Director Robotics Research Jobs in Missouri (NOW HIRING)

Sorting Robotics builds and deploys robotic systems for real manufacturing floors. We are hiring the Cognizant Engineer (CogE) to own our next flagship: a VLA-powered (Vision-Language-Action) gripping and assembly system. You will lead this product from the rig on the bench to machines running in customers facilities, and you will own its technical success end to end. Additionally, you will help with other flagship products as a support or Responsible Engineer.

This is a hands-on technical leadership seat. You will design the end-effector and mechatronics, integrate vision and force and tactile sensing into a 6DOF arm, and operationalize learned manipulation policies (VLA models) so the system reliably grips, places, and assembles in the real world. You work directly with the founder and leadership. Expect to learn a lot fast, hit days where nothing works, and ship a multi-million-dollar product in a room full of people who appreciate you.

Preferred: comfortable with cannabis (ideally you enjoy it and have experienced it), as we build innovations for the legal cannabis market in the US and Canada.

• Own the VLA gripping and assembly system cradle to grave: concept, design, build, bring-up, deployment, and field reliability. You are accountable for its technical success.
• Design the gripper and mechatronics: end-effector design, actuation, GD&T drawings, mass, cost and manufacturability tradeoffs, rapid prototyping (3D print, laser, CNC, PCB), and production-ready designs.
• Integrate perception and sensing into the manipulation loop: cameras and vision, force, torque and tactile feedback, and the 6DOF arm.
• Operationalize VLA and learned manipulation policies: stand up the data pipeline (teleop and demonstration collection), wire policy inference into real-time control, evaluate grasp and assembly success, and close the sim-to-real and on-robot iteration loop.
• Optimize with modeling and test: analytical and physical simulation, then validate on hardware.
• Interface with suppliers to build supply chain and vendor qualification for manufacturing feasibility, validation, and assigned commodities; deliver world-class fit, finish, and craftsmanship for launch.
• Support deployment: help assemble and install systems at customer sites as needed. Travel is approximately 1 to 5 percent.

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or Robotics (M.S. a plus).
• Real experience taking a robotic system from concept to delivery on an R&D team.
• Manipulation and gripping experience: end-effector or gripper design, grasping, pick-and-place, or assembly automation.
• 6DOF and cobot arm integration, including low-level programming and motion control.
• Comfortable at the hardware and ML boundary: you do not have to train VLA models from scratch, but you can integrate learned policies, run inference on a robot, collect and curate demonstration data, and debug why a policy fails on real hardware. Familiarity with modern manipulation stacks (ROS or ROS 2, OpenVLA or pi-0 style policies, RT‑style models, imitation learning, sim-to-real) is a strong plus.
• Strong Python; working knowledge of real-time or embedded control.
• Fluent with prototyping tools: CAD, 3D printing, laser cutter, CNC, PCB.
• Takes initiative across whatever the company needs to win. Able to work extended hours and weekends as needed.

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Mechatronics, or similar.
• Strong understanding of AI tools. We're looking for an "AI native" engineer.
• Technical depth in robotics, automation, or a related field; has shipped from concept to delivery.
• Demonstrated work on 6DOF or similar cobot arms.
• Working knowledge of Python or a similar language.
• Minimum 10 years of full-time on the job experience.
• Bonus: hands‑on with manipulation or grasping, or with learned policies (VLA, imitation learning, ROS).
• Not currently enrolled in a college or graduate program.
• Free to work without visa sponsorship.
• On-site in Van Nuys or Los Angeles (reliable commute or willing to relocate). Some travel to customer sites will be required.

Structure: contract-to-hire (3-month contract converting to full-time) or direct full-time for the right person. We can start a strong candidate quickly.

Salary (full-time): $170,000 - $190,000 per year + 0.2% equity + full benefits + fun company perks.

Benefits: 401(k), health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, flexible spending account, paid time off, parental leave.

Schedule: 8-hour shift, Monday to Friday, weekends as needed.

Location: in person, Van Nuys or Los Angeles, CA. Reliable commute or willing to relocate (employer-provided relocation package available).

Education: Bachelor degree required.