Robotics Research Assistant

Artificial Analysis•San Francisco, CA

22h•Onsite

About The Position

Artificial Analysis is developing robotics benchmarks to evaluate AI models on physical robots and in simulation. The Robotics Research Assistant will work closely with robotics researchers and engineers to run benchmarks and ensure robots are built, calibrated, tested, and operational. This hands-on lab and benchmark-operations role involves maintaining hardware, running task suites, and setting up simulation environments. It is suited to a recent graduate or early-career candidate with substantial practical hardware experience who enjoys building, troubleshooting, and carefully running experiments. Much of the work involves setting up, resetting, and monitoring trials.

Requirements

Recent graduate or early-career background in robotics, mechatronics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related field, with substantial hands-on hardware experience from labs, projects, internships, or similar practical work.
Evidence of personally building, operating, maintaining, or troubleshooting robots, lab equipment, or electromechanical systems.
Practical troubleshooting skills, including investigating faults, testing likely causes with appropriate tools, and explaining findings.
Ability to carefully execute multi-step procedures with strong attention to detail and reliable recordkeeping.
Ability to develop toward independently running a full day of trials after training, resolving routine problems, and recognizing when to ask for help.
Clear communication and teamwork with researchers and engineers.
Confidence picking up unfamiliar tools and software workflows.
3D printing experience, including through university or personal projects.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ROS 2, Isaac Sim, MuJoCo, or another simulator that the candidate has debugged rather than merely launched.
Experience running benchmark or test campaigns where the count and ordering of trials matter.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain an evolving suite of hardware, including powering, wiring, and health-checking equipment so stations are ready to run.
Understand unfamiliar hardware and incorporate it into the hardware fleet.
Set up task scenes, run startup and shutdown checks, monitor trials on physical robots and in simulation, and review results.
Check that recordings and logs are complete and linked to the correct task, model, and configuration.
Record interventions and distinguish model failures from equipment, setup, or simulation faults.
Assemble hardware, route cables, mount fixtures and cameras, calibrate equipment, manage spare parts, and make small mechanical fixes.
Carry out routine checks and maintenance, organize tools and spares, and follow lab safety procedures.
Keep operating instructions current and flag recurring problems.
Where skills allow, contribute fixtures, 3D-printed parts, or scripts.