Founding Computer Vision / Machine Learning Engineer

About NexTex AI

NexTex AI is pioneering machine-level cognitive solutions for textile manufacturing. Their innovative platform integrates industrial cameras, retrofit sensors, machine data, and AI to detect defects in textiles, uncover production anomalies, and generate sustainability insights covering all stages including knitting, dyeing, finishing, and quality control. Unlike conventional quality control systems, NexTex AI creates a unified industrial AI ecosystem connecting machine operations, fabric quality, and environmental performance, driving reductions in fabric waste, rework, water and energy consumption as well as CO₂ emissions while enhancing process stability and product excellence.

Key applications currently focus on detecting needle-related flaws, elastane malfunctions, oil stains, fabric distortions, shade variations (ΔE), machine start-stop irregularities, and process instabilities in extensive textile manufacturing settings. NexTex AI collaborates with industrial partners like Terrot Textilmaschinen GmbH in Germany and Ribana Tekstil and Nuryıldız Tekstil in Turkey, granting access to real production lines, machinery fleets, defect scenarios, and comprehensive manufacturing datasets. The company is preparing for EXIST startup funding.

Role Overview

The Founding Computer Vision Engineer will be instrumental in architecting the AI technologies central to NexTex AI's platform. Candidates will engage deeply with the industrial textile domain, developing and deploying advanced computer vision and machine learning models tailored to real-world manufacturing data.

Core Responsibilities

• Architect and implement computer vision systems tailored for industrial textile inspection.
• Create object detection, segmentation, classification, and anomaly detection models leveraging manufacturing datasets.
• Train, test, and optimize deep learning models with cutting-edge vision architectures.
• Develop pipelines for image acquisition, preprocessing, augmentation, annotation, and validation.
• Manage large-scale industrial image and video datasets collected from textile production lines.
• Design multimodal AI systems integrating visual inputs, machine events, sensor readings, PLC/SCADA data, and production metadata.
• Optimize AI models for deployment on edge devices with real-time inference capabilities.
• Implement model monitoring, validation, and continuous learning workflows.
• Tackle real-world manufacturing challenges such as needle defects, elastane failures, oil contamination, fabric distortions, shade inconsistencies, and process anomalies.
• Collaborate closely with textile engineers and industrial stakeholders to translate production challenges into scalable AI solutions.
• Contribute to the development of NexTex AI's edge-to-cloud industrial AI platform architecture.
• Participate in pilot projects and industrial validation with textile manufacturers and machine technology partners.
• Define long-term AI strategies, dataset curation approaches, and product architecture.

Candidate Requirements

• Proven expertise in computer vision, machine learning, artificial intelligence, or closely related fields.
• Strong proficiency in Python programming.
• Hands-on experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Familiarity with OpenCV for image processing tasks.
• Knowledge of object detection, image segmentation, anomaly detection, and classification techniques.
• Experience training, evaluating, and optimizing deep learning models.
• Comfort with Linux operating systems, Git version control, and team-based software development workflows.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Self-driven with the capacity to make autonomous technical decisions.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and readiness to thrive in a startup environment.
• Fluent proficiency in English communication.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with YOLO, Detectron2, Vision Transformers, Segment Anything model, or anomaly detection frameworks.
• Hands-on knowledge of CUDA, Docker, Kubernetes, or GPU-based model training setups.
• Expertise in MLOps, model deployment, and creating production-grade machine learning systems.
• Familiarity with edge AI deployment and real-time model inference scenarios.
• Previous work in industrial AI, robotics, manufacturing technology, IoT, or automation sectors.
• Experience within startups is a plus.

Compensation and Benefits

• Founding team membership with equity participation of up to 15%, based on experience, dedication, and long-term commitment.
• Approximate monthly remuneration of €2,500 financed via the German EXIST Startup Grant program.
• Comprehensive health insurance coverage supported by EXIST funding.
• Potential for earning increased compensation after successful EXIST funding completion and company financing milestones.
• Opportunities to progress into CTO or other technical leadership roles.
• Access to a vibrant Berlin startup ecosystem, including mentoring and support schemes such as EXIST and PRO FIT funding programs.
• Direct access to pilot manufacturing sites, industrial datasets, and machine manufacturers from day one.
• Collaborative engagements with top textile manufacturers and machinery technology partners.
• Gym membership support provided.
• Flexible work arrangements, preferably based in Berlin, with some consideration for candidates across Europe.
• High ownership culture with fast decision-making and direct influence on company strategy and product roadmaps.
• Chance to help establish a pioneering AI-driven industrial manufacturing intelligence company from inception.

Additional Information

This role invites applicants passionate about developing applied computer vision systems, leveraging data from real manufacturing contexts, and contributing AI solutions to a major global manufacturing industry. This is a unique opportunity to join an early-stage company, work closely with industrial collaborators, and shape the foundational technology of a venture-backed industrial AI platform.

Prospective candidates should submit a CV or professional profile along with a brief personal introduction and relevant links to projects, GitHub repositories, research, or portfolios.

NexTex AI seeks builders, researchers, and engineers with a penchant for solving complex practical problems, taking ownership, and influencing both technological development and strategic directions.

Join NexTex AI as it develops the next generation of AI-powered manufacturing intelligence solutions.