Director Data (m/w/d) in Amesbury

We are a well-funded stealth-stage AI robotics startup building advanced autonomous aerial systems. We are hiring a Founding Engineer (Chief of AI & Computer Vision) to lead the perception, sensor fusion, and AI intelligence layer of our autonomy stack — and to help embed cutting-edge AI systems across the company to dramatically accelerate engineering progress. This is a core founding role, working directly with the founder and shaping both the technical architecture and engineering culture from day one.

What you’ll be doing

• Perception, Detect & Avoid, Sensor Fusion
  You will own the computer vision and perception stack for autonomous aerial systems, including:
  • Real-time detect-and-avoid perception systems
  • Multi-sensor fusion (camera, IMU, and other onboard sensors)
  • Robust perception pipelines for autonomous flight
  • Foundational components of an AI-driven autonomy stack
• AI Systems as a Force Multiplier
  You will also design and deploy internal AI systems that supercharge the team:
  • Build generative and agentic AI tools for engineering workflows
  • Automate testing, analysis, and development processes
  • Integrate frontier AI models into real operational systems
  • Create leverage so a small team operates at extreme output efficiency
• System Context
  Our aircraft is a complex autonomous robotic system, integrating:
  • Multiple sensors and embedded compute platforms
  • Real-time control and perception loops
  • Edge AI processing systems
  • Safety-critical autonomy software
  
  AI is not an add-on — it is a core architectural layer across the entire system.

Where you’ll fit in

We are a small, high-velocity team that has already built early prototypes and secured significant non-dilutive funding. We are now expanding the founding engineering team to transition from prototype systems to scaled deployment. You will:

• Work onsite with the founder and core engineers
• Own AI and perception architecture end-to-end
• Influence product direction and technical roadmap
• Help define how modern AI is applied in real-world autonomy systems

What we’re looking for

Essential strengths

• Deep experience in computer vision, machine learning, or AI systems
• Strong understanding of sensor fusion and multi-modal perception
• Experience integrating vision systems into real-world robotics or hardware
• Ability to build and evaluate AI systems in production environments
• Strong problem-solving ability in fast-moving technical teams
• Genuine interest in frontier AI models and real-world deployment
• High ownership mindset and comfort with ambiguity

Desirable

• Experience with UAV systems, drones, or robotics autonomy stacks
• Familiarity with flight controllers or open-source autonomy frameworks
• Experience deploying ML/AI systems on edge hardware
• Robotics, embedded, or real-time systems exposure

What you’ll get

• Significant equity as a founding team member
• Direct impact as one of the first core hires
• Competitive salary (initial stipend + post-funding uplift)
• High autonomy and full technical ownership
• Flexible time off policy
• Standard UK pension scheme

Why this role is different

This is not a standard AI engineering role. You will be:

• Building perception systems that directly influence autonomous flight
• Designing AI systems that amplify the entire organisation
• Working at the intersection of AI, robotics, and autonomy
• Helping build a deep-tech company from the ground up

Application
Submit your CV or profile to begin the process. The client can pay upwards of £100,000 to £140,000+ per year and also offer significant equity.