Chief Science Officer

Feather Robotics; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Feather Robotics in San Francisco seeks a Chief Scientist to architect an end-to-end general-purpose robotics stack and own the research agenda responsible for breakthroughs that translate into practical physical AI products. You will lead a small, ownership-driven team, publish in top venues, and shape Feather’s technical vision and external presence as a thought leader in robotics and AI.

This role offers high impact across product, strategy, and research, with a co-founder's level of

Qualifications

• PhD at a top university or deep research experience from a top AI lab.
• Papers accepted to top journals and conferences.
• Deep experience working with robotic systems.
• Strong track record of success and impact.
• Experience with advanced AI methods (VLAs, Imitation Learning, Diffusion Policies, RL, Navigation).

Responsibilities

• Architect and lead the development of core AI systems powering general-purpose robotics.
• Drive original research translating into commercializable breakthroughs in physical AI.
• Own the technical vision for robot cognition from architecture to low-level implementation.
• Represent Feather externally as a thought leader in robotics and AI.

Skills

Robotics leadership

AI research leadership

System architecture

Research impact

Education

PhD or top AI lab experience

Job description

We’re seeking a Chief Scientist who wants to do their life’s work advancing general-purpose robotics—someone driven to become the best in their craft by taking full responsibility for architecting an entire system. You’ll thrive in a small, tight-knit team with real ownership and get your hands dirty, all while being treated like a co‑founder instead of an employee. This is your chance to bet on yourself, build the brains of the future, and create impact far beyond the lab. Your mission will be to drive research breakthroughs that make state‑of‑the‑art physical AI not just possible, but practical and commercializable.

About Feather

Feather is a VC‑backed startup assembling a world‑class team to build general‑purpose robots. While competitors pursue end‑to‑end integration, we are focused on creating the best labor platform on which others will build, monetize, and scale, fostering an ecosystem of solutions akin to Apple’s or Nvidia’s.

We’ve moved through the hardware lifecycle at lightspeed -- building our first prototype in two months, fulfilling our first order in nine months (vs. 31 months for Figure), and working with a $4B revenue manufacturer. Our units are deployed across several fields today, including cooking, retail, manufacturing, and more.

Responsibilities

• Architect and lead the development of core AI systems that power general‑purpose robotics
• Drive original research that translates into commercializable breakthroughs in physical AI
• Own the technical vision for robot cognition, from high‑level architectures to low‑level implementation
• Represent Feather Robotics externally as a thought leader in robotics and AI

Qualifications

• PHD at a top university or deep research experience from a top AI lab
• Papers accepted to top journals and conferences
• Deep experience working with robotic systems
• Strong track record of success and impact
• Experience with VLAs, Imitation Learning, Diffusion Policies, RL, Navigation, etc.

Why Join Us

• Own the research stack and be the principal architect of our humanoid platform
• Shape the future of robotics and physical AI in a tight‑knit, driven team that values ownership, speed, and creativity
• We have the capital, the hardware ownership, and the generational upside to make this your life's work