AI Research Intern: Foundation Models

GrayMatter Robotics Inc.; Los Angeles, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Unlimited PTO

401(k) with company match

Offsite events

Productivity fund

Job summary

GrayMatter Robotics is seeking an AI Research Intern: Foundation Models to join the Special Projects AI team in Los Angeles. You will help design, build, and operationalize foundation models for real robots in real factories, collaborating cross-functionally with robotics software, solutions engineering, and hardware teams.

The role focuses on problem formulation, data strategy, model development, simulation, deployment, and long-term performance monitoring with a strong emphasis on production

Qualifications

• Pursuing a PhD in Robotics, AI, CS, Mechanical or Electrical Eng or related fields.
• Experience with Foundation Models for robot manipulation.
• Proficiency in Python; deep learning frameworks preferable PyTorch.
• Strong understanding of World Models and Foundation Model research.

Responsibilities

• Join the Special Projects AI team to develop foundation models for manufacturing applications.
• Work through ambiguous problems on accelerated timelines largely independently.
• Validate models on real industrial robots and production parts.
• Own data collection, simulation, model training, evaluation, and deployment.
• Write production-quality code for internal R&D.

Skills

Python

PyTorch

World Models

Foundation Models

Robotics

ROS/ROS2

Reinforcement Learning

MuJoCo

Isaac Gym

Education

PhD in Robotics/AI/CS or related fields

Tools

MuJoCo

Isaac Gym

ROS/ROS2

Git

Job description

Summary

GrayMatter Robotics is a well-capitalized Physical AI company headquartered in Los Angeles, building Factory SuperIntelligence (FSI) through systems that learn, adapt, and develop genuine process intelligence across every part they touch. Our robots take on the tedious, hazardous, and ergonomically demanding work that has kept manufacturing dependent on a shrinking skilled workforce, delivering superhuman performance. Robotics has a demo problem. GMR doesn't. Our systems are in active production today, adapting autonomously to real geometries, real materials, and real process variation without reprogramming. We deliver our system through a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model that converts capital expenditure into an operating subscription, making Physical AI accessible to the manufacturers who need it most. We hire people who want to solve hard physical problems at an industrial scale.

As the AI Research Intern: Foundation Models, you will join the Special Projects: AI team, a cross-functional group responsible for designing, building, and operationalizing AI capabilities across GMR’s products and customer deployments. The team operates end-to-end from problem formulation and data strategy to model development, simulation, deployment, and long-term performance monitoring collaborating closely with robotics software, solutions engineering, applications, process engineering, hardware, and deployment teams. The team’s mandate is to ensure that AI systems scale across processes, customers, and sites, and perform reliably on real robots in real factories, today, not just in controlled demonstrations.

What to Expect

• Work with the Special Projects AI team to work on next generation of foundation models that power GrayMatter Robotics Solutions (FSI)


• Take on real, complex, ambiguous problems and work through them on accelerated timelines, largely independently


• Develop foundation models for high precision manufacturing applications with multi-modal data beyond Vision or Force alone


• Validate models through rigorous testing on real world industrial robots and actual production parts


• Own the entire project lifecycle: data curation, simulation, model training, evaluation and robot deployment


• Write maintainable, production quality code for internal R&D

Export Control Requirements

In order to comply with the export regulations of the United States Government, it is required that the applicant must fall under one of the following categories: (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (i.e. current green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158.

What You’ll Bring

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Robotics, AI, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or related fields


• Research experience in Foundation Models for robot manipulation applications


• Proficiency in Python and at least one deep learning framework: PyTorch is preferred


• Strong working knowledge and deep understanding of current World Models and Foundation Model Research


• Demonstrated experience working with simulation environments and/or physics-based modeling for robotics (e.g. Isaac Lab or MuJoCo)


• Experience with reinforcement learning, imitation learning, or policy optimization for robotic manipulation or process control


• Experience with robotics middleware and tooling (e.g., ROS/ROS2) and deployment on real robotic hardware


• A publication track record in venues such as ICRA, CoRL, RSS, IROS, RA‑L, or T‑RO, balanced with a strong bias toward real-world production impact

Nice to Have’s

• Experience with VLA/VLM training


• Experience with industrial manipulators and demonstration of research deployed in industrial environments

GrayMatter Robotics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage and embrace applicants of all backgrounds to apply!

GrayMatter Robotics is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. If you believe you require accommodations during the recruiting process, please contact [e-mail] to submit your request.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Depending on the position and if listed, compensation may include the base salary range, bonus or commission, and equity. We also provide comprehensive benefits and perks which include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, unlimited PTO, 401(k) plan + employer match, regular offsite events, a discretionary fund for enhancing productivity and so much more! The range listed on job postings reflect the minimum and maximum new hire salary across levels in Los Angeles, CA.