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Reinforcement Learning Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Apptronik

Senior Reinforcement Learning Engineer

Austin, TX · On-site

$103K - $142K/yr

JOB SUMMARY The Senior Reinforcement Learning Engineer is a key, hands-on role focused on achieving state-of-the-art performance on our humanoid robots. This engineer will leverage their deep ...

Centific

Applied Reinforcement Learning Engineer

Applied Reinforcement Learning Engineer Location: Palo Alto, CA or Seattle, WA (Hybrid/Remote) About the Team Centific AI Research advances foundational AI models and applications through ...

Skild AI

Machine Learning Engineer

San Mateo, CA

$100K - $300K/yr

Machine Learning Engineer San Mateo, Pittsburgh Company Overview At Skild AI, we are building the ... Develop and implement state-of-the-art reinforcement learning algorithms for robotic applications.

Skild AI

Machine Learning Engineer

Pittsburgh, PA

$100K - $300K/yr

Machine Learning Engineer San Mateo, Pittsburgh Company Overview At Skild AI, we are building the ... Develop and implement state-of-the-art reinforcement learning algorithms for robotic applications.

Skild AI

Machine Learning Engineer

San Mateo, CA

Position Overview We are looking for a Machine Learning Engineer to be responsible for designing and implementing cutting-edge reinforcement learning algorithms, conducting experiments, and ...

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Reinforcement Learning Engineer information

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$38K

$115.9K

$191.5K

How much do reinforcement learning engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for reinforcement learning engineer in the United States is $115,864.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,000.00 and $151,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are Reinforcement Learning Engineers?

Reinforcement Learning Engineers are specialized professionals who design, develop, and implement algorithms based on reinforcement learning, a type of machine learning where agents learn to make decisions by receiving rewards or penalties. They work on building models that enable machines to learn optimal actions through trial and error in complex environments. Their responsibilities often include developing RL architectures, tuning hyperparameters, running simulations, and applying RL methods to real-world problems like robotics, gaming, or recommendation systems. RL Engineers typically have strong backgrounds in computer science, mathematics, and deep learning, along with experience in programming languages like Python and frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Reinforcement Learning Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Reinforcement Learning Engineer, you need a strong background in machine learning, mathematics (especially probability and statistics), and programming languages like Python, often supported by a relevant degree in computer science or engineering. Familiarity with deep learning frameworks (such as TensorFlow or PyTorch), RL libraries (like OpenAI Gym), and cloud computing platforms is typically required. Problem-solving skills, creativity, and effective collaboration help set outstanding engineers apart in this field. These competencies enable the design and deployment of advanced RL solutions that address real-world challenges and drive innovation.

What are some common challenges faced by Reinforcement Learning Engineers when deploying models in real-world environments?

One of the main challenges Reinforcement Learning (RL) Engineers face is bridging the gap between simulation and real-world deployment. Models that perform well in controlled environments may struggle with unpredictable data, safety constraints, or limited feedback in production. Additionally, RL algorithms often require significant computational resources and careful tuning to avoid instability. Collaboration with domain experts and software engineers is essential to address these issues and ensure successful integration of RL solutions into existing systems.

What is the difference between Reinforcement Learning Engineer vs Machine Learning Engineer?

AspectReinforcement Learning EngineerMachine Learning Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS, AI, or related; experience with RL frameworksBachelor's/Master's in CS, Data Science, or related; experience with ML algorithms
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, AI startups, tech companies focusing on RL applicationsTech companies, data-driven firms, AI departments across industries
Industry UsageSpecialized in RL projects like robotics, game AI, autonomous systemsBroader applications including predictive modeling, NLP, computer vision

Reinforcement Learning Engineers focus on developing algorithms that learn through interactions with environments, often in robotics or gaming. Machine Learning Engineers work on a wider range of models and applications. While both roles require strong programming and math skills, RL Engineers specialize in sequential decision-making, whereas ML Engineers handle diverse data-driven tasks across industries.

More about Reinforcement Learning Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Reinforcement Learning Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Reinforcement Learning Engineer job openings:
What states have the most Reinforcement Learning Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Reinforcement Learning Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Reinforcement Learning Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Reinforcement Learning Engineer jobs are:
Reinforcement Learning Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Reinforcement Learning Engineer job openings in the United States as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,864 per year, or $55.7 per hour.
Senior Reinforcement Learning Engineer

Senior Reinforcement Learning Engineer

Apptronik

Austin, TX • On-site

$103K - $142K/yr

Full-time

Posted 23 days ago

Job description

Apptronik is a human-centered robotics company developing AI-powered robots to support humanity in every facet of life. Our flagship humanoid robot, Apollo, is built to collaborate thoughtfully with people, starting with critical industries such as manufacturing and logistics, with future applications in healthcare, the home, and beyond.
We operate at the cutting edge of embodied AI, applying our expertise across the full robotics stack to solve some of society's most important problems. You will join a team dedicated to bringing Apollo to market at scale, tackling the complex challenges like safety, commercialization, and mass production to change the world for the better.
JOB SUMMARY
The Senior Reinforcement Learning Engineer is a key, hands-on role focused on achieving state-of-the-art performance on our humanoid robots. This engineer will leverage their deep expertise in RL to solve critical locomotion and manipulation challenges and deliver breakthrough results on physical hardware. The primary focus of this role is to rapidly implement, iterate, and deploy advanced learning algorithms to push the boundaries of what our robots can do. As a senior member of the team, this individual will also be responsible for mentoring junior engineers, elevating the team's overall technical capabilities through their guidance and expertise.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES or KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
  • Implement and deploy state-of-the-art RL algorithms to achieve ambitious, world-class performance on dynamic locomotion and manipulation tasks with physical hardware.
  • Drive the entire development cycle, from prototyping in simulation to robustly transferring and fine-tuning policies on the robot.
  • Optimize and scale the RL training pipeline for faster iteration, contributing to core infrastructure for high-throughput simulation and distributed training.
  • Mentor junior engineers by providing technical guidance, conducting insightful code reviews, and sharing best practices in reinforcement learning and software development.
  • Collaborate closely with the robotics and hardware teams to diagnose system-level issues and co-develop solutions that enable more complex learned behaviors.
  • Analyze and present hardware results to guide future technical directions and demonstrate progress on key company objectives.
  • Develop and refine motion retargeting pipelines to translate human demonstration data (mocap, teleoperation) into robust reference trajectories for reinforcement learning.

SKILLS AND REQUIREMENTS
  • Deep, hands-on expertise (5+ years) with common RL frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, JAX) and high-fidelity physics simulators (e.g., MuJoCo, IsaacGym)
  • Mastery of Python for rapid prototyping and training, alongside strong proficiency in C++ for developing performant, deployable code.
  • Experience building or utilizing large-scale, distributed training pipelines and a strong intuition for their optimization.
  • A strong theoretical understanding of modern reinforcement learning, including deep expertise in areas like imitation learning, model-based RL, and sim-to-real transfer techniques.
  • A strong intuition for robot dynamics and controls theory, with the ability to apply these principles to guide and constrain learning-based approaches.
  • A results-oriented mindset with a passion for seeing complex algorithms work on real-world hardware.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
  • A PhD or MS in Computer Science, Robotics, or a related field, with 2+ years industry experience strongly preferred.
  • A proven track record of successfully deploying learning-based policies on physical robotic systems, especially legged robots or manipulators.
  • Demonstrated experience mentoring or providing technical guidance to other engineers in a team environment.
  • A strong publication record in relevant conferences or journals (e.g., CoRL, RSS, ICRA) is a significant plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
  • Must be able to lift 15 pounds at times
  • Vision to read printed materials and a computer screen
  • Hearing and speech to communicate

*This is a direct hire. Please, no outside Agency solicitations.
Apptronik provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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