Software Engineer, Verification and Validation (Perception)

FieldAI; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

FieldAI in Irvine, California hires a Software Engineer for Verification and Validation (V&V) in Perception to ensure the reliability of perception stacks in real-world robotics deployments.

You’ll define validation strategies, execute test campaigns, analyze failures, and communicate results as part of the Autonomy V&V team, working with Perception, Autonomy, Systems, Hardware, and Field Test groups.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of verification, validation, systems test, or perception evaluation for robotics or autonomous systems.
• Experience with robotic sensors such as LiDAR, cameras, GPS, and IMUs.
• Strong understanding of perception system behavior, sensor limitations, and failure modes.
• Experience developing test plans, validation procedures, metrics, and structured test reports.
• Experience analyzing logs, datasets, and field results to debug issues and perform root-cause analysis.
• Strong cross-functional communication and ability to represent an independent V&V function.

Responsibilities

• Independently validate perception software developed by the Perception team.
• Define validation strategies for perception systems.
• Design and execute perception test coverage.
• Analyze failures using logs and datasets.
• Build scalable validation and regression workflows.
• Drive cross-functional release confidence.

Skills

Verification & Validation

Perception evaluation

Cross-functional communication

Test plan development

Logs and dataset analysis

Autonomous systems knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Robotics, Electrical/Computer/Mechanical Engineering, CS or related field

Tools

LiDAR

Cameras

GPS

IMUs

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.

We are looking for a Software Engineer, Verification and Validation (V&V), Perception to join our Autonomy V&V team and help ensure the performance, robustness, and reliability of our robotic perception stack in real-world operating conditions. In this role, you will focus on the independent verification and validation of perception software that is designed and developed by our Perception team, helping provide objective assessment of system readiness, performance, and quality.

You will work closely with Perception, Autonomy, Systems, Hardware, and Field Test teams to define validation strategies, execute test campaigns, analyze failures, and communicate results. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being the technical bridge between development and release quality, bringing rigor, independence, and strong engineering judgment to the evaluation of perception capabilities built on LiDAR, cameras, radars, GPS, and IMUs.

What You’ll Get To Do:

• Independently validate perception software developed by the Perception team

• Define validation strategies for perception systems

• Design and execute perception test coverage

• Analyze failures using logs and datasets

• Build scalable validation and regression workflows

• Drive cross-functional release confidence

What You Bring:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.

• 3+ years of experience in verification, validation, systems test, or perception evaluation for robotics, autonomous systems, automotive, or similar domains.

• Experience working with robotic sensors such as LiDAR, cameras, GPS, and IMUs.

• Strong understanding of perception system behavior, sensor limitations, and common failure modes.

• Experience developing test plans, validation procedures, performance metrics, and structured test reports.

• Experience analyzing logs, datasets, and field results to debug issues and perform root-cause analysis.

• Strong cross-functional communication skills and the ability to work effectively with development teams while representing an independent V&V function.

What Sets You Apart:

• Experience validating perception systems for autonomous vehicles, mobile robots, drones, industrial robots, or defense robotics platforms.

• Familiarity with perception workflows such as detection, tracking, localization, mapping, or sensor fusion.

• Experience with simulation, software-in-the-loop, hardware-in-the-loop, and replay-based validation.

• Experience with sensor calibration, synchronization, time alignment, and sensor health monitoring.

• Experience building automated regression tools or validation infrastructure.

• Familiarity with annotated datasets, ground-truth generation, and scenario-based test design.

• Knowledge of structured verification processes, requirements traceability, and safety-oriented development practices.

$135,000 - $190,000 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.

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.

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 statu