Autonomy Engineer, Navigation

BRINC Drones; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans

401K plan

Maternity and paternity leave

Flexible Time Off

Flexible work environment

Free parking (Seattle office)

Free snacks, drinks and espresso (Seattle office)

Job summary

A technology firm specializing in drones is seeking a Computer Vision Engineer to enhance UAV capabilities. The role involves developing and optimizing real-time computer vision algorithms for localization and navigation in challenging environments. Ideal candidates should have advanced programming skills in C++ and Python, and at least 3 years of experience in the robotics or UAV domain. The position offers a dynamic work environment supporting public safety initiatives while encouraging innovation and technical expertise.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3+ years of industry experience.
• Experience developing vision systems for robotics or UAVs.
• Hands-on experience with UAV testing.

Responsibilities

• Research and implement vision-based localization algorithms.
• Develop real-time computer vision pipelines.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate systems.

Skills

Programming in C++

Programming in Python

Computer vision algorithms

Robot testing

Machine learning

UAV testing

Education

Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science or related field

Tools

ROS

PX4

MAVSDK

Job description

About BRINC

At BRINC, we are redefining public safety with an innovative ecosystem of life-saving tools. Our journey started with the development of drones and ruggedized throw phones, designed to access unsafe areas and establish communication to de-escalate situations. Today, we've expanded into creating and deploying 911 response networks, where drones are dispatched to 911 calls to provide real-time visual data, enhancing safety and enabling de-escalation-focused responses. Our cutting-edge solutions are utilized by over 600 public safety agencies across America and the company has raised over $150M from investors, including Index Ventures, Motorola Solutions, Sam Altman, Dylan Field, Mike Volpe, Alexandr Wang and more. At BRINC, we are committed to recruiting the world\'s best talent to join us in our mission to support first responders in saving lives.

About This Role

We are seeking a Computer Vision Engineer to join our Autonomy engineering team to advance the visual perception and vision-based autonomy capabilities of our UAVs and public safety products. You will design, implement, and optimize real-time computer vision algorithms that enable robust localization, mapping, and visual navigation in challenging environments. In this role, you will work across VIO, VSLAM, depth and reconstruction pipelines, and visual scene understanding, collaborating closely with software, autonomy, controls, and hardware teams to bring vision algorithms into production UAV systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Research, design, and implement vision-based localization and mapping algorithms, including VIO and VSLAM.
• Develop real-time computer vision pipelines for tracking, depth estimation, stereo/mono reconstruction, and dense/semi-dense mapping.
• Architect and optimize vision-centric sensor fusion systems combining cameras, IMUs, LiDAR, radar, and other sensors for robustness in diverse environments.
• Build perception algorithms enabling vision-based navigation, including feature tracking, obstacle detection, and perception-driven flight behaviors.
• Develop computer vision and machine learning models for scene understanding, object detection, and dynamic obstacle identification.
• Implement and optimize CV pipelines on embedded GPU or accelerator platforms, focusing on high performance and low latency.
• Validate perception and autonomy performance through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop, and real-world flight testing.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration with autonomy, controls, mechanical, and firmware systems.
• Contribute to technical strategy, establish best practices, and help guide the evolution of the perception stack as the system scales and matures.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with a minimum of 3+ years of industry experience. Note - we are considering candidates for mid-career, senior, and principal positions.
• Strong programming skills in C++ and Python, with experience building real-time systems.
• Experience developing computer vision or perception systems for robotics or UAVs, with a foundation in VSLAM, VIO, and/or related topics. Proficiency with standard frameworks and modern computer vision techniques.
• Familiarity with implementing CV models or pipelines on embedded systems, GPUs, or hardware accelerators.
• Hands-on experience with robotics or UAV testing, including data collection, system debugging, and field validation.

Preferred Skills

• Deep knowledge of sensor fusion and tightly coupled vision–IMU systems.
• Experience with machine learning–based perception, including training and optimizing deep models for edge hardware.
• Background in vision-based navigation, visual servoing, or perception-driven autonomy.
• Strong understanding of real-time systems, GPU optimization, or high-performance computer vision.
• Familiarity with UAV safety, reliability, and regulatory considerations for autonomous systems.
• Ability to help shape architecture, mentor engineers, and drive cross-functional technical decisions as needed.
• Experience with ROS, PX4, MAVSDK, and/or similar robotics middleware.

BRINC Culture Values

• Try the hard stuff
• Be innovative - Invent the future
• Move fast
• Listen to end-users
• Strive for excellence
• Don’t build a dystopia
• Be frugal
• Save lives through technology

If you’re interested in this role and in joining BRINC, we hope you’ll apply. We’d love to review your application and get to know more about you!

BRINC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that is resolute in cultivating an environment that promotes safety, diversity, inclusion and equity. We’re committed to hiring the best talent — regardless of race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances — and empowering every employee so they can do their best work. If you have a disability or special need, please let our recruiting team know - we strive to provide appropriate accommodation and assistance.

Benefits and perks listed below may vary based on the nature of your employment with BRINC and/or the country within which you work

• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for our employees and their families
• 401K plan
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Flexible Time Off (Exempt) / Paid time off (Non-Exempt)
• Flexible work environment
• Orca pass (for those in Puget Sound)
• Free parking (Seattle office)
• Free snacks, drinks and espresso (Seattle office)