Applied Scientist II, Amazon Robotics

Amazon Robotics is seeking Applied Scientists to join our perception, planning, and foundation model team in developing Mobile Manipulators for new robotic applications. As part of an exceptional group of scientists and engineers, you will help build the platform and architecture for advanced robotics systems. This includes developing onboard perception, mapping, high-level task planning, whole-body motion planning, and sensing-based closed-loop control software, along with end-to-end foundation models. You'll collaborate with a world-class hardware team while utilizing state-of-the-art simulation tools and embodied AI technology.

Key job responsibilities
Specific areas of focus may include (but are not limited too):

* Scene perception fusing multiple sensing modalities, simultaneously detecting and tracking many 3D objects in spatially complex and time-varying workspaces.
* Visual servoing and impedance (force) based control to achieve the highest levels of spatial precision.
* Experimenting and evaluating new sensors and new mechanical embodiment designs.
* High-level task planning for long-running and ambiguous automation roles with broad exception paths.
* Whole-body motion planning with tiered levels of dynamic fidelity and time horizons to trade off performance, completeness, and computational complexity.
* Localization challenges in new and unstructured environments.
* Developing machine-learning capabilities and infrastructure for robotic perception and motion - integrating the latest vision language action models to expand generalizability beyond the state of the art.
* Optimizing runtime performance of robotic algorithms by exploiting underlying hardware acceleration capabilities.
* Building frameworks for large-scale replay and analysis of events in pre-recorded sensor data.
* Building frameworks to monitor and manage resource utilization on embedded compute platform.
* Building visualization tools for analyzing and debugging robot behavior.

A day in the life
Amazon offers a full range of benefits that support you and eligible family members, including domestic partners and their children. Benefits can vary by location, the number of regularly scheduled hours you work, length of employment, and job status such as seasonal or temporary employment. The benefits that generally apply to regular, full-time employees include:

1. Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
2. Maternity and Parental Leave Options
3. Paid Time Off (PTO)
4. 401(k) Plan

If you are not sure that every qualification on the list above describes you exactly, we'd still love to hear from you! At Amazon, we value people with unique backgrounds, experiences, and skillsets. If you’re passionate about this role and want to make an impact on a global scale, please apply!


About the team
Our multi-disciplinary team combines Applied Scientists and Software Engineers who specialize in Deep Learning, Foundation Models (including LLMs, VLMs, and VLAs), Computer Vision, SLAM, Motion Planning, and Controls. We are dedicated to developing robust software solutions that leverage state-of-the-art sensor technologies and algorithms to ensure safe, efficient operation of autonomous mobile robots across Amazon's fulfillment and transportation network. While we approach our mission with utmost dedication and commitment, we maintain an enjoyable work environment. Indeed, there's nothing more exciting than being at the forefront of robotics development.

Basic Qualifications

- PhD, or Master's degree and 4+ years of CS, CE, ML or related field experience
- 3+ years of building models for business application experience
- Experience in patents or publications at top-tier peer-reviewed conferences or journals
- Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language
- Experience in any of the following areas: algorithms and data structures, parsing, numerical optimization, data mining, parallel and distributed computing, high-performance computing
- Experience/understanding in any of the following areas: Deep Learning, Generative AI, Robotics (Perception, Planning, Control)

Preferred Qualifications

- Knowledge of standard speech and machine learning techniques
- Experience using Unix/Linux
- Experience in professional software development

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.