnited Health Care medical, dental, and vision coverageFlexible 18 days PTO + 5 sick daysTravel to field test events and range daysCovered daily lunches and office snacks + drinksE-bike / scooter stipend ( Up to $500)Direct access to leadership and real ownership over your workExport Control NoticeThis role requires access to export-controlled information or items that require "U.S. Person" status. As defined by U.S. law, individuals who are any one of the following are considered to be a "U.S. Person": (1) U.S. citizens, (2) legal permanent residents (a.k.a. green card holders), and (3) certain protected classes of asylees and refugees, as defined in 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).Compensation Range: $190K - $222KApply nowSee more open positions at Aurelius Systems