Paddy Hobson

Senior ML Engineer – Autonomous Driving (Mapless, AI-First) A well-funded European deep-tech company is building fully AI-driven, mapless autonomous driving technology in collaboration with leading OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. We are hiring experienced ML engineers who want to move beyond incremental ADAS and work on large-scale, AI-native autonomy systems deployed directly on vehicles. What You’ll Work OnLearning-based scene understanding from raw multimodal sensor dataOnline road topology & lane connectivity extractionMultimodal transformers / graph neural networks for dynamic traffic modelingEnd-to-end perception → prediction → planning architecturesEnsuring geometric & temporal consistency in real-world drivingDeployment of production-grade ML models to embedded vehicle systemsThis is not simulation-only research. Models are trained at scale and validated directly on real vehicles. What We’re Looking ForStrong ML fundamentals (deep learning, transformers, large-scale training)Solid Python skills; C for production integrationExperience in one or more of:Autonomous drivingRobotics3D computer visionMultimodal learningSensor fusionLearning-based planningPhD is welcome but not required. Real-world deployment experience is highly valued. Why Join?Flat technical structure with real ownershipStrong compute infrastructureClose collaboration with major automotive partnersEquity / stock optionsOpportunity to shape next-generation autonomy from the ground upLocation: Germany (hybrid model available)

About the Company We’re supporting a venture-backed AI company building cutting-edge surgical AI systems focused on video understanding. Their initial product transforms surgical videos into structured clinical reports - a focused entry point into a much bigger vision: developing a large-scale surgical foundation model, ultimately enabling advanced perception systems and autonomous surgical robotics.This is a deep-tech team building models from first principles - not treating AI as a black box. They combine ambitious research goals with real-world deployment in high-stakes medical environments. The Role Our client is hiring a Computer Vision Engineer who operates at the intersection of research and production. This is not a pure research role - and not just product engineering. They’re looking for someone who can:Deliver research-grade innovationWrite clean, scalable, production-ready codeMove fluidly between experimentation and deploymentYou will work on state-of-the-art video understanding systems that convert unstructured surgical footage into structured intelligence. This role is central to their long-term roadmap toward advanced autonomy. What You’ll Work OnDesigning and training advanced video understanding modelsExtending image-based CV architectures into temporal domainsWorking with multimodal and potentially 3D data (point clouds beneficial)Building scalable training pipelines, including distributed trainingBridging research prototypes into production systemsContributing to publications at leading AI conferencesCollaborating closely with a highly technical founding teamWhat They’re Looking For Technical BackgroundStrong foundation in Computer Vision on imagesExperience in video understandingExposure to 3D data / point clouds (beneficial)Experience with model training pipelines and optimizationAbility to implement research papers quickly and robustlyStrong software engineering fundamentalsResearch MindsetTrack record (or clear potential) for top conference-level workAbility to derive models from first principlesDeep understanding of modern CV architecturesProblem-SolvingComfortable working in ambiguous environmentsStrong analytical and structured thinking skillsAble to tackle unfamiliar domains effectivelyCollaboration & Product AwarenessUnderstands real-world constraints and client needsComfortable working closely with cross-functional teamsThrives in a collaborative environment (not a solo contributor role_Why Consider This Opportunity?Meaningful Impact - Building AI systems that support safer surgical procedures and improve access to care. Big Technical Vision - Report generation is the entry point. The broader roadmap includes foundational models and advanced autonomy systems. Genuine Deep Tech - This team is building core models and infrastructure from the ground up. Publication & Credibility - Publishing at leading conferences is part of the company’s DNA. Strong Talent Density - You’ll work alongside highly technical peers in an ambitious, research-driven environment.