Lead Operator - Data Collection

UMA; Paris; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

UMA is seeking a Lead Operator - Data Collection to own the data pipeline feeding our models. You will report to the Chief Science Officer and collaborate with the research and hardware teams daily. You’ll define what a good episode looks like, debug the stack, and turn operators into a reliable on-floor operation.

You’ll translate research needs into weekly plans, manage peak workloads, and build scalable processes while mentoring team members for rapid productivity.

Qualifications

• 3+ years hands-on in lab ops, robotics, hardware test, field ops, or data ops (proven experience over degrees)
• Proficiency with Python, CLI (running/editing scripts), and Git
• Fluency in French and English
• Ability to build scalable processes and lead on the floor

Responsibilities

• Own the collection plan end to end: translate research needs into weekly plans, task definitions, and volume and quality targets, hitting them and reporting transparently.
• Gather data with the team to fully understand the processes, manage peak workload periods effectively, and streamline training and onboarding for new team members.
• Enforce quality standards: define, inspect, validate, and reject or re‑collect task episodes as needed.
• Maintain dataset hygiene, labelling, structure, traceability, and research matrix coverage.
• Provide first‑line technical support for stations, control interfaces, and robots, escalating only complex issues to engineering.
• Shape inspection and correction tools by giving product feedback so workflows get smoother
• Partner with the hardware and software team to resolve recurring technical failures.
• Author scalable SOPs, training materials, and operator documentation.
• Share recurring metrics covering episode counts, acceptance rates, coverage, uptime, and saved researcher hours.
• Ensure operational safety on the floor and keep the workspace clean and organized.

Skills

Python

CLI

Git

Team leadership

Data quality judgement

Troubleshooting

Process scalability

French-English bilingual

Robotics

Tools

LeRobot

Hugging Face

ROS

QA/annotation pipelines

Data pipelines (on-robot/off-robot)

Job description

Your Mission

As Lead Operator - Data Collection you own the pipeline that feeds our models. You report to our Chief Science Officer and work day‑to‑day with the research and hardware team. You won’t just schedule sessions: you’ll define what a good episode looks like, debug the stack when it stops, and turn a handful of operators into an operation research can rely on.

Key responsibilities:

• Own the collection plan end to end: translate research needs into weekly plans, task definitions, and volume and quality targets, hitting them and reporting transparently.
• Gather data with the team to fully understand the processes, manage peak workload periods effectively, and streamline training and onboarding for new team members. Manage operator onboarding, training, certification, scheduling, and performance to ensure rapid productivity.
• Enforce quality standards: define, inspect, validate, and reject or re‑collect task episodes as needed.
• Maintain dataset hygiene, labelling, structure, traceability, and research matrix coverage.
• Provide first‑line technical support for stations, control interfaces, and robots, escalating only complex issues to engineering.
• Shape inspection and correction tools by giving product feedback so workflows get smoother
• Partner with the hardware and software team to resolve recurring technical failures.
• Author scalable SOPs, training materials, and operator documentation.
• Share recurring metrics covering episode counts, acceptance rates, coverage, uptime, and saved researcher hours.
• Ensure operational safety on the floor and keep the workspace clean and organized.

What You Bring To The Table

• 3+ years hands‑on in lab ops, robotics, hardware test, field ops, or data ops (proven experience over degrees)
• Proficiency with Python, CLI (running/editing scripts), and Git
• Proactive troubleshooting mindset to diagnose issues directly
• Strong data quality judgment for evaluating recordings
• Hands‑on team leadership or readiness to lead on the floor
• Focus on building scalable processes
• Adaptability and high ownership in a fast‑paced environment
• Fluency in French and English
• Bonus: LeRobot, Hugging Face, ROS, QA/annotation pipelines, robotics/manufacturing background, or scaling ops teams (3 to 20)
• Bonus : be familiar with data pipelines (on‑robot and off‑robot) of VLAs and robotics manipulation and locomotion policies

UMA is an inclusive workplace that values exceptional builders over perfect pedigrees. Whatever your background, identity, or journey, if you don't meet every criterion but believe you can have an outsized impact here, we strongly encourage you to apply.