1.54 Research Engineer – Humanoid Manipulation ...

Field AI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We are building risk-aware, reliable, and field-ready AI systems that address the most complex challenges in robotics, unlocking the full potential of embodied intelligence. We go beyond typical data-driven approaches or pure transformer-based architectures, and are charting a new course, with already-globally-deployed solutions delivering real-world results and rapidly improving models through real-field applications.

About the Job

We are looking for a Research Engineer for our humanoid manipulation efforts. In this role, you’ll work at the intersection of robotics research and applied engineering—building, testing, and refining manipulation capabilities that will accelerate autonomous control and loco-manipulation of humanoids. You’ll collaborate closely with engineers, research scientists, and product leads to conceptualize and design novel manipulation strategies, develop experimental platforms, and deliver impactful systems that directly feed into Field AI’s robot learning pipelines.

Crucially, you will also play a key role in pushing the frontiers of development of robotics foundation models—designed to be embodiment agnostic, with your initial efforts focused on humanoid platforms. This role is about steering the frontiers of robotics research toward practical, real-world use cases, ensuring that breakthroughs in humanoid manipulation translate into scalable autonomy for robots of diverse forms.

• 1. Advance Humanoid Manipulation Research & Development
• Drive humanoid manipulation projects from ideation to deployment.
• Design, prototype, and evaluate manipulation strategies across diverse tasks.

• 2. Build Systems that Bridge Research & Deployment
• Translate research insights into working robotic systems for real-world use.
• Ensure systems are robust, reproducible, and aligned with data-collection needs.

• 3. Drive Robotics Foundation Model Development
• Contribute to large-scale data collection and learning pipelines powering foundation models.
• Ensure model development remains embodiment agnostic, enabling transfer across diverse robotic platforms.
• Collaborate with research scientists to integrate manipulation data into scalable robot learning systems.

• 4. Collaborate Across Disciplines
• Partner with mechanical/electrical engineers on robot hardware integration.
• Work with teleoperators to refine interfaces and improve manipulation outcomes.
• Act as a bridge between autonomy research and applied robotics.

• 5. Rapidly Iterate & Deliver
• Prototype quickly and run experiments in the field.
• Balance research exploration with fast, tangible progress for immediate goals.

• Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience in robotics manipulation (academic or industry).
• Expertise in robot kinematics, dynamics, and control, particularly for manipulation.
• Strong problem-solving mindset, able to thrive in fast-moving, collaborative teams.
• Strong software development skills in C++ and/or Python, with experience in robotics middleware (ROS, ROS 2, or similar).
• Track record of implementing and evaluating robotic systems in real-world environments.
• Passion for tackling challenging problems andthe courage to challenge the status quo.

• Experience with humanoid robots or multi-fingered robotic hands.
• Prior work in learning-based manipulation (imitation learning, reinforcement learning, etc.).
• Familiarity with teleoperation systems and human-robot interaction.
• Publications or open-source contributions in robotics conferences/journals.
• Experience with large-scale data collection and dataset management.
• Passion for bridging research frontiers with practical, field-ready robotics.

Compensation and Benefits

Our salary range is generous ($70,000 - $200,000 annual), but we take into consideration an individual's background and experience in determining final salary; base pay offered may vary considerably depending on geographic location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Also, while we enjoy being together on-site, we are open to exploring a hybrid or remote option.

Why Join Field AI?

We are solving one of the world’s most complex challenges: deploying robots in unstructured, previously unknown environments. Our Field Foundational Models™ set a new standard in perception, planning, localization, and manipulation, ensuring our approach is explainable and safe for deployment.

You will have the opportunity to work with a world-class team that thrives on creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. With a decade-long track record of deploying solutions in the field, winning DARPA challenge segments, and bringing expertise from organizations like DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise Self-Driving, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX, we are set to achieve our ambitious goals.

Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution

To tackle such ambitious challenges, we need a team as unique as our vision — innovators who go beyond conventional methods and are eager to tackle tough, uncharted questions. We’re seeking individuals who challenge the status quo, dive into uncharted territory, and bring interdisciplinary expertise. Our team requires not only top AI talent but also exceptional software developers, engineers, product designers, field deployment experts, and communicators.

We are headquartered in always-sunny Mission Viejo (Irvine adjacent), Southern California and have US based and global teammates.

Join us, shape the future, and be part of a fun, close-knit team on an exciting journey!

We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are always evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We will never discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, martial status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.