Sr. AI Research Engineer, Autonomous Systems & Robotics Research

FieldAI is transforming how robots interact with the real world. We build risk-aware, reliable, field-ready AI systems that tackle the hardest problems in robotics and unlock the potential of embodied intelligence. We take a pragmatic approach that goes beyond off-the-shelf, purely data-driven methods or transformer-only architectures, combining cutting-edge research with real-world deployment. Our solutions are already deployed globally, and we continuously improve model performance through rapid iteration driven by real field use.

In Pittsburgh, we’re pushing the frontier of embodied intelligence by designing robot learning systems that scale across tasks, environments, and robot embodiments. We work on robotics foundation models, from vision and language to control, and we deploy what we build on real robots solving real problems in unstructured, real-world settings.

We are looking for a Sr. AI Research Engineer to help design, build, and deploy robust autonomous robotic systems operating in complex real-world environments. In this role, you will take a systems-level view of robotics, integrating perception, planning, control, and learning into reliable, field-ready autonomy stacks.

This role is ideal for someone with deep experience in robotics systems engineering who enjoys working across the full stack, from algorithms to hardware integration and field deployment. You will play a key role in turning research ideas into scalable robotic capabilities and shaping how advanced autonomy is delivered on real robots.

What You’ll Get To Do

• Build and Integrate Robotics Systems
• Design and implement core robotics systems spanning perception, state estimation, planning, and control.
• Integrate learning-based components with classical robotics pipelines.
• Own system-level behavior and performance on real robotic platforms.
• Deploy and Operate in the Real World
• Lead deployment and validation of robotic systems in unstructured environments.
• Debug complex interactions between hardware, software, and autonomy.
• Improve robustness, safety, and reliability through iterative field testing.
• Collaborate Across Disciplines
• Work closely with research scientists to transition algorithms into production-ready systems.
• Partner with mechanical and electrical engineers on hardware integration.
• Collaborate with field teams to understand operational constraints and requirements.
• Drive Technical Execution
• Lead technical design reviews and contribute to architecture decisions.
• Mentor junior engineers and help raise the bar for engineering quality.
• Balance near-term delivery with longer-term system improvements.
• Advance Field-Ready Autonomy
• Contribute to autonomy capabilities such as traversability, navigation, manipulation, and recovery behaviors.
• Help define evaluation metrics and testing strategies for real-world performance.

What You Have

• BS, MS, or PhD in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience building and deploying robotics systems in real-world settings.
• Strong foundation in robotics fundamentals including kinematics, dynamics, control, and state estimation.
• Hands-on experience integrating autonomy software with real robotic hardware.
• Proficiency in C++ and/or Python, with experience in robotics middleware (ROS, ROS 2, or similar).
• Proven ability to debug complex system-level issues.
• Strong ownership mindset and ability to operate independently in ambiguous environments.

The Extras That Set You Apart

• Experience with field robotics or safety-critical autonomous systems.
• Familiarity with learning-enabled autonomy and sim-to-real workflows.
• Background in manipulation, mobile robotics, or multi-sensor perception.
• Experience deploying systems at scale or supporting long-running robotic operations.
• Track record of technical leadership or mentorship.
• Contributions to open-source robotics software.

Why Join FieldAI?

FieldAI is tackling one of robotics’ hardest problems: deploying robots in unstructured, previously unknown environments. Our Field Foundational Models™ advance perception, planning, localization, and manipulation with an emphasis on explainability and safety, so our systems can be trusted where it matters most.

You will work alongside a world-class team that values creativity, resilience, and bold thinking. We bring a decade-long track record of real-world deployments, strong performance in DARPA challenges, and experience from organizations such as DeepMind, NASA JPL, Boston Dynamics, NVIDIA, Amazon, Tesla Autopilot, Cruise, Zoox, Toyota Research Institute, and SpaceX.

Our Pittsburgh team is growing and focused on robot learning and embodied intelligence, building and deploying learning systems that generalize across tasks and robot embodiments. You will work on research that connects foundation models, large-scale training, and real-world robotic performance, with a clear path from ideas to field capability.

Be Part of the Next Robotics Revolution

Solving problems at this scale takes a team as unique as the mission. We are looking for people who push beyond conventional approaches, enjoy tackling tough and ambiguous questions, and bring interdisciplinary perspective. Our success depends on exceptional AI researchers and engineers, as well as strong software developers, product designers, field deployment experts, and communicators who can turn breakthroughs into real capability.

We are headquartered in Mission Viejo (Irvine adjacent), Southern California, with teammates across the US and around the world. Join us to shape the future of embodied intelligence as part of a fun, close-knit team building systems that work in the real world.

Equal Opportunity

FieldAI celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Candidates and employees are evaluated based on merit, qualifications, and performance. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender, national origin, ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, or any other legally protected status.