Machine Learning Engineer, Autonomy

We’re Blue River, a team of innovators driven to create intelligent machinery that solves monumental problems for our customers. We empower our customers – farmers, construction crews, and foresters - to implement safer and more sustainable solutions, driving increased profitability with less reliance on scarce labor. We believe that focusing on the small stuff – pixel-by-pixel and task-by-task - leads to big gains. 

Blue River Technology aligns with John Deere’s vision to “innovate on behalf of humanity” by quickly identifying and solving high-value, high-uncertainty challenges in AI, machine learning, computer vision, and robotics. BRT acts as a research and development flywheel, building not only new products but also new platforms that reliably create value for both Deere and its customers. From fully autonomous machines to highly precise farming equipment, BRT and Deere are partnering to create technical breakthroughs in industries like agriculture and construction. 

Summary

We are looking for a highly skilled and innovative Machine Learning Engineer to join the team responsible for building the perception stack for Blue River Technology's autonomous tractor initiative. You will be responsible for working on the development of CVML models, training and testing pipelines to enhance system safety and performance in challenging production environments. This role will range from developing initial prototypes to scaling for production. We’re looking for a motivated and collaborative individual to help build the future of autonomous agriculture.

• Employment Type: Full-Time
• Work Location: Remote in the United States
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Job Responsibilities

A combination, not necessarily all-inclusive, of the following:

• Implementing deep-learning-based classification systems for identifying, characterizing, and classifying various farm-related objects using images and videos.
• Exploring and developing new methods for improving detection performance and increasing the speed of processing.
• Working with the Software team to transition processing from desktop/server-class machines to real-time, field robotic systems.
• Work with systems software engineers to help architect and develop data processing and annotation pipelines for continuous system monitoring and improvement.

Required Experience and Skills

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Computer Science or a related field, graduate degree preferred.
• 2 years of experience developing high-performance ML systems, training and optimizing DNNs for segmentation, depth, and related perception tasks with large-scale datasets.
• Strong Python + PyTorch/TensorFlow skills.
• Solid grasp of vision + deep learning fundamentals.
• Strong communication skills to work closely with interdisciplinary teams to integrate models into edge and cloud systems.

Preferred Experience and Skills

• Experience building and deploying full-stack ML pipelines, from data ingestion to model training, testing, and deployment.
• Edge deployment or real-time optimization know-how.
• Experience in working with CVML & Robotics projects.
• Experience with multi-view geometry or SLAM.
• Experience in the vehicle autonomy space.
• Experience in metrics implementation, analysis, and dashboarding.
• Knowledge of robotics libraries such as ROS / ROS2.

Only individual applicants will be considered. We do not work with unsolicited third-party agencies or proxy interview services. 

At Blue River, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.  While we have more work to do to advance diversity and inclusion, we’re investing in our programs, including recruiting, mentorship, career development, and learning & development to ensure they support our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. We support each employee in living a full life, enabling a thriving career, and accomplishing a meaningful, challenging mission while collaborating with incredible people. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your experience doesn’t align completely with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request an accommodation. 

The US annual base salary range for this position is $108,000 - $193,000, along with eligibility for Blue River’s bonus and benefit programs.

Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process. During the recruitment process, we may identify an alternative role or level to which you are more suited. If your ideal role at Blue River differs from the advertised position, we will provide an updated pay range as soon as possible during the hiring process.

#LI-AN1