Applied Scientist, Safe Control, Amazon Robotics, Compass
About The Position
We are seeking an Applied Scientist to join Compass. In this role, you will develop the core Control Barrier Function (CBF) algorithms that form the mathematical foundation of the Compass safety system. You will ensure they don't just work in theory but perform reliably on real robots under real-world conditions. You will push the boundaries of concepts central to CBFs: computing robust invariant sets, designing hybrid system formulations that handle contact transitions and mode switches, and developing backup-set approaches that leverage learned policies and multiple controllers. A key challenge of this role is bridging the gap between the mathematics of set invariance and the realities of hardware, including sensor noise, model uncertainty, computational budgets, and discrete state transitions. You will ensure that these algorithms are not only provably correct but also implementable within a safety-critical architecture that must be certified by a third-party. You will contribute directly to the next generation of CBF theory and its practical deployment across Amazon's diverse robot fleet.
Requirements
- PhD, or Master's degree and 4+ years of deep learning, computer vision, human robotic interaction, algorithms implementation experience
- Deep expertise in Control Barrier Functions, including theoretical foundations and practical implementation
- Strong mathematical background in dynamical systems theory, nonlinear control, and formal verification or reachability analysis
- Proficiency in C++ and Python with experience implementing control algorithms for real-time systems
- Publication record at relevant venues (e.g., CDC, ACC, ICRA, RSS, Automatica, TAC)
Nice To Haves
- Experience in professional software development
- Experience validating safety-critical algorithms on physical robotic hardware (not simulation-only)
- Experience with hybrid systems theory and formulations that handle discrete transitions (e.g., contact events, mode switches)
- Experience with robust or adaptive methods that account for parametric uncertainty or unmodeled dynamics
- Knowledge of functional safety standards (IEC 61508, ISO 13849, ISO 26262) and experience preparing algorithms for third-party certification
- Familiarity with real-time embedded systems and the constraints of deploying optimization-based controllers on safety-rated hardware
- Experience formulating and solving optimization-based controllers (QPs, SOCPs) for real-time safety filtering
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement novel CBF algorithms that provide formal safety guarantees while minimizing conservatism to maximize the permissible operating envelope for each robot platform
- Compute and refine invariant sets for complex, high-dimensional robotic systems, developing scalable methods that go beyond what existing analytical approaches can handle
- Design formulations for hybrid dynamical systems, handling discrete mode transitions (e.g., contact/no-contact, stance/flight phases) with provable safety across switching boundaries
- Address the theory-to-practice gap by developing methods that are robust to model uncertainty, sensor noise, actuation delays, and computational latency
- Create reduced-order and full-order dynamics models with both white-box and black-box approach
- Implement real-time optimization solvers that execute within the tight timing budgets of safety-critical control loops
- Develop formal arguments and documentation sufficient to support third-party safety certification of algorithms
- Validate algorithms through rigorous simulation and hardware experiments, characterizing failure modes and quantifying safety margins
- Contribute to the theoretical foundations of CBFs through publications at top-tier controls and robotics venues
- Collaborate with perception, planning, locomotion, and manipulation teams to accommodate the needs of upstream and downstream systems
Benefits
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
- Maternity and Parental Leave Options
- Paid Time Off (PTO)
- 401(k) Plan
- sign-on payments
- restricted stock units (RSUs)
- 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
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
