Machine Vision Applications Engineer, San Francisco

Overview Corporation

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Overview.ai is seeking a Machine Vision Applications Engineer to own imaging feasibility in its San Francisco lab. The role evaluates incoming customer samples and determines how to image inspections reliably by selecting and configuring lighting, lenses, cameras, filters, and imaging geometry. The engineer runs hands-on trials with real parts and hardware, documents results, and establishes repeatable approaches that support successful customer deployments.

The position also owns the day-to-day operation of the San Francisco lab, including test standards, hardware inventory, sample handling, and recording results. It builds and documents proof-of-concept tests, troubleshoots image quality issues, evaluates new hardware, and communicates findings to Sales, Applications, customers, and internal teams. The role is described as mid-level, with room to grow into a technical leadership voice on imaging as the lab and team scale. It is based primarily in the San Francisco office and is listed as full-time and in office.

Requirements

• Hands-on experience selecting and configuring lighting, lenses, and cameras to image parts for inspection or measurement.
• Experience running imaging trials, feasibility studies, or proof-of-concept testing on customer or production samples in a lab or demo environment.
• Working knowledge of optical trade-offs, including lens selection, field of view, working distance, depth of field, and resolution.
• Comfort working directly with hardware, conducting experiments independently, and solving problems.
• Ability to document findings clearly and explain technical trade-offs to customers and internal teams.
• Based in the San Francisco Bay Area or willing to relocate, and able to work primarily from the San Francisco office.

Nice To Haves

• Experience imaging difficult reflective, specular, transparent, dark, or low-contrast parts.
• Experience with advanced lighting techniques such as dome, dark field, backlight, coaxial, polarized, or structured lighting.
• Experience with telecentric optics and precision measurement.
• Customer-facing technical experience such as demos, application support, or on-site troubleshooting.
• Experience troubleshooting production inspection performance, including false rejects, missed defects, and image quality variation.
• Familiarity with traditional machine vision software tools such as Cognex, Keyence, Matrox, Halcon, or Dalsa.

Responsibilities

• Run imaging feasibility trials on incoming customer samples to determine whether and how inspections can be imaged reliably.
• Select and configure lighting, lenses, cameras, filters, and imaging geometry for applications.
• Set up and run the San Francisco lab, including test standards, hardware inventory, sample handling, and result recording.
• Build and document proof-of-concept tests that provide Sales and Applications with a defensible assessment of system capabilities and limitations.
• Diagnose and resolve image quality issues that cause false rejects, missed defects, or inconsistent results.
• Test new cameras, lenses, and lighting, and recommend hardware for the company’s stack.
• Document what worked, what did not, and why, so future engineers can build on the findings.
• Explain technical findings and trade-offs to customers and internal teams.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed