Philip Popien
Computer VisionAI is analyzing your overall score…
Identifying your key strengths…
Evaluating your skill match against the job requirements…
Assessing your cultural and operational fit
AI is analyzing your overall score…
Identifying your key strengths…
Evaluating your skill match against the job requirements…
Assessing your cultural and operational fit
Lead Machine Learning Engineer at Capacity
🛰️ I'm Lead Machine Learning Engineer at Capacity building deforestation tracking models using geospatial data to help protect the Amazon rainforest. I bring 9 years of experience leading top-performing ML teams at Floodbase, Orbio Earth and Vexcel Imaging where I build the core ML technology and created products in weeks-months instead of years. 8+ years of experience working with geospatial data, 4+ years of management experience. 🏆 All-time highest rank on Kaggle: #58 worldwide of over 100,000 (https://www.kaggle.com/voltaire). 🥇 I scored 1st place in the Open AI Tanzania Challenge for segmentation of building footprints. 🌏 Beyond my career, I’m passionate about finding (and funding) the most effective charities in the world. I’m part of an international community of people who’ve pledged at least 10% of their income over the course of their careers. The Giving What We Can community has over 10,000 members and has pledged in excess of $2.5 billion to the world’s most effective charities. If you’re interested in learning more about the Pledge or if you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me anytime to chat about it.
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Master of Science (M.Sc.), Statistics
January 1, 2013 – January 1, 2016
Freie Universität Berlin
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.), Economics
January 1, 2009 – January 1, 2013
Capacity.eco
Lead Machine Learning Engineer
September 1, 2025 – Present
Remote
Freelance
Freelance Machine Learning Engineer
August 1, 2025 – Present
Remote
Orbio Earth (YC S23)
Lead Machine Learning Engineer
December 1, 2024 – August 1, 2025
Remote
Floodbase
Staff Machine Learning Engineer, Director of ML
July 1, 2022 – December 1, 2024
Remote
Floodbase
Senior Machine Learning Engineer, Team Lead
January 1, 2021 – June 1, 2022
Remote
Vexcel Imaging GmbH
Deep Learning Engineer R&D
September 1, 2018 – December 1, 2020
Graz
AUDI AG
Machine Learning Engineer
July 1, 2017 – August 1, 2018
Ingolstadt
Datenschmiede
Co-Founder
September 1, 2016 – March 1, 2017
Berlin
ÜberEnergy
Master's Thesis
April 1, 2016 – September 1, 2016
Berlin
foodspring
Machine Learning Working Student
April 1, 2016 – August 1, 2016
Master of Science
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
June 24, 2026 – Present
Cultural Fit Analysis
The candidate's experience with companies like Capacity.eco (deforestation detection) and Orbio Earth (methane detection) indicates a strong alignment with impact-driven and environmental sustainability missions. Their diverse project experience, from autonomous driving (AUDI AG) to smart heating solutions, shows adaptability and a broad interest in applying ML to various real-world problems. The co-founder experience at Datenschmiede also suggests an entrepreneurial mindset. However, the lack of explicit project details beyond work experience makes it harder to fully assess cultural fit beyond professional alignment.
Soft Skills & Operational Fit
The candidate demonstrates strong leadership and management skills through roles like 'Lead Machine Learning Engineer' and 'Director of ML', where they managed teams and led product development. Their experience in creating product delivery processes and managing projects with Scrum indicates good operational fit and ability to translate technical work into business value. The open-sourcing of methods ('Project Eucalyptus') suggests a collaborative and transparent approach.