Robotics Research Lead

Onyx Robotics; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A pioneering robotics AI company in Boston is seeking a founding Robotics Research Engineer to join their innovative team. The role involves researching and developing cutting-edge AI controls and simulation algorithms, while collaborating with external engineering teams and contributing to impactful research outputs. Ideal candidates have strong backgrounds in robotics research and AI model training. This on-site position is perfect for those wanting to see meaningful real-world impact daily.

Qualifications

• Strong background in robotics, controls, and simulation.
• Experience in training AI models and interest in AI tooling.
• Knowledge in control theory, dynamics modeling, and reinforcement learning.

Responsibilities

• Research and develop algorithms for AI controls and simulation.
• Turn research into user-facing tooling.
• Collaborate with engineering teams on real-world applications.

Skills

Robotics research

Controls

Simulation

AI model training

Control theory

Dynamics modeling

Reinforcement learning

Education

PhD or Masters degree

Tools

Neural network dynamics modeling

Embedded real-time control systems

Job description

Onyx is a robotics AI controls and simulation company building the tooling and infrastructure to push hardware performance to its limits with learning. We are assembling a team of researchers like Google Deepmind/Boston Dynamics, but extending our research into tools that benefit all of the world's hardware controls and simulation challenges. Concretely, we will push the frontier of research by building hardware with legs, wheels, and propellers, and then convert our R&D into software releases of tooling that any company can use to advance their own controls/simulation performance.

If you love robotics, controls, and research but wish you could see meaningful real-world impact every day of work, this is a team for you. We are bringing together a tight-knit team of people just like us to build a new controls stack for humanity's most ambitious and meaningful physical technologies.

Role Description

You will be one of the first hires as a founding Robotics Research Engineer, joining our team on-site in Boston, MA. This is an opportunity to become a leader in robotics, whether that's becoming a leading researcher in this field, a team leader of a 100-person research organization, or both over time. What matters most is that you care about our vision and want to drive impact with a team of like-minded people.

On a day-to-day basis, your primary focus will be coding and researching robotics AI controls and simulation. We will be building in public, sharing the research you're leading and making a name for ourselves as a breakout team in robotics. Our whole team will also speak with controls researchers in robotics, automotive, aerospace/space, energy, manufacturing, among other industries, who are using our tools to learn what research/code we should develop next.

It's going to be a lot of fun working alongside the most talented and motivated people in our space. As the founder and CEO, I want you to join us in building a team that becomes the world's pillar of robotics controls.

In This Role You Will:

• Research and develop state-of-the-art algorithms in robotics for AI controls and simulation, including: neural network dynamics modeling and system identification, sim-to-real and parallel simulation, reinforcement learning, diffusion and flow matching policies, MPC/MPPI, and embedded real-time control using AI models.
• Turn our research into user-facing tooling for controls/simulation.
• Develop backend infrastructure for controls/hardware data and AI model training.
• Collaborate with external controls engineering teams who are using our tooling for a variety of real-world applications.
• Design and engineer exciting research demos/papers using our tooling and custom-built hardware to publicly show the world what Onyx is capable of.
• Be a part of shaping our team and bringing together talented people to work alongside.

What We Hope You'll Bring:

• Strong demonstrated background in robotics research, controls, and simulation.
• PhD or Masters degree level experience, though priority is on the quality of prior work versus degree.
• Experience in training AI models, interest in AI training tooling/infrastructure.
• Experience in control theory, dynamics modeling, system identification, sim-to-real, simulation, model-based control, and reinforcement learning.
• General knowledge/curiosity of hardware systems and controls beyond robotics.
• Friendliness - both within a team and interest in making friends with people in controls.
• Initiative - ready to lead/own core technology, make decisions, and learn new skills quickly.

Requirements:

• You are able to work in-person in Boston, MA, USA as a primary workplace. Any of us may work from home as needed, but in the interest of building a tight-knit cohesive team, we will primarily be working in-person together!