Planted
Oakland, California
Energy is the binding constraint on human progress. Solar and storage are the lowest cost sources of new generation, but the conventional project delivery model has not changed in 30 years and deployment cannot keep pace with demand. Planted is turning power plants from projects into products. Our software turns raw land into a build-ready power plant in minutes instead of months. Our hardware delivers twice the energy on every acre. Our robots put steel in the ground so output scales with production lines instead of headcount. We're looking for a technical leader to build and scale the software organization at the center of that transition - from the autonomy stack running on our robots to the AI systems that will make deployment even faster. You will own the architecture, roadmap, and team driving Planted's next phase of growth. We don't wait for abundance. We build it. About The Role Software is both the brains of our machines and the connective tissue of Planted operations. You will lead and grow a software organization spanning three domains: autonomous robotic vehicle software, our suite of web-based power plant design, build, and operate tools, and an emerging portfolio of AI agents that automate engineering, estimation, and operations workflows. We are looking for a pragmatic technical leader with a track record of building high-performing, multi-disciplinary software teams. You must be deep enough technically to drive key architectural decisions across the vertically integrated platform, and strategic enough to drive and execute on the product roadmap. You have systems literacy (e.g., how data moves from a robot's camera into an ML pipeline) and prioritize delivery mechanics over heavy-handed project management. Our robots are building projects in the field today and our design software is in front of customers. Your mandate is to scale the product and the team to support our current 10x year over year growth in megawatts deployed. The Team: You will join a group at the intersection of deep tech and massive physical infrastructure. Our engineering core brings robotics and automation DNA from SpaceX and Tesla, working directly alongside veteran energy developers. We are led by repeat founders with a successful prior exit (Cogenra to SunPower). Planted is backed by leading investors in energy and Physical AI, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Piva Capital. The annual salary range for this full-time position is $275,000-$325,000 plus a meaningful equity stake and benefits. Pay within the range is based on candidate experience, job-specific skills, and education. The target experience for the position is 10-15+ years. We work together in person 5 days/week at our HQ in Oakland, CA. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Organizational Leadership & Talent Development: Build, scale, and mentor a high-performing, multi-level software organization, including direct management of engineering managers, principal engineers, and system architects. Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous growth. Recruit and retain top-tier software talent across cloud, spatial/CAD, embedded, and robotics domains while allowing technical experts to own the architecture. Strategic Execution & Stakeholder Management : Own the software roadmap and drive the predictable, on-time delivery of complex, multi-system software projects across multiple products. Set clear expectations, communicate progress, and align software deliverables. Collaborate seamlessly with the Commercial team, Hardware Engineering, and Project Operations. Make the build-vs-buy, stack, and platform decisions that will hold up at 100x scale. Software Product Suite Ownership: Lead development across our core platforms: Power Planter (automated layout, engineering, and costing), Build View (autonomous fleet management, field deployment, and QA/QC), and Operate View (inspection, operations, and maintenance tools for large-scale solar plants). Autonomous Robotic Vehicle Platforms: Lead the engineering teams deploying the full software stack across our autonomous field machine fleet (fleet logic, behavior trees, and path planning, modern and classical controls, ROS2, etc.). Data Flywheel: We operate our field machines like modern manufacturing lines. You will own the telemetry and data infrastructure that monitors production with statistical process control and turns every installation into training data for better models and improved machine productivity. AI Systems: Build the team and roadmap for AI agents that automate design, estimation, project delivery, and operations workflows, grounded in the data our robots and projects generate. QUALIFICATIONS 10 to 15+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years leading engineering teams (senior ICs and managers) shipping production systems. Deep expertise in full stack software development involving hardware and software integration like robotics, IoT, or industrial automation. Track record shipping robotics, autonomous vehicles, or hardtech software into the field at scale-with a strong focus on fleet reliability, continuous testing, and real-time observability. Broad leadership capability across platform/full-stack teams, cloud infrastructure, data systems, or applied AI/ML groups outside your core specialty. Systems architecture judgment with strong understanding of how technologies work together (e.g., middleware, pub/sub architectures, web services, and ML pipelines). You do not need to write the C++ on the robot, but you must understand edge compute, latency, and hardware-in-the-loop testing. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Field robotics : Experience in construction, agriculture, mining, defense, logistics, or autonomous vehicles operating off-pavement (e.g., Waymo, Cruise, Bedrock Automation). DevOps & Delivery: Strong understanding of modern software deployment and containerization (Docker). Experience with CI/CD, release pipelines, and edge deployment strategies, focusing on how code reliably gets to the machine. Agentic and AI-Augmented Software Engineering: Experience building, rebuilding, and managing AI-integrated software development platforms and teams. Robotics & Controls: Familiarity with the complexities of deploying field-robotics software (e.g., ROS2, vehicle navigation, and autonomy stacks). You understand the unique delivery challenges of robotics compared to traditional software. Perception & Sensing: Experience with LiDAR, stereoscopic/IR cameras, object detection, spatial mapping, and SLAM in dynamic outdoor environments. Strong understanding of middleware, pub/sub architectures alongside web services, backend technologies, and ML pipelines. Spatial / CAD Expertise: Deep understanding of software platforms working with geospatial data (GIS, CAD engines, 3D modeling, or automated parametric design). Industrial Operations: Exposure to automated manufacturing execution systems (MES) managing statistical process control, telemetry monitoring, or fleet analytics in hardtech, renewable energy environments, or advanced manufacturing. What We Offer 11 paid company holidays and flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) Company-paid in-office lunches Stock options Medical, vision, dental, and other benefits Pre-tax commuter benefits 401(k) A chance to have an empowered, meaningful, and early role in climate How This Is A Fit You want to solve challenging problems You are biased towards action and focus on the vital work that drives the most impact You prioritize the physical and psychological safety of yourself and those around you You are humble, embrace change, and deliver and receive candid feedback You are optimistic about the future and can make tough decisions to help get there You have high expectations and coach, develop, and make time to help others Planted is an equal opportunity employer committed to growing inclusively, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, medical condition, age, or veteran status. However you identify, or whatever background you bring with you, please apply. We look forward to hearing from you.
Energy is the binding constraint on human progress. Solar and storage are the lowest cost sources of new generation, but the conventional project delivery model has not changed in 30 years and deployment cannot keep pace with demand. Planted is turning power plants from projects into products. Our software turns raw land into a build-ready power plant in minutes instead of months. Our hardware delivers twice the energy on every acre. Our robots put steel in the ground so output scales with production lines instead of headcount. We're looking for a technical leader to build and scale the software organization at the center of that transition - from the autonomy stack running on our robots to the AI systems that will make deployment even faster. You will own the architecture, roadmap, and team driving Planted's next phase of growth. We don't wait for abundance. We build it. About The Role Software is both the brains of our machines and the connective tissue of Planted operations. You will lead and grow a software organization spanning three domains: autonomous robotic vehicle software, our suite of web-based power plant design, build, and operate tools, and an emerging portfolio of AI agents that automate engineering, estimation, and operations workflows. We are looking for a pragmatic technical leader with a track record of building high-performing, multi-disciplinary software teams. You must be deep enough technically to drive key architectural decisions across the vertically integrated platform, and strategic enough to drive and execute on the product roadmap. You have systems literacy (e.g., how data moves from a robot's camera into an ML pipeline) and prioritize delivery mechanics over heavy-handed project management. Our robots are building projects in the field today and our design software is in front of customers. Your mandate is to scale the product and the team to support our current 10x year over year growth in megawatts deployed. The Team: You will join a group at the intersection of deep tech and massive physical infrastructure. Our engineering core brings robotics and automation DNA from SpaceX and Tesla, working directly alongside veteran energy developers. We are led by repeat founders with a successful prior exit (Cogenra to SunPower). Planted is backed by leading investors in energy and Physical AI, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Piva Capital. The annual salary range for this full-time position is $275,000-$325,000 plus a meaningful equity stake and benefits. Pay within the range is based on candidate experience, job-specific skills, and education. The target experience for the position is 10-15+ years. We work together in person 5 days/week at our HQ in Oakland, CA. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Organizational Leadership & Talent Development: Build, scale, and mentor a high-performing, multi-level software organization, including direct management of engineering managers, principal engineers, and system architects. Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability, and continuous growth. Recruit and retain top-tier software talent across cloud, spatial/CAD, embedded, and robotics domains while allowing technical experts to own the architecture. Strategic Execution & Stakeholder Management : Own the software roadmap and drive the predictable, on-time delivery of complex, multi-system software projects across multiple products. Set clear expectations, communicate progress, and align software deliverables. Collaborate seamlessly with the Commercial team, Hardware Engineering, and Project Operations. Make the build-vs-buy, stack, and platform decisions that will hold up at 100x scale. Software Product Suite Ownership: Lead development across our core platforms: Power Planter (automated layout, engineering, and costing), Build View (autonomous fleet management, field deployment, and QA/QC), and Operate View (inspection, operations, and maintenance tools for large-scale solar plants). Autonomous Robotic Vehicle Platforms: Lead the engineering teams deploying the full software stack across our autonomous field machine fleet (fleet logic, behavior trees, and path planning, modern and classical controls, ROS2, etc.). Data Flywheel: We operate our field machines like modern manufacturing lines. You will own the telemetry and data infrastructure that monitors production with statistical process control and turns every installation into training data for better models and improved machine productivity. AI Systems: Build the team and roadmap for AI agents that automate design, estimation, project delivery, and operations workflows, grounded in the data our robots and projects generate. QUALIFICATIONS 10 to 15+ years of software engineering experience, including 5+ years leading engineering teams (senior ICs and managers) shipping production systems. Deep expertise in full stack software development involving hardware and software integration like robotics, IoT, or industrial automation. Track record shipping robotics, autonomous vehicles, or hardtech software into the field at scale-with a strong focus on fleet reliability, continuous testing, and real-time observability. Broad leadership capability across platform/full-stack teams, cloud infrastructure, data systems, or applied AI/ML groups outside your core specialty. Systems architecture judgment with strong understanding of how technologies work together (e.g., middleware, pub/sub architectures, web services, and ML pipelines). You do not need to write the C++ on the robot, but you must understand edge compute, latency, and hardware-in-the-loop testing. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Field robotics : Experience in construction, agriculture, mining, defense, logistics, or autonomous vehicles operating off-pavement (e.g., Waymo, Cruise, Bedrock Automation). DevOps & Delivery: Strong understanding of modern software deployment and containerization (Docker). Experience with CI/CD, release pipelines, and edge deployment strategies, focusing on how code reliably gets to the machine. Agentic and AI-Augmented Software Engineering: Experience building, rebuilding, and managing AI-integrated software development platforms and teams. Robotics & Controls: Familiarity with the complexities of deploying field-robotics software (e.g., ROS2, vehicle navigation, and autonomy stacks). You understand the unique delivery challenges of robotics compared to traditional software. Perception & Sensing: Experience with LiDAR, stereoscopic/IR cameras, object detection, spatial mapping, and SLAM in dynamic outdoor environments. Strong understanding of middleware, pub/sub architectures alongside web services, backend technologies, and ML pipelines. Spatial / CAD Expertise: Deep understanding of software platforms working with geospatial data (GIS, CAD engines, 3D modeling, or automated parametric design). Industrial Operations: Exposure to automated manufacturing execution systems (MES) managing statistical process control, telemetry monitoring, or fleet analytics in hardtech, renewable energy environments, or advanced manufacturing. What We Offer 11 paid company holidays and flexible Paid Time Off (PTO) Company-paid in-office lunches Stock options Medical, vision, dental, and other benefits Pre-tax commuter benefits 401(k) A chance to have an empowered, meaningful, and early role in climate How This Is A Fit You want to solve challenging problems You are biased towards action and focus on the vital work that drives the most impact You prioritize the physical and psychological safety of yourself and those around you You are humble, embrace change, and deliver and receive candid feedback You are optimistic about the future and can make tough decisions to help get there You have high expectations and coach, develop, and make time to help others Planted is an equal opportunity employer committed to growing inclusively, regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, medical condition, age, or veteran status. However you identify, or whatever background you bring with you, please apply. We look forward to hearing from you.
FieldAI
Irvine, California
Job Description Job Description FieldAI's Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California's robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field. Who are We? Field AI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We are building risk-aware, reliable, and field-ready AI systems that address the most complex challenges in robotics, unlocking the full potential of embodied intelligence. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-based architectures, and are charting a new course, with already-globally-deployed solutions delivering real-world results and rapidly improving models through real-field applications. Learn more at . About the Job Our Field Foundation Model (FFM) powers a global fleet of autonomous robots that capture massive streams of multimodal data across diverse, dynamic environments every day. As part of the Insight Team our mission is to transform this raw, multimodal data into actionable insights that empower our customers and engineers to deliver value. Field-insight Foundation Model (FiFM) is at the core of how we transform multimodal data from autonomous robots into actionable insights. As an AI/ML Engineer on the FiFM team, you will drive research and model development for one of Field AI's most ambitious initiatives. Your work will span computer vision, vision-language models (VLMs), multimodal scene understanding, and long-memory video analysis and search , with a strong emphasis on agentic AI (tool use, memory, multimodal retrieval-augmented generation).This is a full-cycle ML role : you'll curate datasets, fine-tune and evaluate models, optimize inference, and deploy them into production. It's a blend of applied research and engineering , requiring creativity, rapid experimentation, and rigorous problem-solving. While FiFM is your primary focus, you'll also contribute to broader perception and insight-generation initiatives across Field AI. What You'll Get To Do: Train and fine-tune million- to billion-parameter multimodal models , with a focus on computer vision , video understanding , and vision-language integration . Track state-of-the-art research , adapt novel algorithms, and integrate them into FiFM. Curate datasets and develop tools to improve model interpretability . Build scalable evaluation pipelines for vision and multimodal models . Contribute to model observability , drift detection , and error classification . Fine-tune and optimize open-source VLMs and multimodal embedding models for efficiency and robustness. Build and optimize Multi-VectorRAG pipelines with vector DBs and knowledge graphs . Create embedding-based memory and retrieval chains with token-efficient chunking strategies. What You Have: Master's/Ph.D. in Computer Science, AI/ML, Robotics, or equivalent industry experience. 2+ years of industry experience or relevant publications in CV/ML/AI. Strong expertise in computer vision, video understanding, temporal modeling, and VLMs . Proficiency in Python and PyTorch with production-level coding skills. Experience building pipelines for large-scale video/image datasets . Familiarity with AWS or other cloud platforms for ML training and deployment. Understanding of MLOps best practices (CI/CD, experiment tracking). Hands-on experience fine-tuning open-source multimodal models using HuggingFace, DeepSpeed, vLLM, FSDP, LoRA/QLoRA. Knowledge of precision tradeoffs (FP16, bfloat16, quantization) and multi-GPU optimization . Ability to design scalable evaluation pipelines for vision/VLMs and agent performance. The Extras That Set You Apart: Experience with Agentic/RAG pipelines and knowledge graphs (LangChain, LangGraph, LlamaIndex, OpenSearch, FAISS, Pinecone). Familiarity with agent operations logging and evaluation frameworks . Background in optimization : token cost reduction, chunking strategies, reranking, and retrieval latency tuning. Experience deploying models under quantized (int4/int8) and distributed multi-GPU inference . Exposure to open-vocabulary detection, zero/few-shot learning, multimodal RAG . Knowledge of temporal-spatial modeling (event/scene graphs). Experience deploying AI in edge or resource-constrained environments . Our salary range is generous and we consider each individual's background and experience when determining final compensation. Base pay may vary based on role scope, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and the Irvine, California market. Why Join FieldAI in Irvine? In Irvine, you will work where the robots are. Our local team builds and tests systems on real hardware with real sensors, then ships them to operate in unstructured, previously unknown environments around the world. We are solving one of robotics' hardest challenges: reliable deployment outside the lab. Our Field Foundational Models raise the bar for perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, with an emphasis on explainability and safety for real-world use. You will collaborate with a world-class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. We bring deep experience from organizations such as DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, along with a track record of field deployments and strong performance in DARPA challenge segments. Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution We are looking for builders who want their work to leave the whiteboard and show up on robots. If you enjoy tackling tough, uncharted questions and working across disciplines, you will find your people here. Our teams span AI, software, robotics engineering, product, field deployment, and technical communication, all focused on shipping systems that perform in the real world. Our headquarters is in Irvine, and we partner closely with teams there as well as colleagues across the US and around the world. Join us in Southern California and help define what dependable, field-ready autonomy looks like. We value diverse perspectives and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We evaluate candidates and employees based on merit, qualifications, and performance, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
Job Description Job Description FieldAI's Irvine team is where embodied AI meets real robots, real sensors, and real field deployments. Based in the heart of Southern California's robotics ecosystem, we build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that solve the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the full potential of embodied intelligence. If you want your work to ship, get tested on hardware, and improve through real deployments, Irvine is the place. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-only architectures, combining rigorous engineering with learning systems proven in globally deployed solutions that deliver results today and get better every time our robots run in the field. Who are We? Field AI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We are building risk-aware, reliable, and field-ready AI systems that address the most complex challenges in robotics, unlocking the full potential of embodied intelligence. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-based architectures, and are charting a new course, with already-globally-deployed solutions delivering real-world results and rapidly improving models through real-field applications. Learn more at . About the Job Our Field Foundation Model (FFM) powers a global fleet of autonomous robots that capture massive streams of multimodal data across diverse, dynamic environments every day. As part of the Insight Team our mission is to transform this raw, multimodal data into actionable insights that empower our customers and engineers to deliver value. Field-insight Foundation Model (FiFM) is at the core of how we transform multimodal data from autonomous robots into actionable insights. As an AI/ML Engineer on the FiFM team, you will drive research and model development for one of Field AI's most ambitious initiatives. Your work will span computer vision, vision-language models (VLMs), multimodal scene understanding, and long-memory video analysis and search , with a strong emphasis on agentic AI (tool use, memory, multimodal retrieval-augmented generation).This is a full-cycle ML role : you'll curate datasets, fine-tune and evaluate models, optimize inference, and deploy them into production. It's a blend of applied research and engineering , requiring creativity, rapid experimentation, and rigorous problem-solving. While FiFM is your primary focus, you'll also contribute to broader perception and insight-generation initiatives across Field AI. What You'll Get To Do: Train and fine-tune million- to billion-parameter multimodal models , with a focus on computer vision , video understanding , and vision-language integration . Track state-of-the-art research , adapt novel algorithms, and integrate them into FiFM. Curate datasets and develop tools to improve model interpretability . Build scalable evaluation pipelines for vision and multimodal models . Contribute to model observability , drift detection , and error classification . Fine-tune and optimize open-source VLMs and multimodal embedding models for efficiency and robustness. Build and optimize Multi-VectorRAG pipelines with vector DBs and knowledge graphs . Create embedding-based memory and retrieval chains with token-efficient chunking strategies. What You Have: Master's/Ph.D. in Computer Science, AI/ML, Robotics, or equivalent industry experience. 2+ years of industry experience or relevant publications in CV/ML/AI. Strong expertise in computer vision, video understanding, temporal modeling, and VLMs . Proficiency in Python and PyTorch with production-level coding skills. Experience building pipelines for large-scale video/image datasets . Familiarity with AWS or other cloud platforms for ML training and deployment. Understanding of MLOps best practices (CI/CD, experiment tracking). Hands-on experience fine-tuning open-source multimodal models using HuggingFace, DeepSpeed, vLLM, FSDP, LoRA/QLoRA. Knowledge of precision tradeoffs (FP16, bfloat16, quantization) and multi-GPU optimization . Ability to design scalable evaluation pipelines for vision/VLMs and agent performance. The Extras That Set You Apart: Experience with Agentic/RAG pipelines and knowledge graphs (LangChain, LangGraph, LlamaIndex, OpenSearch, FAISS, Pinecone). Familiarity with agent operations logging and evaluation frameworks . Background in optimization : token cost reduction, chunking strategies, reranking, and retrieval latency tuning. Experience deploying models under quantized (int4/int8) and distributed multi-GPU inference . Exposure to open-vocabulary detection, zero/few-shot learning, multimodal RAG . Knowledge of temporal-spatial modeling (event/scene graphs). Experience deploying AI in edge or resource-constrained environments . Our salary range is generous and we consider each individual's background and experience when determining final compensation. Base pay may vary based on role scope, job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and the Irvine, California market. Why Join FieldAI in Irvine? In Irvine, you will work where the robots are. Our local team builds and tests systems on real hardware with real sensors, then ships them to operate in unstructured, previously unknown environments around the world. We are solving one of robotics' hardest challenges: reliable deployment outside the lab. Our Field Foundational Models raise the bar for perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, with an emphasis on explainability and safety for real-world use. You will collaborate with a world-class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. We bring deep experience from organizations such as DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, along with a track record of field deployments and strong performance in DARPA challenge segments. Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution We are looking for builders who want their work to leave the whiteboard and show up on robots. If you enjoy tackling tough, uncharted questions and working across disciplines, you will find your people here. Our teams span AI, software, robotics engineering, product, field deployment, and technical communication, all focused on shipping systems that perform in the real world. Our headquarters is in Irvine, and we partner closely with teams there as well as colleagues across the US and around the world. Join us in Southern California and help define what dependable, field-ready autonomy looks like. We value diverse perspectives and are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We evaluate candidates and employees based on merit, qualifications, and performance, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.