Applied Postdoc: Robotics & Autonomous Systems

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 85,000 - 156,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a Postdoctoral Researcher in Robotics and Autonomous Systems to advance state-of-the-art autonomy through applied research and field testing. You will join the Tailored Autonomous Systems Group (QPJ) and work on mission-driven problems requiring both technical depth and system-level thinking.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, rapid prototyping, and collaboration across mechanical, electrical, software, and AI/ML disciplines to

Qualifications

• PhD in robotics or related field.
• Strong research record in robotics/autonomy (publications, dissertation, etc.).
• Hands-on experience building/testing robotic systems.
• Experience with embedded platforms (Jetson, microcontrollers, FPGA) and real-time sensing/processing.
• Experience with robotics frameworks and simulation (ROS/ROS2, Gazebo, Isaac Sim).
• Proficient in Python and C++.
• Ability to obtain Interim Top Secret clearance; US citizenship required.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to applied robotics/autonomy research, turning ideas into prototypes and deployable systems.
• Design, build, and integrate robotic platforms including sensing, compute, control, and communications.
• Develop autonomy algorithms and pipelines on resource-constrained hardware (perception, planning, decision-making, multi-agent coordination).
• Evaluate systems using simulation, digital twins, and HWIL environments.
• Conduct field experiments and performance evaluations in realistic operational scenarios.
• Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, software, and AI/ML to deliver integrated capabilities.
• Publish results and shape future research directions and proposals.

Skills

Robotics research

Hands-on robotics

Embedded platforms

ROS/ROS2

Python

C++

Security clearance

Education

PhD in Robotics/related field

Tools

Gazebo

Isaac Sim

HWIL testing

NVIDIA Jetson

FPGA

Job description

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory seeks a Postdoctoral Researcher in Robotics and Autonomous Systems to advance state-of-the-art autonomy through applied research and field testing. You will join the Tailored Autonomous Systems Group (QPJ) and work on mission-driven problems requiring both technical depth and system-level thinking.

The role emphasizes hands-on development, rapid prototyping, and collaboration across mechanical, electrical, software, and AI/ML disciplines to