Perception Engineer – Technical Lead

Mission Technologies, a division of HII

. Lead the development and deployment of perception systems for unmanned maritime platforms .

Posted 10/27/2026full-timeVirginia Beach • Virginia • United StatesSenior💰 $150,787 - $180,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in developing and deploying perception systems for unmanned maritime platforms, with strong capabilities in computer vision, sensor fusion, and real-time optimization. Proficient in collaborating across teams to translate field challenges into engineering solutions while mentoring junior engineers and driving architectural decisions.

Highest-signal resume keywords

C++ Software DevelopmentPython Software DevelopmentComputer Vision AlgorithmsSensor Fusion TechniquesDeep Learning Frameworks

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Object DetectionTracking AlgorithmsState EstimationSLAMPoint Cloud Processing3D PerceptionSensor CalibrationReal-Time SystemsEdge Compute OptimizationDebugging Techniques

Soft Skills

Technical CommunicationCuriosityProblem-SolvingMentoring

Tools & Technologies

Deep Learning LibrariesComputer Vision LibrariesVersion Control SystemsTesting Frameworks

Certifications & Qualifications

Government Clearance

Industry Keywords

Maritime SensorsSonarMarine RadarAutonomous SystemsRobotics Applications

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

CloudPythonC++

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the development and deployment of perception systems for unmanned maritime platforms
Design, develop, and maintain perception pipelines for object detection, tracking, localization, state estimation, and SLAM
Architect and implement sensor fusion systems integrating cameras, LiDAR, radar, sonar, and other sensors
Develop point cloud processing, filtering, tracking, computer vision, and deep learning algorithms for 3D perception and scene understanding
Implement sensor calibration procedures and algorithms
Develop debugging, visualization, logging, and off-robot data processing tools
Deploy and optimize perception systems on embedded edge hardware under latency and throughput constraints
Apply quantization, pruning, model compression, and other optimization techniques
Integrate perception outputs into autonomy stacks and mission software
Model sensor performance and integrate systems into simulated virtual environments to support sim-to-real transfer
Test perception systems on real hardware and in maritime operational environments, including robot testing and sea trials
Define performance metrics and evaluation frameworks; investigate field failures and drive resolutions
Improve robustness under varied weather, lighting, and sea-state conditions
Collaborate with autonomy, controls, software, hardware, product, systems, manufacturing, and test engineering teams
Engage with operators and customers to translate field challenges into engineering solutions
Document designs, experiments, and learnings
Champion engineering best practices, mentor junior engineers, set technical direction, and drive architecture decisions
Evaluate state-of-the-art perception and machine-learning techniques for unmanned systems

Requirements

What you’ll need

8 years relevant progressive experience with Bachelors in related field; 6 years relevant progressive experience with Masters in related field; or High School Diploma or equivalent and 12 years relevant progressive experience
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Machine Learning, or related field (Master's or PhD preferred)
Strong software development skills in C++ and Python in production environments
Knowledge of version control, testing, and code reviews
Deep expertise in computer vision and perception algorithms including object detection, tracking, state estimation, sensor fusion, SLAM, and sensor calibration
Experience with point cloud processing, 3D perception, and multi-sensor fusion for robotics applications
Hands-on experience deploying perception systems on real robots or autonomous systems, including shipping software on production platforms
Practical experience with deep learning frameworks and computer vision libraries
Experience with real-time or latency-constrained systems and edge compute optimization
Knowledge of maritime sensors including sonar, marine radar, AIS, and specialized cameras
Ability to explain technical results and trade-offs clearly to teammates, in writing and in person
Curiosity and a hands-on approach to debugging problems on real hardware and with real-world data
Must be able to obtain and maintain a government clearance
Job performance may require working in an industrial or shipboard environment
Normally not required to lift more than 40 pounds higher than three feet above feet/floor level

Benefits

Comp & perks

Best-in-class medical, dental and vision plan choices
Wellness resources
Employee assistance programs
Savings Plan Options (401(k))
Financial planning tools
Life insurance
Employee discounts
Paid holidays and paid time off
Tuition reimbursement
Early childhood and post-secondary education scholarships
Bonus/other non-recurrent compensation may occasionally be offered for qualified positions
Educational and training programs for continual career growth