Robotics AI Research Engineer — End-to-End Autonomy

Applied Intuition; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Applied Intuition is hiring Research Engineers to push the frontiers of physical AI for autonomous driving and robotic systems. You will join the Research Group in developing next-generation autonomy technologies, contributing to data collection, simulations, and published research papers.

The role emphasizes collaboration with researchers and engineers to deliver practical, scalable solutions, with opportunities to lead advanced projects and contribute to real-world deployments.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience in one of the listed fields with autonomous systems.
• Strong engineering and research skills and ability to work independently or in teams.
• Proficient in Python, PyTorch, CV, robotics, and distributed ML training.

Responsibilities

• Support robotic and data collection hardware setup and design mechatronic systems.
• Construct large-scale robotic simulation environments for RL training.
• Process human data for robotic use cases.
• Collaborate with Research Scientists on high-quality publications for top conferences.
• Partner with engineering teams on ADAS, data and simulation to deploy end-to-end algorithms.

Skills

World-action foundation model

Video/Gaussian generation

Diffusion policy

Multi-modal robot learning

Education

Masters or PhD in machine learning and computer vision with autonomy and robotics applications or closely related field

Tools

Python

PyTorch

Computer vision

Robotics systems

Distributed ML training

Job description

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that full-time employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. This in-office expectation does not apply to contractor positions

About the role and team

We are looking for multiple passionate Research Engineers to join the Research Group at Applied Intuition. The mission of the group is to create cutting‑edge technology enabling next‑generation physical AI, with emphasis on the two most challenging applications reshaping our everyday life: end‑to‑end autonomous driving and robotic generalist. We have a group composed of leading experts from top institutions and companies, recognized for their exceptional academic and industry contributions—including eight Best Paper awards at premier conferences and journals such as CVPR and ICRA. Learn more at appliedintuition.com/research.

Supported by industry‑leading tools and infra, researchers can access millions of miles of data from large fleets, and deploy methods they develop into various autonomous and robotic systems including self‑driving cars/trucks, autonomous mining/construction machines, humanoid robots and dexterous hands. In addition to your research contributions, you will contribute to and learn from best practices in the autonomy and robotics industries within our fast‑paced and customer‑focused culture. Improvements deployed to our system immediately help our customers with their programs and deliver value to our business.

We are open to all years of experience as long as the necessary requirements are met, including those with potential Tech Lead and Manager capacity.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Support the team robotic and data collection hardware set up, and design the mechatronic system for customized demands

• Construct robotic simulation environments at scale and use it for RL training

• Process human data for robotic use cases

• Work closely with Research Scientists and interns on high‑quality research publications to submit to top‑tier conferences

• Collaborate with our engineering teams on ADAS, data, and simulation to deploy end‑to‑end algorithms for mass production vehicles, and neural simulation/generation for tools supporting autonomy development

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Hands‑on experience in at least one of the following fields

  • World‑action foundation model, video/Gaussian generation, diffusion policy, multi‑modal robot learning

  • VLA post‑training, reinforcement learning

  • Physics‑aware reconstruction, deformable simulation

• Passion for next‑generation, scalable autonomy and robotics for real‑world systems

• Strong engineering and research skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively on projects

• Technical experience in: Python, Pytorch, computer vision, robotics systems, and distributed machine learning model training

• Masters or PhD in machine learning and computer vision with autonomy and robotics applications or closely related field

• 1+ year of experience in autonomy and robotics applications or closely related field

Nice to have:

• Passion for building and shipping customer‑focused software frameworks or tools

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Don’t meet every single requirement? If you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60‑1.4(a), 41 CFR 60‑300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60‑741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.

FOR US‑BASED ROLES

Applied Intuition is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive application and interview experience to applicants who are disabled veterans and other applicants with disabilities or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations are available, requesting an accommodation will not affect your candidacy in any way, and you are not required to disclose the nature of your disability or medical condition in order to make a request. If you require an accommodation please contact [e-mail]. We will work with you!