Field Robotics Engineer

Compound Eye enables machines to understand their surroundings in 3D and in real time using only passive sensors like cameras and IMUs. Their VIDAS technology takes video from automotive-grade cameras and outputs a dense, semantic 3D representation of the world that vehicles and robots can use to navigate their environment — a fully redundant alternative to LiDAR and radar.

 The company has customers in automotive, agriculture, healthcare, and defense, and is backed by Khosla Ventures and other leading investors. The US team is twenty people, the culture is built on transparency and mutual accountability, and the company is already generating revenue. The mission is to teach machines to see.

The Opportunity

Compound Eye is looking for a Field Robotics Engineer who loves to build, test, and adapt real hardware — someone who thrives where mechanical, electrical, and software systems meet the real world. You will help turn Compound Eye's autonomy technology into practical, deployable solutions for ground vehicles and drones.

 This role spans prototyping, field testing, and direct customer engagement. You will design and fabricate hardware, run test campaigns in the field, and work directly with customers to understand their operational needs and translate them into engineering requirements. Expect to travel regularly and get your hands dirty. If you want to work close to the hardware and close to the customer, this is that role.

What You'll Do

• •      Design and fabricate sensor mounts, gimbals, and housings using CAD, 3D printing, and light machining to integrate cameras, GNSS/RTK, IMUs, and compute modules into autonomous platforms
• •      Prepare and execute vehicle and drone test campaigns; operate and troubleshoot systems in the field
• •      Log sensor and telemetry data to evaluate system performance; maintain test vehicles, drones, and hardware setups for reliability and repeatability
• •      Design and execute demonstrations for customers, partners, and investors
• •      Work directly with customers and pilot users to understand operational needs and success criteria; translate those needs into engineering requirements and prototype modifications
• •      Support field demos and integration efforts, providing clear feedback between customers and the core engineering team
• •      Create build notes, wiring diagrams, test reports, and user documentation
• •      Collaborate across mechanical, software, and autonomy teams to accelerate iteration cycles
• •      Direct and supervise contractors and service providers as needed

Travel: up to 40% for demos, customer engagements, and test events. Comfort working outdoors and in varied environments (fields, warehouses, customer sites) is required. Some weekend or off-hours work may be needed during test campaigns.

You Should Have

• •      3+ years of professional hands-on technical work in robotics, hardware, or automation
• •      Proven ability with CAD design, 3D printing, soldering, wiring, and prototyping
• •      Experience with sensors including cameras, GPS/GNSS, and IMUs
• •      Working knowledge of Python and C++
• •      Strong communication skills and a genuine interest in working with customers to solve real-world problems
• •      Comfort operating in outdoor and field environments

Nice to Have

• •      Experience flying or operating drones and autonomous vehicles
• •      Exposure to computer vision, SLAM, or sensor fusion techniques
• •      Prior customer-facing experience in support, demos, field trials, or engineering sales

Compensation and Benefits

Base Salary: $135,000 - $175,000, depending on experience, plus strong incentive stock options (ISO).

Benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) with employer match after 6 months; flexible PTO plus 8 holidays and a two-week winter break; paid family leave; annual home office stipend; employer-paid long-term disability, short-term disability, and life insurance; and quarterly onsites in San Francisco.