Machine Learning Research Engineer - Robotics

Scale's Robotics business unit is dedicated to solving the data bottleneck in Physical AI. This position will be a key contributor in conducting applied research in Robotics and developing ML pipelines for training and fine-tuning on data collected by Scale. In this role, you will have the opportunity to advance Robotic research, shape Scale's robotics offerings, and expand the frontier of Robotics data and model evaluation.

You will:

• Collaborate closely with Robotics customers to drive the industry forward in using VLA data
• Develop ML pipelines to train/fine-tune models using Scale's data
• Conduct research on robotics data collection, cross-embodiment training, and policy fine-tuning
• Develop novel methods for evaluating VLA models, including new robotics industry benchmarks
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders and Scale's customers to improve data collection
• Collaborate with product teams to bring ML outcomes to Scale's platform

You have:

• Practical experience building training VLA models and/or building robotics data
• 3+ years of relevant industry experience in areas relating to: robotics, computer vision, embodied AI, sim-to-real, imitation learning, reinforcement learning, and vision language actions models
• PhD or equivalent experience in Machine Learning or Robotics
• A track record of published research in robotics
• Experience conducting data collection and performing evaluations
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to work with cross-functional teams and customers
• Intellectual curiosity, empathy, and ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy

Nice to haves:

• Experience working with robotics hardware platforms (robotic arms, perception systems, etc.)
• Experience deploying machine learning models on robotic systems in the field
• Experience with teleoperated or human-driven data for robotics (ALOHA, UMI, hand tracking, etc.)

Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position, determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You'll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend.

The base salary range for this full-time position in the location of San Francisco is:

$208,000 — $260,000 USD

PLEASE NOTE: Our policy requires a 90-day waiting period before reconsidering candidates for the same role. This allows us to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all applicants.

About Us:

At Scale, we believe that the transition from traditional software to AI is one of the most important shifts of our time. Our mission is to make that happen faster across every industry, and our team is transforming how organizations build and deploy AI. Our products power the world's most advanced LLMs, generative models, and computer vision models. We are trusted by generative AI companies such as OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft, government agencies like the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force, and enterprises including GM and Accenture. We are expanding our team to accelerate the development of AI applications.

We believe that everyone should be able to bring their whole selves to work, which is why we are proud to be an inclusive and equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability status, gender identity or Veteran status.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation in the application or recruiting process due to a disability, please contact us at Please see the United States Department of Labor's Know Your Rights poster for additional information.

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