Perception Targeting Engineer

Approach Venture LLC; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Approach Venture LLC is seeking a Perception Targeting Engineer to build sensing and targeting software for an orbiting high-energy laser platform. The role focuses on turning sensor data into accurate space-domain awareness and actionable pointing commands.

You will integrate perception, fusion, and control laws on embedded hardware, collaborating with GNC, flight software, and optics teams. Travel is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, EE, Robotics, Aerospace or related field.
• 4+ years building perception, tracking, or targeting systems on real hardware.
• Hands-on experience with object detection, multi-object tracking, and sensor fusion.
• Proficiency in C++ and Python, plus OpenCV, PyTorch, or similar libraries.
• Experience bringing up models on embedded GPUs or AI accelerators, including unfamiliar hardware.
• Comfort owning work end to end on small teams, from algorithm to running hardware.
• U.S. citizen or permanent resident, willing to obtain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Build perception pipelines that detect, track, and characterize objects in orbit from onboard cameras and sensors.
• Fuse camera, LiDAR, and radar data into reliable target state estimates for space domain awareness.
• Develop targeting algorithms and control laws to select aimpoints and command the pointing system.
• Create autonomous path planning that positions the spacecraft relative to targets.
• Deploy and optimize vision and AI models on embedded AI compute hardware for real-time operation.
• Model engagements and sensor performance in STK and custom simulation tools.
• Calibrate sensors and own timing, alignment, and latency budgets across the targeting loop.
• Work with GNC, flight software, and optics engineers to close the loop from sensing to pointing.
• Validate algorithms through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and ground demonstrations.
• Write production code in C++ and Python.

Skills

Perception pipelines

Sensor fusion

Targeting & control

C++ & Python

OpenCV

PyTorch

Embedded GPUs/ accelerators

Small-team ownership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in CS/EE/Robotics/Aerospace or related field

Tools

OpenCV

PyTorch

C++

Python

Job description

Perception Targeting Engineer – Build the Sensing and Targeting Software That Tells a Space-Based Laser Where to Look

San Francisco, CA | Hybrid or Remote with Travel

Opportunity Summary

Join a newly funded space and defense startup building the first spacecraft to carry a high-energy laser into orbit. As a Perception Targeting Engineer, you will turn camera, LiDAR, and radar data into an accurate picture of the space around the spacecraft, then write the targeting and control logic that puts the laser where it needs to go.

This role spans space domain awareness, sensor fusion, autonomous path planning, and targeting control laws. Very few people have done targeting work in space, so we want engineers who have built real-time perception and targeting on the ground, in the air, or underwater and are ready to take it to orbit. San Francisco is preferred, and strong candidates in Los Angeles, Denver, or Seattle who can travel regularly are welcome.

About Us

We are a stealth-stage space and defense company building the first spacecraft to put a high-energy laser in orbit. Hundreds of billions of dollars in satellites operate today with no way to defend themselves, and we are building the capability to protect them. Our three founders have designed, built, and launched complex space hardware at leading space companies and defense primes. Backed by an oversubscribed seed round from tier-one venture investors, we are building our demonstration spacecraft over the next 12 months.

Job Duties

• Build perception pipelines that detect, track, and characterize objects in orbit from onboard cameras and other sensors.
• Fuse camera, LiDAR, and radar data into reliable target state estimates for space domain awareness.
• Develop targeting algorithms and control laws that select aimpoints and command the pointing system.
• Create autonomous path planning that positions the spacecraft relative to targets.
• Deploy and optimize vision and AI models on embedded AI compute hardware for real-time operation.
• Model engagements and sensor performance in STK and custom simulation tools.
• Calibrate sensors and own timing, alignment, and latency budgets across the targeting loop.
• Work closely with GNC, flight software, and optics engineers to close the loop from sensing to pointing.
• Validate algorithms through simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and ground demonstrations.
• Write production code in C++ and Python.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field.
• 4+ years building perception, tracking, or targeting systems deployed on real hardware.
• Hands‑on experience with object detection, multi‑object tracking, and sensor fusion.
• Experience writing control laws or closed‑loop tracking that act on perception outputs.
• Proficiency in C++ and Python, plus OpenCV, PyTorch, or similar libraries.
• Experience bringing up models on embedded GPUs or AI accelerators, including unfamiliar hardware.
• Comfort owning work end to end on small teams, from algorithm to running hardware.
• U.S. citizen or permanent resident, willing to obtain a security clearance.

Preferred Experience

• Targeting, fire control, or acquisition, tracking, and pointing for directed energy or air defense systems.
• Space domain awareness, rendezvous and proximity operations, or optical navigation.
• Perception and autonomy for eVTOL aircraft, drones, ground vehicles, or underwater vehicles.
• Targeted image processing, LiDAR, or radar signal processing.