AI & Robotics Engineer – Construction Technology

BUILDORS is building software for the full construction lifecycle, and we are looking for a hands-on engineer who can connect production AI software with computer vision, spatial data, and robotics research.

Our platform brings together plans, room scans, meeting notes, client calls, texts, and emails to support auditable estimates. The broader workflow connects estimates to schedules, subcontractor bidding and bid analysis, award coordination, jobsite cameras, daily logs, time tracking, and communication. Our long-term goal is to use properly collected construction data to help train robots to perform real construction tasks.

THE ROLE

You will work directly with the founder and development team on two connected areas: the AI and full-stack systems behind BUILDORS/PlanEstimate, and an early research pilot using worker-worn cameras or glasses to capture measuring and marking locations. The research includes aligning observations with room geometry and approved plans, evaluating measurement uncertainty, and testing how demonstrations can support robot-specific simulation. Physical construction automation is a long-term goal; this role will help establish the evidence and engineering needed to get there.

WHAT YOU WILL BUILD

• Multimodal ingestion for drawings, scans, images, meeting notes, and authorized client communications, with source traceability and version control.
• OCR, object detection, segmentation, and structured extraction for CSI-coded estimates with quantities, units, material/labor/subcontract costs, allowances, and human review.
• Python APIs, data models, and React/TypeScript interfaces connecting estimating, scheduling, procurement, bid comparison, and field reporting.
• Camera calibration, coordinate transforms, depth/point-cloud processing, registration, and sensor synchronization for construction measurement tasks.
• Research prototypes for capturing worker demonstrations, recognizing task steps, and evaluating robot-specific targets in simulation.
• Repeatable evaluations using independent ground truth, held-out rooms and workers, error analysis, confidence estimates, and clear failure/abstention behavior.
• Secure data collection, consent-aware capture, annotation, model versioning, automated tests, CI/CD, and practical cloud deployment.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience shipping full-stack applications and ML-enabled systems; typically 3+ years of relevant engineering work or equivalent substantive project experience.
• Strong Python, API development, SQL/data modeling, and React/TypeScript integration skills.
• Practical computer vision with OpenCV and PyTorch or TensorFlow, supported by projects you can explain and demonstrate.
• Hands-on experience in at least one of robotics, 3D perception, depth sensing, spatial calibration, SLAM, or sensor fusion.
• Ability to design experiments, distinguish prototypes from validated results, debug real data, and communicate technical tradeoffs clearly.
• Git, Docker, cloud deployment, and reliable software delivery practices.

ESPECIALLY RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

ROS/ROS2; C++; LiDAR or RGB-D cameras; point-cloud registration; visual-inertial tracking; Unity/AR or wearable camera systems; imitation learning or learning from demonstrations; robot simulation; OCR/document AI; construction drawings, takeoffs, CSI MasterFormat, BIM, or construction IoT. You do not need every technology on this list. We care about demonstrable strengths and the ability to work across disciplines.

INITIAL SUCCESS CRITERIA

Agree on a practical architecture and data plan, deliver a working ingestion/review slice, establish an independently measured baseline for a bounded measuring-and-marking task, and document results and remaining risks. Work with the team to turn validated findings into maintainable product capabilities.

COMPENSATION AND WORK ARRANGEMENT

Advertised full-time annual compensation range: $50,000.00–$89,321.54, based on experience and agreed responsibilities. A paid contract-to-hire arrangement may also be considered, with scope, hours, and cash terms agreed in writing before work starts.

Potential equity participation may be available for the right candidate, subject to a separately negotiated written agreement and vesting schedule. Equity is not guaranteed; the amount, vesting conditions, and other terms will be agreed separately.

Remote collaboration. Please state your current work location, time zone, availability, and earliest start dat…