Applied Scientist II, Reinforcement Learning

Amazon • North Reading, MA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Amazon is seeking exceptional talent to help develop the next generation of advanced robotics systems that will transform automation at Amazon's scale. The company is building revolutionary robotic systems that combine cutting-edge AI, sophisticated control systems, and advanced mechanical design to create adaptable automation solutions capable of working safely alongside humans in dynamic environments. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of robotics and automation at an unprecedented scale, working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of robotic dexterous manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction through innovative applications of deep learning and large language models. Amazon leverages advanced robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to solve complex operational challenges globally, with a fleet of robots operating across hundreds of facilities worldwide. The ideal candidate will contribute to research that bridges the gap between theoretical advancement and practical implementation in robotics, joining a team that is revolutionizing how robots learn, adapt, and interact with their environment to build the next generation of intelligent robotics systems for automation and human-robot collaboration.

Requirements

• PhD, or Master's degree and 2+ years of applied research experience
• Experience with imitation learning and reinforcement learning for whole-body control
• Experience with methods such as hierarchical quadratic programming and model-predictive control
• Experience with simulation environments such as IsaacLab, Mujoco, Drake, etc.
• Experience with developing and deploying code for real-time controllers
• Experience in state estimation from multiple sensor modalities

Nice To Haves

• Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language
• Experience working effectively across cross-functional teams and partnering well with people at all levels within an organization
• PhD in Robotics, with a focus on whole-body control
• Experience with low-level joint torque/impedance control
• Experience with teleoperation systems
• Experience with robotics frameworks for fast prototyping (Matlab, ROS, etc.)

Responsibilities

• Design and implement whole body control methods for balance, locomotion, and dexterous manipulation
• Utilize state-of-the-art in methods in learned and model-based control
• Create robust and safe behaviors for different terrains and tasks
• Implement real-time controllers with stability guarantees
• Collaborate effectively with multi-disciplinary teams to co-design hardware and algorithms for loco-manipulation
• Mentor junior engineer and scientists

Benefits

• health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage)
• 401(k) matching
• paid time off
• parental leave
• sign-on payments
• restricted stock units (RSUs)

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree