Robotics Simulation & RL Engineer

Humanoid; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Lunch provided

PTO 23 days

401(k) match

Health insurance

Job summary

Humanoid in Massachusetts is seeking a Robotics Simulation & RL Engineer to design and validate generations of our humanoid platforms using physics simulation and reinforcement learning. You will own URDF models and sustain the simulation-to-hardware pipeline.

Join a team of engineers shaping actuator sizing, sensor layout, and control strategies, with collaboration across mechanical, control, and perception teams. Competitive base salary and equity, with comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Control, or related field.
• Strong foundation in robot kinematics and dynamics.
• Experience with robot simulation environments (MuJoCo, Isaac Sim, Gazebo, or similar).
• Experience with reinforcement learning in robotics or physics-based simulation.
• Experience working with URDF or similar robot description formats.
• Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++.
• Experience training RL locomotion or manipulation policies.

Responsibilities

• Design and evaluate new robot platforms using physics simulation.
• Analyze robot capabilities including workspace, manipulability, dynamic balance, and torque limits.
• Use reinforcement learning to stress-test robot designs and explore capability limits.
• Own and maintain URDF models of current and future robot platforms.
• Maintain the CAD → URDF → simulation pipeline.
• Develop tools and benchmarks to evaluate locomotion, manipulation, and platform robustness.
• Provide quantitative feedback to hardware teams on actuator sizing, joint placement, mass distribution, and sensor layout.
• Collaborate with mechanical, control, and perception teams to guide platform design decisions.

Skills

Robot kinematics

Robot dynamics

Python

C++

RL in robotics

Education

M.Sc./Ph.D. in Robotics

Tools

URDF

MuJoCo

Gazebo

Isaac Sim

Job description

Here at Humanoid, we believe in a future where robots amplify human potential. That’s why we’ve set out on a mission to build the world’s most capable, commercially-scalable, and safe humanoid robots. We’re bringing that mission to life with HMND‑01 - our rapidly developed humanoid platform being deployed in real industrial environments - and we’re growing the team to take it even further.

About The Role

We design robots in simulation before building them in hardware. As a Robotics Simulation & RL Engineer, you will help design and validate future generations of our robotic platforms - including bipedal and wheeled systems - using physics simulation and reinforcement learning. You will develop tools to determine whether a robot design can perform real-world tasks before committing to hardware. Your work will directly inform robot architecture, actuator selection, sensor placement, and control strategies. A key responsibility of this role is owning and validating the canonical robot models (URDF and simulation assets) used across simulation and control stacks.

What You’ll Do

• Design and evaluate new robot platforms using physics simulation
• Analyze robot capabilities including workspace, manipulability, dynamic balance, and torque limits
• Use reinforcement learning to stress-test robot designs and explore capability limits
• Own and maintain URDF models of current and future robot platforms
• Maintain the CAD → URDF → simulation pipeline
• Develop tools and benchmarks to evaluate locomotion, manipulation, and platform robustness
• Provide quantitative feedback to hardware teams on actuator sizing, joint placement, mass distribution, and sensor layout
• Collaborate with mechanical, control, and perception teams to guide platform design decisions

What We're Looking For

• M.Sc. or Ph.D. in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Control, or a related field
• Strong foundation in robot kinematics and dynamics
• Experience with robot simulation environments (MuJoCo, Isaac Sim, Gazebo, or similar)
• Experience with reinforcement learning in robotics or physics-based simulation
• Experience working with URDF or similar robot description formats
• Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++
• Experience training RL locomotion or manipulation policies

Nice To Have

• Experience with legged, humanoid, or wheeled robots;
• Experience with whole-body control or torque-controlled robots;
• Experience with simulation-driven hardware design;
• Experience building large-scale RL training pipelines.

What We Offer

• Comprehensive health coverage for US‑based employees, including fully paid medical, dental, and vision insurance, with virtual care and employee assistance resources.
• Meaningful time off to rest and recharge: 23 days of PTO (accrued), separate sick leave, and paid company holidays.
• 401(k) retirement plan with a 4% employer match.
• Equity included–we believe builders should share in what they build.
• Free daily catered lunch, snacks, and drinks in‑office.
• Collaboration with top‑tier engineers, researchers, and product experts in AI and robotics.
• Freedom to influence the product and own key initiatives.

For this role in Massachusetts, the target base salary range is $200K–$300K USD per year; your placement in that range depends on how your experience maps to our internal leveling.