About Castelion

Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production: one that focuses on short, iterative design cycles, rapid testing in development, and modern commercial manufacturing strategies for production at scale. We're designing, building, and testing next generation long range strike weapons systems to give America and its Allies a definitive edge and deter future conflicts.

ATR Algorithm Engineer

Castelion is seeking an ATR Algorithm Engineer to design, implement, and validate next-generation automated target recognition (ATR) algorithms for advanced missile systems. This role spans the full ATR lifecycle—from sensor modeling and feature extraction to classifier design and flight-test performance evaluation.

This is a high-impact position shaping one of the most mission-critical capabilities in our weapon systems. You will own key elements of the ATR pipeline and work across modeling, simulation, algorithm development, dataset creation, performance analysis, and integration into real-time flight software. The role offers significant technical ownership and direct influence over system-level performance in operational weapon systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop ATR algorithms across EO/IR and SAR, including preprocessing, feature extraction, classification, and tracking.
• Create, label, and curate datasets from simulations, ground tests, and flight events; define truth-modeling and scoring frameworks.
• Implement traditional and ML-based approaches (classical ML, CNNs, transformers) for detection, discrimination, and target-type classification.
• Integrate ATR algorithms with seeker hardware, GNC components, and real-time embedded flight software.
• Define algorithm-level requirements, performance metrics, and evaluation methodology across environmental and engagement conditions.
• Conduct Monte Carlo simulations and scenario sweeps to quantify robustness, uncertainty, and mission-level effectiveness.
• Support flight-test planning, data ingestion, analysis, and post-mission performance reporting.
• Collaborate closely with GNC, Software, Systems Engineering, and Sensors/Seeker teams to ensure end-to-end integration and mission performance.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelors or Masters degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Applied Math, or related technical field.
• Hands-on experience in image processing, remote sensing, computer vision, or ML-based detection and classification.
• Proficiency in Python for numerical analysis, algorithm prototyping, and simulation.
• Experience with ML frameworks (e.g. PyTorch, TensorFlow) and classical CV techniques (filters, feature extractors, tracking).
• Strong fundamentals in probability, estimation, optimization, and numerical methods.
• Ability to translate mission goals into algorithmic requirements and performance metrics.
• Ability to obtain TS/SCI security clearance.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience developing real-time SAR ATR for tactical missions.
• Background in remote sensing, sensor/seeker development, ATR, or related defense applications.
• Experience with EO/IR or SAR sensing modalities, sensor physics, or signature modeling.
• Experience developing custom neural network architectures.
• Familiarity with synthetic data pipelines, domain randomization, and large-scale simulation.
• Real-time implementation experience or flight software integration.

All employees are granted long-term stock incentives as part of their employment at Castelion. All employees receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance, and the company offers four weeks of paid time off per year.

Leadership Qualities

Bias to Action and Creative Problem Solving. Desire and experience questioning assumptions in ways that lead to break through ideas that are ultimately implemented. Successfully bring in applicable processes/concepts/materials from other industries to achieve efficiency gains. Ability to personally resolve minor issues in development without requiring significant support.

High Commitment, High Initiative. A successful candidate will have a genuine passion for Castelion's mission and consistently look for ways to contribute to the company's technical goals and prevent hardware blockers. Ability to work in a fast paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere. Strong sense of accountability and integrity.

Clear Communicator. Proactively communicates blockers. Trusted in previous roles to be voice of company with regulators, suppliers, gate keepers and customers. Capable of tactfully managing relationships with stakeholders to achieve company-desired outcomes without compromising relationships. Emails, IMs and verbal interactions are logical, drive clarity, and detailed enough to eliminate ambiguity.

ITAR Requirements:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.