Robotics Grasping & Manipulation Researcher

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 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.