Assistant Research Scientist (PREP0005092)

The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.; Gaithersburg (MD); On-site; USD 88,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University invites applications for a PREP Research Associate in the Whiting School of Engineering, Office of Research and Translation. The role supports NIST PREP collaborations, performing technical work that underpins joint research in robotic grasping and manipulation.

The candidate will develop algorithms for grasp path planning, integrate tactile sensing, and test dexterous hands in both real and simulated environments.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or Ph.D. in Engineering/Computer Science or in final year of degree (e.g., CS, Robotics, ME).
• Strong background in robotic manipulation, kinematics, grasp path planning, and bi-manual control strategies.
• Experience with multi-finger, high-dexterity hands and end-effectors.
• Knowledge of tactile sensing, sensor integration, signal processing, and force-feedback control.
• Experience with computer vision and sensor fusion for grasp pose estimation and graspability analysis.
• Proficiency in Python and C++.
• Hands-on experience with ROS/ROS 2 and motion planning toolkits (MoveIt).
• Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow).
• Experience with robotics simulation platforms and physics engines (NVIDIA IsaacSim, Gazebo, MuJoCo, Drake).
• Experience with version control (Git).
• Linux/Unix proficiency.
• CAD software knowledge (SolidWorks, OnShape).

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and benchmark AI systems for autonomous robotic grasping and manipulation.
• Develop algorithms for grasp path planning and graspability analysis.
• Integrate tactile sensors into robotic fingertips and develop signal processing and force-control strategies.
• Design control strategies for dexterous, multi-finger hands and coordinate bi-manual manipulation.
• Conduct rig-based and simulation experiments to test performance.
• Prepare technical reports, contribute to publications, and present progress weekly.

Skills

Robotics

Grasp planning

Python

C++

ROS/ROS2

MoveIt

Linux

Education

Master's or PhD in Engineering/CS

Tools

ROS/ROS2

MoveIt

Gazebo

MuJoCo

NVIDIA IsaacSim

Git

SolidWorks

Job description

Johns Hopkins, founded in 1876, is America's first research university and home to nine world-class academic divisions working together as one university.

Salary

: $88,000-$100,000 a year

Johns Hopkins University: Whiting School of Engineering: Office of Research and Translation

Description

PREP Research Associate

This position is part of the National Institute of Standards (NIST) Professional Research Experience (PREP) program. NIST recognizes that its research staff may wish to collaborate with researchers at academic institutions on specific projects of mutual interest, thus requires that such institutions must be the recipient of a PREP award. The PREP program requires staff from a wide range of backgrounds to work on scientific research in many areas. Employees in this position will perform technical work that underpins the scientific research of the collaboration.

Research Title:

Robotic Grasping and Manipulation Researcher

The work will entail:

NIST is investigating the performance of commercial and custom AI systems (hardware and software) for advanced robotic grasping and manipulation systems, with a focus on grasp path planning and graspability analysis for improved autonomy. The work will involve implementing tactile sensing and developing control strategies for dexterous, multi-finger hands, alongside research into bi-manual manipulation techniques, to conduct experiments that evaluate the efficiency and adaptability of robotic systems in complex environments.

Key responsibilities will include but are not limited to:

• Evaluate and benchmark commercial and custom AI systems (hardware and software) to advance autonomous robotic grasping and manipulation capabilities.
• Research and develop algorithms for grasp path planning and graspability analysis to improve decision-making and autonomy in unstructured environments.
• Integrate tactile sensors into robotic fingertips/end-effectors and develop signal processing, data analysis, and force-control strategies to achieve finger force sensitivity.
• Design and implement control strategies for high-degree-of-freedom, dexterous multi-finger hands and coordinate bi-manual manipulation techniques for dual-arm systems.
• Conduct rig-based and simulation-based experiments to test, evaluate, and benchmark system efficiency, adaptability, and performance in complex manufacturing or assembly environments.
• Write technical reports, contribute to peer-reviewed publications, and deliver weekly presentations to showcase project milestones and research progress.

Work Schedule: On-campus (Gaithersburg, MD), Full-Time (40 hrs / week)

Qualifications

• US Citizen Preferred
• Education: Engineering / Computer Science majors with Master’s Degree or Ph.D, or in the final year of degree (e.g., Computer Science, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering or similar)
• Strong technical background in robotic manipulation, kinematics, grasp path planning, and bi-manual control strategies.
• Practical experience with multi-finger, high-dexterity robotic hands and end-effectors.
• Knowledge of tactile sensing principles, sensor integration, signal processing, and force-feedback control.
• Experience with computer vision and sensor fusion for 2D/3D grasp pose estimation and graspability analysis.
• Strong programming proficiency in Python and C++.
• Hands-on experience with ROS / ROS 2 and motion planning toolkits (e.g., MoveIt).
• Familiarity with AI/ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow) for learning-based grasping and force sensing strategies.
• Experience with robotics simulation platforms and physics engines (e.g., NVIDIA IsaacSim, Gazebo, MuJoCo, Drake).
• Experience with version control tools (Git, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket).
• Experience working on Linux/Unix operating systems.
• Working knowledge of CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, OnShape) for test fixture or end-effector integration.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximum salaries for this position and is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may vary and will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, internal equity, market conditions, education/training and other factors, as reasonably determined by the University.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

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The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity for its faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university does not discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics. The University is committed to providing qualified individuals access to all academic and employment programs, benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability, performance and merit without regard to personal factors or demographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the program involved.

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Background Checks

After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check including education verification. When deciding whether a candidate’s conviction history is job-disqualifying, the University considers the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that has passed since the conviction, and the nature of the job being sought.

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Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine.

Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (for SOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerely held religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude them from receiving the vaccine. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional vaccine requirements may apply, depending upon your campus. Please contact the hiring department for more information.

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