Lead Robot Learning Engineer

Strive Robotics; Somerville (MA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Strive Robotics is seeking a lead robot learning engineer to build and deploy learned capabilities for robots operating in manufacturing environments. You will own training architecture and implementation, working hands-on across models, data, and evaluation to deliver reliable systems for customer pilots.

You will apply reinforcement learning, fine-tune vision-language-action models, and integrate specialized models with other approaches, using sensor data, force feedback, and robot state to

Qualifications

• Strong machine learning fundamentals and ability to train or adapt foundation models, build production ML infrastructure, and evaluate performance against real operating requirements.
• Experience deploying learned systems on physical robots, diagnosing failures and improving reliability under conditions that differ from training.
• The technical depth and independence to choose methods based on the problem, make architecture decisions, and debug across data, models, sensors, and robot behavior.

Responsibilities

• Train, adapt, and deploy models for perception, manipulation, locomotion, and machine operation, including CNC workflows at customer pilot sites.
• Apply reinforcement learning, fine-tune vision-language-action models, and combine specialized models with other approaches suited to each task.
• Build data collection, training, and evaluation pipelines that connect field performance to model improvements.

Skills

ML fundamentals

Foundation models

Production ML infra

Deploy learned systems

Robot systems reliability

Job description

We are looking for a lead robot learning engineer to build and deploy learned capabilities for robots operating in manufacturing environments. You will own training architecture and implementation, working hands-on across models, data, and evaluation to deliver reliable systems for customer pilots. You will report directly to our CTO.

What you will do:

• Train, adapt, and deploy models for perception, manipulation, locomotion, and machine operation, including CNC workflows at customer pilot sites.
• Apply reinforcement learning, fine-tune vision-language-action models, and combine specialized models with other approaches suited to each task. Use force feedback alongside vision and robot state to learn contact-rich behaviors.
• Build data collection, training, and evaluation pipelines that connect field performance to model improvements. Set technical direction and carry systems from experimentation through deployment.

What we are looking for:

• Strong machine learning fundamentals and demonstrated ability to train or adapt foundation models, build production ML infrastructure, and evaluate performance against real operating requirements.
• Experience deploying learned systems on physical robots, including diagnosing failures and improving reliability under conditions that differ from training.
• The technical depth and independence to choose methods based on the problem, make architecture decisions, and debug across data, models, sensors, and robot behavior.

Who this is for:

Hands-on robot learning engineers and technical leads with evidence of deployed robotic systems and the ability to own problems from training through field performance. We value demonstrated results over a fixed number of years or a particular degree. High-quality research is relevant; successful deployments carry the most weight.

About Strive:

Strive Robotics is an AI systems integrator for manufacturing. We build robots and software that let customers deploy and reconfigure robotic workflows without outside integrators or robotics experience. Our approach combines classical controls, model-based perception, and fine-tuned vision-language-action models, choosing the tools that get reliable robotic solutions into customers’ hands as quickly as possible.