Embedded Perception Engineer (autonomy systems)

Robotics & Perception Engineer Bastrop, TX

ENGINEERING, Software Engineering

In office

Full-time

At The Boring Company, we're revolutionizing underground infrastructure with Prufrock, our next-generation Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM). We're pushing the boundaries of autonomy to achieve Continuous Mining and Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) operations—making tunneling faster, safer, and more efficient. As we scale the Prufrock fleet, we're seeking exceptional talent to accelerate our autonomy vision.

We're looking for Robotics and Perception Engineers with proven, real-world expertise in building robust autonomous systems for complex environments. Ideal candidates will have shipped production-grade solutions in novel applications.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and implement advanced perception pipelines for tunnel construction, integrating sensor fusion, computer vision, and real-time modeling to enable fully autonomous TBM operations.
• Build, deploy, and harden collision avoidance systems, from raw sensor data processing to spatial modeling, collision detection/warning algorithms, and reactive control strategies.
• Implement and maintain practical path planning and constraint-based navigation appropriate for confined tunnel environments.
• Drive end-to-end autonomy (hardware-to-operations), ensuring seamless integration with control systems for mission-critical reliability.
• Drive rapid iteration and deployment in a vertically integrated team, turning concepts into operational hardware-software solutions – developing in the lab and validating in the field.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated Real-World Impact: Extensive experience deploying autonomous robotics in production / battle-tested environments (e.g., industrial automation, autonomous vehicles, or similar).

• Collision Avoidance Expertise: Ability to deeply articulate and implement full-stack solutions, including: • Sensing pipelines (e.g., LiDAR, cameras, IMUs, onboard encoders).

• Algorithms for building dynamic spatial models.

• Detection and prediction of collisions/warnings.

• Robot reaction logic (e.g., graded responses for proximity alerts vs. emergency halts).

• Extensive Computer/Machine Vision Experience: Mastery in neural networks, object detection/tracking, semantic segmentation, and handling noisy, low-visibility data in real-time.

• Bachelor's or advanced degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field, with 5+ years of relevant industry experience.

• Strong programming skills in C++, Python, or similar, with a track record of optimizing for performance in embedded systems.

Additional Requirements

• Willing to travel to job sites as required to commission & develop new designs, as well as troubleshoot and problem solve existing designs.
• Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary.

Reporting Location: Bastrop, Texas - Headquarters

If you're a top-tier engineer excited to tackle underground autonomy at scale and have the hands-on experience to prove it, apply now. Help us bore the future.

Culture We're a team of dedicated, smart, and scrappy people. Our employees are passionate about our mission and determined to innovate at every opportunity.

Benefits We offer employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) plan, paid holidays, paid vacation, and a competitive amount of equity for all permanent employees.

The Boring Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with The Boring Company is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Ready to apply? Powered by

First name *

Last name *

Email *

Phone number *

Location *

Resume * Click to upload or drag and drop here

LinkedIn URL

X URL

Do you now or in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States? *

By submitting your application, you consent to receive text messages from The Boring Company regarding your application and hiring status. *

I understand

What project are you most proud of (relative to the role you're applying for)? *

Voluntary Self-Identification To comply with government reporting requirements, we invite candidates to participate in the self-identification survey below. Your completion of this form is entirely optional, and your decision will neither influence the hiring process nor any subsequent stages. Any information you choose to share will be kept confidential and stored in a secure file. As outlined in our Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we uphold a commitment to non-discrimination based on any protected group status specified in applicable laws. Gender

Race

Race and ethnicity descriptions

Voluntary Self-Identification of Veteran Status VEVRAA requires Government contractors to take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment protected veterans. To help us measure the effectiveness of our outreach and recruitment efforts of veterans, we are asking you to tell us if you are a veteran covered by VEVRAA. If you believe that you belong to any of the following categories of protected veterans, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. Veteran status descriptions Disabled veteran A veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military and is entitled to disability compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to disability compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability Recently separated veteran A veteran separated during the three-year period beginning on the date of the veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S military, ground, naval, or air service Active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran A veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge was authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense Armed Forces service medal veteran A veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military ground, naval, or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985 (61 Fed. Reg. 1209).

Veteran status

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.

Req ID: R219