Robotics Software Engineer, Mission Evaluation & Fine-Tuning

FieldAI; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

FieldAI in Irvine, California, is seeking engineers to own end-to-end inspection metrics and build robust evaluation loops using field data. You will turn field evidence into training and evaluation sets, and map performance to customer metrics to drive reliable robotics deployments.

The role emphasizes Python/C++ engineering, ROS 2 tooling, and vision-model evaluation, with hands-on work on real hardware and datasets to improve field-ready autonomy.

Qualifications

• MS in computer science, robotics, aerospace engineering, or a related field.
• 3+ years in robotics or ML engineering.
• Strong Python and C++, plus ROS 2 tooling.
• Experience evaluating vision/vision-language models and building datasets and metrics.
• Data pipelines to move evidence from robot to training set and dashboard.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end inspection behavior success metric.
• Build the evaluation loop with golden-labeled datasets and regression suites at multiple levels.
• Turn field evidence into training and evaluation sets.
• Map technical performance to customer metrics.
• Triaging mission logs and routing issues with evidence to the owning team.

Skills

Python

C++

ROS 2 tooling

Vision models evaluation

PyTorch

LoRA

Data pipelines

Education

MS in CS/Robotics/Related field

Tools

ROS 2

Job description

FieldAI’s Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California’s robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field.

What You Will Get To Do

• Own the end-to-end inspection behavior success metric.
• Build the evaluation loop: golden-labeled datasets, seeded-fault runs, and regression suites at feature, system, and release level that gate every release candidate.
• Turn field evidence into training and evaluation sets.
• Map technical performance to the metrics the customer measures.
• Make failures legible: triage mission logs, attribute each miss to navigation, localization, perception, or behavior, and route it to the owning team with evidence.

What You Have

• MS in computer science, robotics, aerospace engineering, or a related field, with 3+ years in robotics or ML engineering.
• Strong Python, working C++, and comfort with ROS 2 logs, bags, and replay tooling.
• Experience evaluating and fine-tuning vision or vision-language models (PyTorch, LoRA or similar), including building the datasets and metrics behind them.
• Statistical rigor: knowing the difference between a benchmark number and a field result, and how to design an experiment that tells them apart.
• Data pipeline skills to move evidence from robot to training set to dashboard.

What Will Set You Apart

• Authored or maintained a robotics benchmark, evaluation suite, or challenge.
• Simulation-based evaluation and sim-to-real validation.
• MLOps for on-edge models: quantization, versioning, and rollout to a fleet.
• Industrial inspection, gauge reading, or anomaly detection experience.

Our salary range is generous and we consider each individual’s background and experience when determining final compensation. Base pay may vary based on role scope, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and the Irvine, California market.

Why Join FieldAI in Irvine?

In Irvine, you will work where the robots are. Our local team builds and tests systems on real hardware with real sensors, then ships them to operate in unstructured, previously unknown environments around the world. We are solving one of robotics’ hardest challenges: reliable deployment outside the lab. Our Field Foundational Models™ raise the bar for perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, with an emphasis on explainability and safety for real-world use.

You will collaborate with a world-class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. We bring deep experience from organizations such as DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, along with a track record of field deployments and strong performance in DARPA challenge segments.

Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution

We are looking for builders who want their work to leave the whiteboard and show up on robots. If you enjoy tackling tough, uncharted questions and working across disciplines, you will find your people here. Our teams span AI, software, robotics engineering, product, field deployment, and technical communication, all focused on shipping systems that perform in the real world.

Our headquarters is in Irvine, and we partner closely with teams there as well as colleagues across the US and around the world. Join us in Southern California and help define what dependable, field-ready autonomy looks like.

We value diverse perspectives and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We evaluate candidates and employees based on merit, qualifications, and performance, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.