Robotic Grasping & Manipulation Research Scientist

Johns Hopkins University; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University is seeking a PREP Research Associate to support robotic grasping and manipulation research under the NIST PREP program. The candidate will work on grasp path planning, tactile sensing integration, and dexterous manipulation for bi-manual hands, contributing to experiments and publications.

The role requires strong coding in Python and C++, experience with ROS/ROS 2 and MoveIt, and familiarity with AI/ML frameworks and robotics simulation platforms.

Qualifications

• US Citizen Preferred.
• Master's or Ph.D. in Engineering/Computer Science, Robotics, or related field, or in final year of degree.
• Strong background in robotic manipulation, kinematics, grasp planning, and bi-manual control.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and benchmark AI systems for autonomous grasping and manipulation.
• Develop grasp path planning and graspability analysis algorithms.
• Integrate tactile sensors into robotic end-effectors and develop signal processing and force-control strategies.
• Design control strategies for dexterous multi-finger hands and coordinate bi-manual manipulation.
• Conduct rig- and simulation-based experiments to evaluate system performance in manufacturing environments.
• Prepare technical reports and deliver weekly project progress presentations.

Skills

Robotics manipulation

Kinematics

Grasp path planning

Bi-manual control

Python

C++

ROS/ROS 2

MoveIt

PyTorch/TensorFlow

Linux/Unix

CAD (SolidWorks/OnShape)

Git/GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket

Education

Master's degree or Ph.D in Engineering/CS/Robotics

In final year of degree (e.g., CS, Robotics, ME)

Tools

MoveIt

Gazebo

MuJoCo

NVIDIA IsaacSim

Drake

Job description

Johns Hopkins University is seeking a PREP Research Associate to support robotic grasping and manipulation research under the NIST PREP program. The candidate will work on grasp path planning, tactile sensing integration, and dexterous manipulation for bi-manual hands, contributing to experiments and publications.

The role requires strong coding in Python and C++, experience with ROS/ROS 2 and MoveIt, and familiarity with AI/ML frameworks and robotics simulation platforms.