Autonomy Engineer - Deep Learning

Skydio Inc.; San Mateo (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 277,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity in the form of stock options

Comprehensive benefits packages

Paid vacation and sick leave

401(k) savings plan

Job summary

A leading drone technology company based in San Mateo is seeking a Deep Learning Engineer to design and implement advanced computer vision models for their autonomy systems. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in deep learning, particularly with Python and PyTorch, along with an M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant field. This position offers a competitive salary range of $170,000 to $277,500, equity options, and comprehensive benefits, including health insurance and 401(k) plans. A collaborative and innovative environment awaits you.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience designing, training, and deploying deep learning models.
• Ability to deliver high-quality, well-architected code.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and deploy computer vision models for autonomy systems.
• Leverage real-world video and sensor data for deep learning.
• Optimize models for low-latency on embedded hardware.

Skills

Deep learning model design

Python

PyTorch

C++

Education

M.S. or Ph.D. in computer science or electrical engineering

Job description

San Mateo, California, United States - Full-time

Skydio is the leading U.S. drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best‑in‑class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users. From utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios and beyond.

About the role

Learning a semantic and geometric understanding of the world from visual data is the core of our autonomy system. We are pushing the boundaries of what is possible with real‑time deep networks to accelerate progress in intelligent aerial robots that can autonomously navigate in unknown environments and deliver operational value to users. If you are excited about real‑world applications of deep learning and solving difficult problems in computer vision and autonomy, we would love to hear from you.

As a Deep Learning Engineer, you will be responsible for training and deploying optimized models to our products for solving challenging problems such as optical flow estimation, stereo depth estimation, object detection, segmentation and tracking, visual place recognition, localization and mapping, few‑shot learning, occupancy networks, automated path planning, etc.

How you’ll make an impact

• Design, implement, and deploy computer vision and multimodal deep learning models for Skydio’s autonomy system
• Leverage massive amounts of real‑world video and other sensor data for data mining, curation, labeling, training and evaluation
• Leverage large‑scale and diverse synthetic data to power deep learning algorithms
• Leverage state‑of‑the‑art foundation models for knowledge distillation and label‑efficient learning
• Refine and optimize models for low‑latency on embedded hardware
• Develop evaluation benchmarks and metrics to quantify the performance of autonomous systems
• Be a generalist helping out on all aspects of the software when needed

What makes you a good fit

• M.S. or Ph.D. in computer science, electrical engineering or related discipline
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience designing, training and deploying deep learning models
• Ability to deliver high quality, well‑architected code (Python/PyTorch and preferably, C++)
• Leverage state‑of‑the‑art academic papers and literature for fast iteration
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, collaborative and highly technical team environment
• Comfortable navigating and delivering within a complex codebase

Compensation

At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full‑time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - 277,500*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long‑term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full‑time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company’s success. Regular, full‑time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans and to receive the following benefits: paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay, and 401(k) savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*For some positions the pay may be dependent upon the individual’s regional location.

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti‑discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E‑Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E‑Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/