NVIDIA Corporation

Senior Perception Engineer, Obstacle Foundation Models - Autonomous Vehicles

NVIDIA Corporation • $184K — $356K *
Santa Clara, CA 95051In-Person
Transportation
Less than 5 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • PhD in Computer Science or related field with 4+ years of experience, MS with 6+ years, or BS with 8+ years of relevant experience.
  • Proven hands-on experience with deep learning-based perception systems and proficiency in PyTorch.
  • Experience in data-driven development and collaboration with data and annotation teams.
  • Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++ for high-performance software development.
  • Excellent communication skills to work across multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

  • Develop and enhance design and architecture for 3D obstacle perception in autonomous driving.
  • Implement advanced 3D perception models leveraging multi-camera and multi-sensor data.
  • Build production-grade deep learning models, including prototyping and training best practices.
  • Define and maintain KPI frameworks to assess perception performance and improve system accuracy.
  • Collaborate on data strategy, prioritize data collection, and work on model-assisted workflows.
  • Ensure perception solutions meet safety, latency, and robustness requirements for deployment.

Benefits

  • Equity opportunities based on performance.
  • Comprehensive health benefits package.
  • Flexible work schedule and remote work options.
  • Career development and training programs.
  • Employee wellness and assistance programs.
Full Job Description
We are seeking an exceptional Senior Perception Engineer to help design and productize NVIDIA's next-generation autonomous driving perception stack. You will work on the core 3D obstacle perception pipeline, contribute to architecture and algorithm design, and remain deeply hands-on with implementation, including modern transformer-based, multi-modal, and vision-language techniques where they add real value.

What you'll be doing:
  • Develop and improve the technical design, architecture, and roadmap for 3D obstacle perception to support end-to-end autonomous driving functionalities, leveraging state-of-the-art CNN and transformer-based architectures where appropriate.
  • Design and implement advanced 3D perception models using multi-camera inputs and/or multi-sensor fusion (camera, radar, lidar) for obstacle detection and tracking, including opportunities to explore BEV and transformer-based 3D perception.
  • Build efficient, production-grade deep learning models: define objectives with the team, select and prototype architectures, run experiments, and follow best practices for training and evaluation, using techniques such as large-scale pretraining, distillation, and parameter-efficient fine-tuning (e.g., LoRA).
  • Help define and maintain KPI frameworks to quantify perception performance; analyze large-scale real and synthetic datasets to identify failure modes and systematically improve accuracy, robustness, and efficiency, incorporating approaches like self-supervised and representation learning when beneficial.
  • Contribute to the data strategy for perception: specify data and labeling requirements, help prioritize data collection and annotation, and collaborate with data and ground-truth teams, including model-assisted workflows (e.g., active learning, auto-labeling, vision-language models (VLMs)) and model-in-the-loop tooling.
  • Collaborate with safety, systems, and software teams to ensure perception solutions meet product requirements for safety, latency, resource usage, and software robustness, and are ready for deployment at scale.


What we need to see:
  • PhD with 4+ years, MS with 6+ years, or BS (or equivalent experience) with 8+ years of relevant experience in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field.
  • Hands-on experience developing deep learning-based perception or closely related systems for complex real-world problems, with strong proficiency in frameworks such as PyTorch and a track record of taking models from prototype to production.
  • Proven experience in data-driven development, including close collaboration with data, labeling, and ground-truth teams on data strategy, labeling quality, and iterative model improvement.
  • Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++, with experience building reliable, high-performance, production-quality software.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.


Ways to stand out from the crowd:
  • Experience designing and deploying perception solutions for autonomous driving or robotics using camera-based deep learning at scale.
  • Hands-on experience architecting and deploying DNN-based perception pipelines on embedded or real-time platforms, including optimization for latency, memory, and compute constraints, and experience with modern architectures such as CNNs and transformers, plus familiarity with techniques like large-scale pretraining, parameter-efficient fine-tuning (e.g., LoRA), or vision-language models (VLMs).
  • Strong publication record or recognized contributions in deep learning, computer vision, or autonomous systems at leading conferences/journals (e.g., CVPR, ICCV, NeurIPS, IROS).
  • Deep understanding of 3D computer vision fundamentals, including camera modeling and calibration (intrinsic and extrinsic), multi-view geometry, and 3D representations, ideally with experience applying these concepts in transformer-based 3D or BEV perception pipelines.
  • Experience with CUDA development and optimizing training or inference pipelines through custom CUDA kernels or other GPU-accelerated components.


Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 184,000 USD - 287,500 USD for Level 4, and 224,000 USD - 356,500 USD for Level 5.

You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications for this job will be accepted at least until July 24, 2026.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes.

About NVIDIA Corporation

Nvidia, a global leader in graphics, gaming, and AI technology, offers Nvidia careers and internship opportunities for those passionate about driving innovation in the tech industry. you'll find a company committed to growth, teamwork, and leadership in computer science and machine learning domains.

About Nvidia

A Pioneer in Technology and Innovation

Nvidia has cemented its reputation as a powerhouse in developing advanced graphics processing units (GPUs) and has significantly contributed to the gaming industry's evolution. Moreover, its foray into AI and machine learning has opened new frontiers in technology, making Nvidia a beacon of innovation and a desirable workplace for ambitious tech professionals.

Job Opportunities

Diverse Positions in a Dynamic Field

Nvidia is continuously on the lookout for talented individuals across various domains, including hardware and software engineering, product design, marketing, and sales. Employment opportunities at Nvidia are vast, catering to a wide range of expertise and career aspirations.

Employment in Hardware and Graphics

For those fascinated by the intricacies of hardware and graphics technology, Nvidia offers positions that sit at the forefront of gaming and computing advancements.

Growth in Machine Learning and AI

Nvidia's leadership in AI and machine learning has created numerous vacancies for specialists eager to contribute to groundbreaking projects.

Recruitment in Computer Science

With the constant demand for innovation, Nvidia's recruitment efforts focus on computer science experts capable of pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

Internship Program

Opening Doors to Future Innovators

Nvidia's internship program is designed to nurture the next generation of technology leaders, offering hands-on experience in a culture that celebrates creativity and teamwork.

Benefits and Culture

Interns at Nvidia enjoy a plethora of benefits, from competitive stipends to mentorship opportunities, all within an environment that values growth and learning.

Opportunities for Students

Whether you're an undergraduate, a master's student, or a Ph.D. candidate, Nvidia's internships provide a real-world glimpse into the tech industry, offering valuable experience in various technology fields.

Pathways to Full-Time Employment

Many interns have transitioned into full-time positions, marking the start of successful careers at Nvidia. The internship program is more than a stepping stone into the company; it’s an investment in the professional development of interns. The goal is to ensure that interns are well-equipped for future challenges.

Nvidia Careers: More Than Just a Job

Nvidia offers more than just a job to its employees; it provides a front-row seat on the journey into the future of technology. Nvidia stands as a pillar of innovation with its vast opportunities in hardware, graphics, gaming, machine learning, and computer science. Nvidia careers serve as a launching pad for talented workers who aim to redefine the technological landscape. Whether through full-time positions or internships, joining Nvidia means contributing to a legacy of breakthroughs and becoming part of a global community dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
Learn more about NVIDIA Corporation
Size
22,473 employees
Market Cap
$350.4 billion
Industry
Manufacturing & Automotive
Net Income
$4.3 billion
Founded
1993
5 Year Trend
+31.3%
Revenue
$16.6 billion
NASDAQ
NVDA
* Ladders Estimates

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