Machine Learning Manager

About Novarc Technologies:

Are you looking to join an industry leader and pioneer in the world of robotics and AI?

Novarc Technologies is a Vancouver-based full-stack robotics and Physical AI company specializing in the design and commercialization of cobots and AI systems for robotic welding applications. As a Canadian pioneer in the field of collaborative robotics, Novarc has a dedicated team of engineers and scientists eager to solve challenging industrial automation problems. Novarc’s flagship product Spool Welding Robot (SWR) is the world’s first welding cobot.

Novarc’s SWR has already won multiple industry awards, been featured in top publications, and generated significant revenue). Our diverse team consists of engineers, developers, technicians, welders, scientists who are designing and building the welding industry’s most advanced automation solutions with the passion of helping our customers win.

Why Novarc:

• 'A' Players: Our team is made up of talented, intelligent, and hardworking people. If you are an 'A' player, you will enjoy the intellectually stimulating, challenging, and respectfully competitive atmosphere.
• Growing Quickly: There are so many opportunities for Novarcians to try on a multitude of hats and, with time, define their own role.
• We care about your growth: Each Novarcian has an annual personal development budget to build new skills or further develop current knowledge.
• Ownership opportunities: Depending on position, performance, and longevity, Novarcians are awarded options in the company.

Machine Learning Manager:

Our never-before-seen, adaptive welding products push the limit of what physical AI in general, and machine learning in particular, can do today.. We are looking for an experienced and hands-on Machine Learning Manager to join our growing team and support existing products and help us develop new ones.

As a Machine Learning Manager, reporting to the Senior Director of Robotics and AI, you will be responsible for developing amazing new features (from classic sensing classifications and segmentations all the way to artificial-intelligence-driven features) and strategizing AI development integrated with our welding intelligence package (known as NovAI). You are a critical link in the team and your creativity and knowledge will enable the continued success of our robots!

In addition to managing a team of data scientists and engineers, you will be responsible for setting and executing on the technical direction of our machine learning developments. You will be responsible for deciding on short and long term machine learning technologies and roadmaps.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage a team of 5 to 10 machine learning and data scientists and and set up goals and performance reviews
• Participate in interviews, onboarding, and building/scaling the team
• Drive the development, fast prototyping, and testing in the following areas:
  • Computer Vision (including segmentation, detection and tracking, pose estimate, image fusion, and, last but not least, traditional rule based algorithms)
  • Machine Learning
  • Neural Network (DNN, CNN, RNN, MNN, Transformer)
  • Classification, Random Forest, Decision Tree
  • Adaptive Learning and Design of Experiment
  • Transfer Learning and Feature Extraction
  • Physical AI
  • Signal Latencies and resolutions for motion control integration
  • Power and computing resources budget and cost implications
  • Maximize inference performance at the edge
  • Develop computer vision applications and data visualization with Pytorch/Tensorflow, Python/C++
  • Contribute to scientific papers and patents
  • Tools/model selection, testing, and integration of components
  • Test, validation and troubleshoot of products thorough debugging of end to end integration, diagnosing and resolving software or hardware issues to improve system performance and reliability
  • Work with controls and welding teams to integrate robotic systems with sensors, vision systems, and other automation equipment
  • Debug and commission machine learning solutions at our facility, during the system integration stage, and then remote support at the customer’s site during installation
  • Get to the root of one-time and repeating integration or customer Service issues and implement long-term, sustainable solutions.
  • Create and maintain state machine documentation, architecture diagrams, and user manuals for robotic systems
  • Travel as required to customer sites or conferences/trade shows to add to their knowledge of the product
  • Other responsibilities as assigned

Minimum Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Experience with managing a 5 to 10 individual contributors
• Bachelor's degree in Electrical or Software or Computer Science or similar disciplines, master or PhD highly preferred
• Strong knowledge and experience in various machine learning techniques, such as supervised and unsupervised learning, deep learning, convolutional neural networks (CNNs), recurrent neural networks (RNNs), and transfer learning
• Strong understanding of computer vision concepts, including image processing, object detection, image segmentation, feature extraction, and recognition algorithms
• Proficiency in C++ and Python esp. In robotic applications
• Minimum 5 years experience with Pytorch, Tensorflow, OpenCV
• Minimum 3 years experience with deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, Keras, and PyTorch
• Strong software development skills to build efficient and scalable machine learning models and applications including version control (e.g., Git) and software architecture design
• Familiarity with trajectory memorization and toolpath optimization for minimal mechanical stress, energy efficiency, and time.
• Algorithmic thinking and the ability to devise and implement machine learning techniques to have outputs suitable for PLCs or robot programs
• Strong communication and documentation skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills
• Strategic, critical thinking, and analytical skills for structured problem-solving rather than band-aid fixes.

Soft Skills:

• Humble - Servant Leader, No arrogance, Less Ego, Listen > Talk
• Hungry - Be Passionate, Never Give Up, Customer Focused, Continuous Learning, Do What You Say
• Smart - High EQ, Challenge the Status Quo, Thought Leaders

Preferred Additional Qualifications:

• Experience integrating an AI pipeline with a third party PC/PLC
• Experience modeling real world problems with AI models
• Experience with Physical AI
• Experience with inference at the edge
• Familiarity with welding

Schedule:

• Core hours: Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm (PST)
• Flexibility to work outside of 8-5 when needed to support remote installs in North America or outside North America in other time zones.

Why Novarc:

• Growing Opportunities - We are in the process of maturing into a fast-growing medium-sized business.
• Great place to be - We have created a fun, adventurous, and open-minded environment where our teams are encouraged to bond and express their unique selves.
• Best People - Our team is made up of talented, intelligent, and hardworking people.
• Lots of Opportunities - We are constantly looking for stand‑out talent internally to move into leadership positions.

We are excited to invite you to join our growing team for this amazing journey!

"Novarc provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, national or ethnic origin, color, political belief, marital or family status, religion, special abilities, age or sex or sexual orientation, or a criminal conviction or charge that is unrelated to employment of to the intended employment of that person. This applies to all our practices of recruitment, selection, promotion, training and development, health and safety, and compensation."

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