Computer Vision Engineer

About the Role

Join eShepherd, a cutting-edge virtual fencing system for cattle that combines solar-powered neckbands, an intuitive phone app, and an integrated platform allowing farmers to digitally map paddocks and manage their herds remotely. Operating across over twenty countries, from Queensland to South Dakota and Texas to New Zealand's Hawkes Bay, eShepherd has evolved from a startup to a key part of Gallagher's extensive agricultural fencing legacy.

The computer vision engineer will lead the development of Vision Weigh, an animal measurement system within the eShepherd Farm Operating System™. This technology uses cameras in paddocks to measure animals as they pass, providing valuable weight and condition data without physical handling. Your role encompasses transitioning Vision Weigh from prototype to a reliable commercial product through model development, edge computing, calibration, ground truth data collection, and iterative model retraining.

Key Responsibilities

You will be responsible for the design, testing, deployment, and continuous improvement of vision systems in challenging outdoor environments. Working closely with teams in data, software, firmware, hardware, and product, you’ll iterate fast with real-world testing, prioritizing practical solutions over perfection for timely deployment.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate embraces experimentation and rapid iteration, enjoys tackling ambiguous and complex real-world vision challenges such as muddy lenses, varying animal poses, and environmental interference, and thrives in an office-first culture that values collaboration.

Required Experience and Skills

• Proven track record building computer vision technologies into operational products beyond experimental setups.
• Strong proficiency in Python and PyTorch with solid understanding of classical computer vision techniques including segmentation, keypoint detection, pose estimation, and point cloud processing.
• Experience deploying models on edge devices such as Nvidia Jetson boards, camera modules with NPUs, or SBCs with accelerators, while managing constraints around latency, memory, and thermal conditions.
• Familiarity with depth sensing technologies (stereo, time of flight, structured light) and related calibration challenges with noisy data.
• Pragmatic data management skills, emphasizing high-quality ground truth datasets, experiment tracking, and dataset versioning to maintain model validity.
• Strong engineering practices including use of version control, containerization, continuous integration, and comprehensive testing to facilitate maintainability.
• Expertise in leveraging generative AI and foundational vision models to accelerate development, reduce annotation effort, and enhance detection and depth estimation with relatively small labeled datasets.

Additional desired strengths include knowledge of depth SDKs like Luxonis DepthAI, Stereolabs ZED, or Intel RealSense, experience with cloud services such as AWS, Databricks, MLflow, proficiency in C++ for performance critical components, or familiarity with livestock and agricultural domains.

Why Work With Us

Our innovations positively impact farmers worldwide, improving animal welfare by reducing the need for stressful handling through automated camera-based measurements. The team culture values resourcefulness, open communication, and a "can-do" attitude with a focus on rapid progress and real-world impact.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with performance incentives.
• The dynamic environment of a growth-stage startup combined with the stability of Gallagher.
• Opportunities for international career development as the product scales globally.
• Access to modern tools and technologies needed to excel.
• A collaborative and supportive team culture focused on practical problem-solving.
• KiwiSaver contributions for retirement savings.
• Boost App membership and staff discounts across New Zealand.
• Life and Disability Insurance coverage prioritizing employee welfare.
• Convenient Hamilton location amenities including free parking, subsidized café, and numerous nearby eateries.
• Employee Assistance Programs and wellbeing initiatives to support mental health.