Approach Venture ยท 1 day ago
Lead AI/ML Engineer - Defense-Tech
Austin, TX
Full-time
Hybrid
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$140K/yr - $200K/yr
3+ years expApproach Venture is a seed-stage robotics startup developing intelligent autonomous systems for defense applications. As the Lead AI/ML Engineer, you will be responsible for creating and deploying machine learning models that enhance the performance and safety of autonomous systems in real-world environments.
Management Consulting
No H1B
U.S. Citizen OnlyHiring Manager
Torey Bell
Responsibilities
Design, train, and optimize neural network architectures for fast classification and tracking in cluttered environments
Develop and refine sensor fusion pipelines to combine multisource data across RF, optical, radar, and acoustic inputs
Lead the machine learning deployment lifecycle for edge environments, including optimization, packaging, and monitoring
Build anomaly detection and adaptive learning models that can identify emerging or unseen threat signatures
Work closely with robotics and controls engineers to ensure model outputs integrate cleanly into real-time guidance and decision systems
Contribute to modeling strategy, experimentation frameworks, and architecture direction across the AI stack
Qualification
Required
Strong Python experience and deep familiarity with modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow
3+ years building and deploying machine learning models for classification, perception, or sensing applications
Experience working with sensor fusion or multimodal data
Demonstrated ability to optimize models for resource-constrained or edge-compute environments
Strong fundamentals across linear algebra, probability, and optimization relevant to ML system design
Ability to work hands-on across the entire ML lifecycle from data to fielded performance
Preferred
Experience with autonomous systems, defense technology, robotics, UAVs, or aerospace platforms
Contributions to applied ML systems operating in the field rather than purely research environments
Familiarity with edge inference strategies, embedded ML, or low-latency system design
Prior experience in early-stage startups or small technical teams
Existing or attainable security clearance
Passion for hardware, robotics builds, or personal engineering projects
Company
Approach Venture
Enabling founding teams building the future of frontier technology to achieve their full potential.
2-10 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Early StageLeadership Team
Bryce Dabbs
Founder & CEO
Tristan Cembrinski
Partner
Company data provided by crunchbase