Research Engineer (Machine Learning)

Nanyang Technological University Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Nanyang Technological University Singapore is seeking a Research Engineer to design and integrate Visual-Language Models into autonomous mobile robotic platforms. You will work on enabling semantic reasoning and decision-making in robotic systems, collaborate with various teams, and conduct experimental evaluations. The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant discipline, proficiency in Python, and hands-on experience in robotics projects. This position promotes innovative research and practical applications in advanced robotics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related discipline; strong robotics experience from other fields considered.
• Proficiency in Python, experience in ROS/ ROS2 and Linux environments.
• Familiarity with simulation platforms and 3D modelling tools.

Responsibilities

• Design and integrate Visual-Language Models into robotic platforms.
• Interface VLMs with navigation and control systems.
• Build and maintain simulation environments for evaluation.
• Conduct experimental studies using GPU resources.
• Support rapid prototyping of research ideas.

Skills

Python

ROS/ ROS2

Linux-based development

Robotics

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering

Tools

3D modelling tools

Robotic simulation platforms

Job description

We are seeking a Research Engineer to design, implement, and integrate Visual-Language Models (VLMs) into autonomous mobile robots platform. The role focuses on enabling high-level semantic reasoning, perception–language grounding, and decision‑making in robotic systems. The engineer will interface VLMs with navigation, mapping, and control pipelines to support end‑to‑end system experimentation. Responsibilities include building simulation environments, conducting experimental evaluations, and supporting rapid prototyping. The role contributes to translating simulation‑validated methods toward real‑world robotic deployment and bridges robotics simulation, multimodal AI, and autonomous navigation research.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and integrate Visual‑Language Models (VLMs) into simulation and robotic platforms to enable semantic reasoning, perception‑language grounding, and decision‑making.
• Interface VLM‑based modules with robot navigation, mapping, localization, planning, and control systems to support end‑to‑end autonomous operation.
• Build and maintain simulation environments, multimodal datasets, and evaluation frameworks, handling data volumes from tens to hundreds of gigabytes.
• Conduct experimental studies using GPU‑enabled computing resources for model training, inference, and simulation‑based evaluation.
• Support rapid prototyping and iteration of research ideas, from concept to validated robotic systems and demonstrations.
• Collaborate with and provide technical support to research staff and students across multiple projects.
• Contribute to research outputs, including publications, technical disclosures, patents, and autonomous robot demonstrations.
• Apply and recommend engineering best practices that promote reproducibility, maintainability, and research productivity.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (BEng/BSc/MEng/MSc) in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline; candidates with strong robotics and autonomous systems experience from other disciplines may also be considered.
• Proficiency in Python, with experience in ROS/ ROS2 and Linux‑based development environments.
• Familiarity with robotic simulation platforms and 3D modelling tools.
• Hands‑on experience in autonomous robotics projects; exposure to deep learning or reinforcement learning is a plus.
• Strong problem‑solving ability, collaborative and independent work style, willingness to learn new tools.

Hiring Institution: NTU