Staff R&D Autonomy Perception Engineer

Company: Wisk Aero LLC.
Location: Mountain View
Posted on: March 28, 2025

Job Description:

At Wisk, we're transforming the future of urban mobility through safe, all-electric, autonomous flight. We are a passionate team working together toward a sustainable future, solving high-impact problems that have never been solved before. By delivering everyday flight for everyone, we're making it possible to spend less time getting there and more time being there. If you want to be part of shaping the future of mobility, then read on!We are looking for a Staff R&D Autonomy Perception Engineer to join our R&D team.The R&D team is responsible for rapid evaluation of autonomy systems in a flight environment, and the development of future technologies that enable autonomous eVTOL operations.This is a hybrid work opportunity. At Wisk, this means working onsite at our Mountain View and/or Hollister offices 3 days per week with flexibility for the remainder of the days.The goal of this position is to facilitate the development of autonomous systems through the use of surrogate platforms like helicopters, and simulation. This position will facilitate the integration of new software modules in our helicopter platform & bench setups, develop software architectures that enable rapid test and evaluation, automate software deployment, and automate data extraction and validation.What you will do:

• Design, develop, and integrate perception algorithms for autonomous flight, including:
• Sensor Fusion: Combine data from various sensors (e.g., LiDAR, cameras, radar, GPS) for accurate and robust object detection and tracking.
• Obstacle Avoidance: Develop algorithms for real-time detection and avoidance of static and dynamic obstacles (e.g., buildings, vehicles, pedestrians, drones) to include Airborne Detection and Avoidance (ACAS) and Terrain Awareness & Warning Systems (TAWS) performance criteria.
• Terrain Mapping: Generate accurate 3D maps of the environment for navigation and planning.
• Landing Zone Detection: Develop algorithms for automatic detection and assessment of suitable landing zones.
• Conduct rigorous flight tests to evaluate the performance of perception systems in real-world scenarios.
• Be responsible for developing software used in the end-to-end testing of embedded sensors from simulation to flight test.
• Work with the systems engineers to understand the functional and performance requirements for the confliction detection, navigation, & flight path management system and subsystems.
• Work with the R&D team to develop test plans specifying flight tests that need to be performed, the sensor and ground truth data that needs to be collected, and the expected results.
• You will plan and execute mentorship programs for junior Software Engineers.What you have done:
  • B.S. in Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, STEM, or equivalent real-world experience and 8+ years industry experience Networking Software development.
  • You have demonstrable proficiency in Python and other object-oriented programming languages for embedded systems, robotics or network-based services.
  • Development of safety-critical and real-time software using model-based design tools.
  • You have a strong understanding of basic embedded software concepts such as signal analysis, hardware abstraction layers, firmware drivers, and memory allocation.
  • You have experience with commonly used project management, bug tracking, continuous integration tools e.g., JIRA.
  • You have experience with capturing, monitoring and analyzing network traffic, e.g., Wireshark, tcpdump, iPerf.
  • You have experience with Linux, e.g., configuration management, shell scripting.
  • You have experience with Docker or experience with containerization in general.
  • You have experience with the Google Cloud Products and BigQuery is a plus.Desired:
    • You have experience with real-time operating systems (RTOS), and other low-level C/C++ software.
    • You have experience with MATLAB/Simulink Model-Based Design.
    • You have C/C++ programming experience with the GNU Toolchain (gcc, gdb).
    • You have familiarity with flight simulators leveraging both software and hardware "in-the-loop" testing strategies.
    • You are familiar with Agile software development, unit Testing and test-driven development.
    • You have familiarity with flight test operations.
    • You have familiarity with sensors used in the aviation industry, e.g., ADS-B, GPS, INS, radios, etc.
    • You have familiarity with embedded systems communication protocols, e.g., CAN, ARINC, I2C, SPI.Who you are:
      • You are a highly motivated, self-starting individual with a broad set of skills and never afraid of facing complex technical challenges.
      • You are a solution-oriented individual with a strong analytical mindset.
      • You have strong communication skills and can easily tailor your communications to suit the audience.
      • You can adapt quickly or propose changes needed to achieve early results in a timely fashion.
      • You embrace challenges and take commitments and deliver results within reasonable expectations.
      • You are a positive team player.$192,173 - $226,085 a yearCompensation and Benefits:In addition to offering a great work environment and the opportunity to be part of the team making electric autonomous flight a reality, at Wisk, we offer excellent total rewards which include a competitive base salary, annual bonus, long term incentive, 401K, health benefits and much more.Job Type: Full-timePay Range the Company expects to pay: $192,173 - $226,085 per year - The starting base salary within this range for this role varies based on factors such as your geographical location, and your relevant job-related experience that is consistent with a business necessity.We are committed to fostering diversity and inclusivity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those from marginalized or underrepresented groups in the tech industry and aerospace, to apply for our job openings. We consider every candidate who shares our passion for making the impossible possible, even if they may not strictly meet all preferred requirements. We firmly believe that a diverse range of perspectives can profoundly influence both our product and our company culture.Wisk HQ is located in Mountain View just a couple of hundred feet from Shoreline Lake and its surrounding walking/jogging trails. We offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, 9 off Fridays for full-time employees throughout the year, flexible vacation time off, 11 company holidays, a 401(k) plan with 50% company matching vested immediately, commuter assistance, and education assistance. And on top of all that, we also offer a variety of perks such as free catered lunches, flight lessons, wellness allowances, snacks, drinks, employee referral bonus, charitable giving match, patent bonus program, and more.
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Keywords: Wisk Aero LLC., Mountain View , Staff R&D Autonomy Perception Engineer, Engineering , Mountain View, California