Field Applications Engineer (FAE) – Manufacturing (Machine Vision & AI/ML)

Matroid; United States; Remote; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay and equity

Gym membership reimbursement

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Budget for hardware/software

Tech talks on CV and DL

Job summary

Matroid is seeking a hands-on Field Applications Engineer to deploy and optimize machine vision and AI in manufacturing environments. This role requires frequent travel (50%+) to customer sites to install, configure, and support vision systems and data-driven solutions on factory floors.

You will work with sales, deep learning teams, and operations to solve complex inspection and automation challenges, ensuring uptime, quality, and throughput improvements across production lines.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 3–8+ years of experience in manufacturing, industrial automation, or field engineering.
• Hands-on experience with machine vision systems in industrial environments.

Responsibilities

• Travel to customer facilities (50%+ travel) for deployment, commissioning, and support.
• Design and optimize vision solutions for inspection, defect detection, measurement, and guidance.
• Deploy and validate AI/ML models for production use and performance.
• Integrate systems with PLCs, HMIs, and existing automation.
• Train operators and develop documentation and SOPs.

Skills

Field engineering

Troubleshooting

Travel readiness

Manufacturing experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/CS or related field

Tools

OpenCV

Deep learning frameworks

PLC programming

Job description

About Matroid

Matroid is a full-service computer vision company that has developed an end-to-end platform allowing enterprise customers to rapidly train and
deploy automated visual inspection on imagery including EO, IR, X-Ray, CT, OCT, and others.

Founded in 2016 by a Stanford professor, Matroid has a broad and rapidly growing set of customers in manufacturing, industrial IoT, government and security.

We are seeking a hands-on, customer-focused Field Applications Engineer (FAE) to support the deployment and optimization of machine vision and AI-driven solutions in manufacturing environments. This role is highly technical and field-based, requiring frequent travel to customer facilities (50%+) to ensure successful implementation, integration, and performance in real-world production settings. You will work directly on factory floors with engineering, operations, and quality teams to solve complex inspection, automation, and process challenges—leveraging computer vision and AI/ML to improve quality, throughput, and efficiency.

What you’ll do

On-Site Deployment & Support

• Working directly with the sales and deep-learning teams to most effectively problem solve, support, and expand Matroid by users.
• Travel to customer manufacturing facilities (50%+ travel required) for system installation, commissioning, and support
• Deploy and configure vision systems (cameras, optics, lighting, edge devices) in production environments
• Troubleshoot electrical, mechanical, and software issues under real-time production constraints
• Ensure minimal downtime and rapid resolution of issues

Machine Vision & AI/ML Implementation

• Design and optimize vision solutions for inspection, defect detection, measurement, and guidance
• Deploy and validate AI/ML models for real-world use (e.g., classification, object detection, segmentation)
• Collect, label, and manage image datasets to improve model performance
• Tune models and systems for accuracy, latency, and robustness in variable factory conditions
• Bridge the gap between data science models and production-ready systems

System Integration & Optimization

• Integrate solutions with PLCs, HMIs, robotics, and existing automation systems
• Support connectivity with MES, SCADA, and plant network infrastructure
• Optimize system performance for throughput, yield, and first-pass quality
• Execute proof-of-concepts (POCs), pilot programs, and full production rollouts

Customer Training & Enablement

• Train operators, engineers, and quality teams on system operation and best practices
• Develop documentation, SOPs, and troubleshooting guides
• Support long-term adoption and continuous improvement initiatives

Customer Collaboration

• Act as a trusted technical advisor to manufacturing, quality, and operations teams
• Translate production and inspection challenges into scalable technical solutions
• Provide structured feedback to product and engineering teams to improve system performance and usability

Success Metrics

• Successful deployment and uptime of vision/AI systems in production
• Model performance (accuracy, false positive/negative rates) in real-world conditions
• Reduction in defects, scrap, or manual inspection
• Improvements in throughput and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
• Customer satisfaction and repeat engagements

What you bring to the table

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or related technical field
• 3–8+ years of experience in manufacturing, industrial automation, or field engineering
• Hands-on experience with machine vision systems (image formation) in industrial environments
• Strong troubleshooting skills across hardware and software systems
• Ability to travel frequently (50% or more), including time on factory floors

Preferred

• Experience with:
  • Computer vision frameworks (e.g., OpenCV, deep learning-based tools)
  • AI/ML model deployment in production environments
  • PLCs (Allen-Bradley, Siemens) and industrial automation systems
  • Industrial networks (Ethernet/IP, PROFINET, Modbus)
  • Cameras, lenses, lighting, and image acquisition systems
• Familiarity with:
  • Data annotation tools and dataset management
  • Edge computing or GPU-based inference systems
  • Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement methodologies

Bonus points if...

• Strong hands-on expertise in machine vision and AI-driven inspection systems
• Ability to troubleshoot and optimize systems in high-pressure production environments
• Systems thinking across hardware, software, and data pipelines
• Clear communication with operators, engineers, and executives
• Adaptability in fast-paced, variable manufacturing conditions
• Located near a major airport for necessary travel

What we offer in return

• Competitive pay and equity
• The chance to constantly work on stimulating intellectual challenges
• Gym membership reimbursement
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with 100% paid premiums
• A budget for whatever hardware or software will make you most effective
• Regular tech talks to discuss the latest advances in CV, DL and software engineering