Computer Vision Engineer – Autonomy (Drones/Defense AI) Full-time | On-site | El Segundo, CA | $200k–$300k + Equity About the Opportunity A next-gen defense tech startup is seeking a Computer Vision Engineer to lead the development of real-time vision algorithms for autonomous drone systems. This role offers the chance to work on high-speed, mission-critical autonomous vehicles that redefine what’s possible on the battlefield—prioritizing speed, reliability, and onboard intelligence. You’ll be embedded in a vertically integrated engineering organization developing full-stack drone systems—everything from custom radios and compute to propulsion and AI-powered autonomy. What You’ll Do Design, implement, and optimize computer vision algorithms for real-time drone autonomy

Work on tasks such as SLAM, object detection, and image segmentation

Ensure robust performance across real-world, high-stakes environments

Collaborate with robotics, hardware, and software teams to deploy algorithms on live drone platforms

Debug and validate systems in both simulation and field conditions

Who You Are 3+ years of hands-on experience in computer vision, robotics, or autonomous systems

Strong programming skills in Python and C++

Experienced with tools like OpenCV , PyTorch , or TensorFlow

Familiarity with real-time systems and constraints (embedded/edge deployment)

Comfortable working on physical systems (UAVs or robotics platforms)

U.S. Citizenship required (no visa sponsorship available)

Must be willing to work on-site full-time in El Segundo, CA (no hybrid/remote option)

Tech Stack Python, C++, OpenCV, PyTorch, TensorFlow Compensation & Benefits Salary: $200,000 – $300,000

Equity: Competitive early-stage package

Full-time, on-site role

High-impact, high-ownership environment

Work on bleeding-edge defense systems with real-world applications

About the Company This VC-backed startup is transforming U.S. defense technology by building fast, responsive, and intelligent autonomous drone systems. Their approach is radically different from the legacy defense model—vertically integrated, software-first, and agile. Founded by engineers and drone pilots, the team is growing rapidly and recently closed a major round from top-tier investors to scale production and deploy across global defense partners. With a mission to get more humans off the battlefield, they are creating systems that move faster, think smarter, and cost a fraction of traditional defense platforms.