Senior Machine Learning Engineer

AI Chopping Block; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 215,000; Full time

Job summary

AI Chopping Block in Irvine, California, is seeking an experienced ML Engineer. You will contribute to the development of state-of-the-art Field Foundation Models that power a fleet of autonomous robots across various environments.

This role involves designing and deploying machine learning models, collaborating closely with experts in AI and robotics, and monitoring production performance to ensure reliability and integration success.

The position offers a competitive salary range of $180,000 to $215,000 annually, depending on experience and skill set.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of industry experience in machine learning or AI.
• Proven track record of deploying ML models into production environments.
• Strong knowledge of modern deep learning models.

Responsibilities

• Design, train, and deploy machine learning models for navigation.
• Monitor models in production and automate retraining processes.
• Troubleshoot issues related to model deployment and performance.

Skills

Python

ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, JAX)

C++

Deep learning architectures

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Statistics, or related field

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.

As an ML Engineer at FieldAI, you will help build the next‑generation Field Foundation Model (FFM), powering a global fleet of autonomous robots deployed across diverse environments. Your contributions will directly shape how we scale – through advances in model architecture, training methodologies, and deployment strategies.

You’ll collaborate closely with machine learning scientists, software engineers, and robotics experts to design and implement FFM capabilities that generalize across tasks and environments. Beyond model development, you’ll also support deployment and monitoring to ensure smooth integration and reliable real‑world performance.

This role offers the opportunity to work with cutting‑edge technologies, solve complex challenges, and directly impact large‑scale robot deployments.

What You’ll Get To Do

Machine Learning modeling

• Design, train, and deploy state‑of‑the‑art machine learning models for end‑to‑end learning‑based navigation stack.
• Work with deep learning architectures such as transformers, convolutional networks to capture complex decision making.
• Architect and implement full‑stack end‑to‑end navigation solutions, covering perception, prediction, and planning.
• Explore novel data generation and collection pipelines to enrich training datasets.

Model Deployment, Monitoring & Performance

• Assist with deploying machine learning models into production environments.
• Continuously monitor models in production, detecting model drift, and automating retraining processes as applicable.
• Troubleshoot issues related to model deployment, performance, and system integration.

What You Have

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Statistics, or a related field, with 4+ years of industry experience.
• Proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX, alongside working knowledge of C++ for deployment and system integration.
• Deep understanding of contemporary deep learning architectures, optimization, and evaluation, with a strong grasp of end‑to‑end navigation stack components — including perception, prediction, and path / motion planning.
• Proven track record deploying ML models into production environments, ideally within robotics, self‑driving, or NLP.

180,000 - 215,000 a year

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.

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.