Applied Science Manager

Amazon Science; North Reading (MA); On-site; USD 184,000 - 249,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

Amazon Science in North Reading, MA is looking for an Applied Science Manager to lead the Foundation Model team. You will guide ML/robotics talent, shape strategies for robust perception and decision-making, and collaborate with research, controls, hardware, and product teams to deploy reusable capabilities across robot embodiments.

The role emphasizes bridging theory and practice, driving roadmap, and delivering scalable AI-driven robotic systems at scale.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of scientists or machine learning engineers management experience.
• Knowledge of ML, NLP, Information Retrieval and Analytics.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team that develops and improves machine learning systems for robots.
• Set technical direction for open source and internal models and ensure robustness and safety.
• Collaborate with research, controls, hardware and product teams to deploy capabilities.
• Define capability roadmap and evaluation strategies for robot perception and action.

Skills

Management experience

ML/NLP knowledge

Analytics

Job description

Description
robotics systems that will transform automation at Amazon's scale. We're building revolutionary robotic systems that combine cutting-edge AI, sophisticated control systems, and advanced mechanical design to create adaptable automation solutions capable of working safely alongside humans in dynamic environments. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of robotics and automation at unprecedented scale, working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotic manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction. This role presents an opportunity to shape the future of robotics through innovative applications of deep learning and large language models.

At Amazon Industrial Robotics we leverage advanced robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to solve complex operational challenges at unprecedented scale. Our fleet of robots operates across hundreds of facilities worldwide, working in sophisticated coordination to fulfill our mission of customer excellence.

We are pioneering the development of robotics foundation models that:

• Enable unprecedented generalization across diverse tasks
• Enable unprecedented robustness and reliability, industry-ready
• Integrate multi-modal learning capabilities (visual, tactile, linguistic)
• Accelerate skill acquisition through demonstration learning
• Enhance robotic perception and environmental understanding
• Streamline development processes through reusable capabilities

The ideal candidate will contribute to research that bridges the gap between theoretical advancement and practical implementation in robotics. You will be part of a team that's revolutionizing how robots learn, adapt, and interact with their environment.

Join us in building the next generation of intelligent robotics systems that will transform the future of automation and human-robot collaboration.

As an Applied Science Manager in the Foundation Model team, you will build and lead a team that develops and improves machine learning systems that help robots perceive, reason, and act in real-world environments. You will set the technical direction for leveraging state-of-the-art models (open source and internal research), evaluating them on representative tasks, and adapt/optimizing them to meet robustness, safety, and performance needs. You will drive the capability roadmap and the evaluation strategy that defines “what the robot brain can do,” and you will sponsor targeted innovation when gaps remain. You’ll collaborate closely with research, controls, hardware, and product teams, and ensure the team’s outputs can be further customized and deployed by downstream teams on specific robot embodiments.

Basic Qualifications

• 3+ years of scientists or machine learning engineers management experience
• Knowledge of ML, NLP, Information Retrieval and Analytics

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building machine learning models or developing algorithms for business application
• Experience building complex software systems, especially involving deep learning, machine learning and computer vision, that have been successfully delivered to customers

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including

• health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage)
• 401(k) matching
• paid time off
• parental leave

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location.

USA, MA, North Reading - 183,800.00 - 248,700.00 USD annually