Senior, ML Engineer - VLM
Torc Robotics3 months ago
Base Salary
$177k - $213k/yr
Responsibilities
- Design, implement, test, and deploy cloud-based pipelines that convert logged multi-sensor data into VLM/VLA training datasets.
- Develop VLM-assisted open-vocabulary detection, dense captioning, semantic enrichment, and scene or scenario description generation for large-scale auto-labeling.
- Generate language-grounded reasoning and chain-of-causation annotations aligned with ego-motion and trajectories.
- Mine rare, difficult, and high-uncertainty scenarios and curate datasets that improve downstream VLM/VLA metrics.
- Define dataset schemas, quality metrics, and validation processes, and route model failures into relabeling and retraining loops.
- Partner with end-to-end model developers to define dataset specifications and operationalize continuous dataset delivery.
- Build distributed, reproducible pipelines using columnar data formats and distributed compute.
- Lead projects, mentor engineers, run design reviews, establish coding and annotation standards, and drive cross-team alignment.
- Track advances in multimodal models, auto-labeling, and autonomous driving and translate relevant research into production data systems.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field plus competences typically acquired through 6+ years of experience, or a related master’s degree plus competences typically acquired through 3+ years of experience.
- Strong computer vision and deep-learning experience, including model training and at least two of 2D/3D object detection, tracking, sensor fusion, semantic segmentation, BEV, or depth estimation.
- Hands-on vision-language model experience, including open-vocabulary or zero-shot recognition, dense captioning, or semantic embeddings/search applied to perception data.
- Experience building targeted datasets that improve downstream model performance and processing large-scale Parquet data.
- Experience with distributed ML and data frameworks such as PyTorch, Lightning, Ray, Spark, or equivalent tools.
- Experience with experiment tracking, model registries, MLflow or Weights & Biases, model metrics, evaluation, and quality systems.
- Strong Python development and experience with VDI, cloud-based development environments, CI systems such as GitHub Actions, and Docker.
- Preferred experience with VLM/VLA or end-to-end driving models, trajectory and action grounding, reasoning-trace datasets, foundation-model auto-labeling, high-throughput model serving, semantic retrieval, vector databases, autonomous-vehicle data standards, robotics formats, cloud orchestration, data visualization, or closed-loop/open-loop evaluation.
- Publications in top-tier computer vision, AI, or robotics venues are a bonus.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation package with bonus component and stock options.
- 100% paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for full-time employees.
- 401(k) plan with a 6% employer match.
- Flexible schedule and generous paid vacation available immediately after the start date.
- Company-wide holiday office closures.
- AD+D and life insurance.
Tech Stack
Categories
About Torc Robotics
Torc Robotics develops autonomous driving software for heavy-duty trucks, offering a full self-driving stack, mapping, and perception for freight carriers and OEMs. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, it was acquired by Daimler Truck in 2019. As a subsidiary, Torc focuses on commercializing Level 4 trucking with its parent’s vehicle platforms and industry partnerships in North American freight transport.