Founding Engineer - Chief of AI and Computer Vision

Flyer Ai; Salisbury; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Significant equity

Unlimited paid time off

Competitive salary

Job summary

A tech startup in aviation seeks a Founding Engineer - Chief of AI and Computer Vision to drive the development of computer vision and AI systems for their aircraft. As part of a small team, you will design and implement cutting-edge technology, ensuring the successful integration of AI within the systems. This role offers the unique opportunity to have significant equity and immediate impact on shaping the company's engineering culture as one of the first employees.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of computer vision, machine learning, and AI is essential.
• Experience in integrating computer vision hardware and algorithms.
• Intuitive problem-solving skills with the ability to adapt on the fly.

Responsibilities

• Architect the computer vision and perception systems for the aircraft.
• Own the computer vision and sensor fusion stack.
• Develop an intelligent AI autopilot.

Skills

Computer vision

Machine learning

AI deployment

Sensor fusion algorithms

UAV flight controllers

Problem-solving

Tools

Testing tools for AI systems

Job description

Founding Engineer - Chief of AI and Computer Vision

The first stage of our application process is a short Q&A session with our LLM interviewer. If you don't wish to proceed at any stage, you may type 'end interview'

Where you'll fit in

A small and focussed team has been developing our prototype aircraft for technical demonstrations and seed fundraising in Q1 2026. Now in receipt of 2 separate grant funding awards, Flyer is expanding our 3-person founding team with 3 key, critical roles.

You will join this incredible team, onsite, working directly with the founder and our expanding team to take Flyer from tech startup to global phenomenon over the next 5 years.

LOCATION

We are currently located near the beautiful and vibrant city of Salisbury, in Wiltshire. A move early next year to premises nearer Bristol or London is under consideration.

What you'll be doing

As a founding engineer and Chief of AI and Computer Vision you will be the architect of our intelligence. Your dual mandate: architect the computer vision and perception systems that guide our aircraft, and deploy the generative intelligence that allows our small team to outpace giants.

Specifically:

Detect & Avoid - you will own the computer vision and sensor fusion stack for our aircraft, ultimately developing our intelligent (AI) autopilot.

AI force multiplier – you will mastermind the deployment of generative and agentic AI apps within our team to supercharge our engineering and operational progress.

Our vehicle is not just an aircraft – it is a complex robotic system integrating multiple sensors and processors, and executing multiple functions. Leveraging AI in all areas is critical to effective progress with a small team.

What we're looking for

We are not looking for ordinary people. We're looking for passionate, driven and enthusiastic team members who dream of doing impossible things with technology, and changing the world around us.

• Team players who live our values: passion, commitment, courage, integrity, and trust.
• Deep knowledge of computer vision, machine learning and AI.
• A fascination in the frontier labs' foundation models and their deployment in ingenious apps.
• Experience in integrating computer vision hardware and algorithms
• Experience developing sensor fusion algorithms
• Proficiency in testing tools and frameworks for AI-driven systems
• Intuitive problem-solving skills with the ability to adapt on the fly
• Familiarity with commercial / open source UAV flight controllers and firmware.

What you'll get

• Significant Equity – as a founding team member, you will own a significant stake in the future we are building
• Immediate Impact - you will be one of the first 6 employees, shaping the engineering culture from day one.
• Competitive salary – an initial stipend plus salary uplift following Q1 2026 fundraising
• Unlimited paid time off – take what you need, when you need it

The first stage of our application process is a short Q&A session with our LLM interviewer. If you don't wish to proceed at any stage, you may type 'end interview'