Responsibilities

Own the technical vision and system architecture for Digit’s perception systems in structured and dynamic environments.
Analyze tradeoffs across sensing modalities, model design, redundancy, safety, latency, robustness, and embedded compute budgets.
Prototype, validate, and build critical perception components hands-on.
Partner with functional safety and systems engineering on safety-case strategy and required evidence.
Support system-level failure mode and hazard analysis for autonomous robotic systems.
Evaluate emerging research and technology for adoption into future robot architectures.
Set verification and validation standards for ML-based perception systems, especially for rare and safety-critical scenarios.
Collaborate with navigation, controls, and hardware teams to align perception architecture with the whole robot.
Mentor engineers and technical leads and represent system architecture to executives, partners, customers, regulators, certifiers, and safety auditors.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in machine learning or perception for robotics, including defining system architecture.
Master’s or Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related field.
Experience architecting ML or perception systems for safety-critical or safety-rated contexts such as human detection, functional safety, automotive, robotics, or comparable regulated domains.
Deep expertise in deep convolutional neural networks, multi-object tracking, data association, supervised learning, and pose estimation.
Experience making system-level tradeoffs involving sensing modalities, redundancy, and compute constraints on embedded or real-time hardware.
Track record of setting technical direction at an organizational level.
Experience supporting a safety case or certification submission, architecting redundant or diverse sensing systems, or working with humanoid or legged robots is preferred.
Experience presenting technical architecture to regulators, third-party certifiers, or safety auditors and conducting FMEA or hazard analysis is preferred.
Publications in the field, particularly in CVPR, ICCV, RSS, or ICRA, are a plus.
Applicants must have current authorization to work in the United States.

Remote role with hybrid work available for candidates within commuting distance of offices in Salem, Oregon; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; or Fremont, California.
401(k) plan with a 6% company match, company stock options, and an annual discretionary bonus for eligible roles.
Company-paid medical, dental, vision, and short- and long-term disability insurance for employees, with benefits beginning the first day of employment.
Employee Assistance Program, paid parental leave, professional development, tuition reimbursement, and relocation assistance for eligible roles.
Exempt employees receive flexible unlimited PTO and 12 company holidays including a winter shutdown; non-exempt employees receive 10 vacation days, paid sick leave, and 12 company holidays including a winter shutdown.
Catered lunches four times per week and snacks and refreshments at Salem and Pittsburgh offices.
Flexible work arrangements and a supportive professional work environment.