ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Robotics Research Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Meta

Research Engineer Robotics (Systems)

Burlingame, CA · On-site

$183K/yr

Research Engineer Robotics (Systems) Responsibilities: * Architect & Own Real-Time Robotic Systems: Design and maintain real-time dexterous manipulation pipelines that integrate perception, planning ...

Skild AI

Research Engineer

San Mateo, CA · On-site

Position Overview We are hiring Research Engineers to develop scalable robotic systems aimed at achieving general-purpose robotic intelligence. In this role, you'll work with researchers and ...

Autodesk

Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA

The Research Engineer will work directly with researchers, technologists, industry partners, and ... Develop experimental workflows that connect design, simulation, fabrication, sensing, robotics ...

Autodesk, Inc.

Research Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

The Research Engineer will work directly with researchers, technologists, industry partners, and ... Develop experimental workflows that connect design, simulation, fabrication, sensing, robotics ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsRobotics Research Engineer JobsRobotics Research Engineer Jobs in California

Robotics Research Engineer information

See California salary details

$28.6K

$104.2K

$166.8K

How much do robotics research engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for robotics research engineer in California is $104,222.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,400.00 and $125,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a Robotics Research Engineer do?

A Robotics Research Engineer designs, develops, and tests robotic systems by integrating hardware and software for automation and intelligent behavior. They conduct research to improve robotic capabilities in areas such as perception, control, and machine learning. Their work involves programming, simulation, and experimentation to enhance robot performance for applications in industries like healthcare, manufacturing, and space exploration.

What are typical daily responsibilities for a Robotics Research Engineer?

Robotics Research Engineers typically spend their days designing algorithms, programming robotic systems, running simulations, and testing prototypes in both virtual and real-world environments. You’ll collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, such as mechanical and electrical engineers, to integrate software with hardware components. Reviewing research literature, documenting experimental results, and presenting findings are also common tasks. This dynamic combination of hands-on engineering and research ensures each day brings new technical challenges and opportunities for learning.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Robotics Research Engineer position, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Robotics Research Engineer, you need strong knowledge in robotics, control systems, programming (such as C++ or Python), and a relevant degree in engineering or computer science. Experience with simulation tools (like ROS or Gazebo), machine learning frameworks, and sometimes certifications in robotics or AI are valuable assets. Excellent problem-solving abilities, teamwork, and effective technical communication make someone stand out in this position. These skills are essential for innovating, troubleshooting, and successfully collaborating on complex robotic projects.

What are the most commonly searched types of Robotics Research Engineer jobs in California? The most popular types of Robotics Research Engineer jobs in California are:
What are popular job titles related to Robotics Research Engineer jobs in California? For Robotics Research Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Robotics Research Engineer jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Robotics Research Engineer jobs in California are:
What cities in California are hiring for Robotics Research Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Robotics Research Engineer job openings:
Robotics Research Engineer jobs near you

Robotics Research Engineer

Foundry Robotics Inc

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$150K - $250K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO

Posted 11 days ago

Job description

Robotics Research Engineer
About Us
We are reimagining manufacturing through advanced robotics. Our mission is to rebuild the American manufacturing industry as an AI-first, assembly-focused, dual-use contract manufacturer. We aim to empower manufacturers with intelligent, efficient, and adaptable robotic systems that redefine productivity and quality. As a founding member of our engineering team, you will have a direct and significant impact on our product, culture, and ultimate success. This role is 100% in-person at our office in the mission, SF.
The Role
We are hiring a Robotics Research Engineer to design, implement, and deploy intelligent robotic systems for manufacturing.
This is not a purely academic role - and not a generic software role. You will work across:
  • ROS2-based system architecture
  • Manipulation and navigation
  • Perception and VLA-based control
  • Traditional controls fused with learned methods
  • On-site deployment in production manufacturing workcells

You should be equally comfortable reading robotics papers, tuning controllers, debugging sensor calibration, and pushing production code to robots running on a factory floor.
Key Responsibilities
Robotics Systems & Architecture
  • Design and implement distributed robotic systems in ROS2
  • Build modular autonomy stacks for manipulation and mobile platforms
  • Own system-level performance, latency, and reliability

Robotics Foundation Models (VLA)
  • Develop and integrate Vision-Language-Action models for robotic control
  • Design data collection pipelines and fine-tune foundation models for assembly tasks
  • Benchmark and evaluate real-world performance

Controls + Learning
  • Fuse traditional control with learned policies
  • Implement hybrid perception-planning-control architectures
  • Improve robustness, repeatability, and safety in physical systems

Manipulation, Navigation & Deployment
  • Develop algorithms for dexterous manipulation and industrial navigation
  • Ship systems from prototype to production
  • Debug real-world edge cases (lighting, calibration drift, wear, latency) and maintain deployed robotic cells
What We're Looking For
Deployment Mentality
  • Experience shipping systems into real environments (not just lab demos)
  • Comfort debugging hardware-software integration issues
  • Ability to own systems end-to-end

Ownership
  • Thrives in high-velocity, ambiguous environments
  • Takes full technical ownership of complex systems
  • Willing to get into the weeds of mechanical, electrical, and software challenges
Nice to Have
  • PhD in Robotics or related field
  • Experience working on dual-use or DoD-related systems
  • Ability to obtain a government security clearance
  • Experience with safety-critical robotic systems
Growth Opportunities
  • Define the technical direction of robotics foundation model deployment in manufacturing
  • Build and lead the autonomy team
  • Shape the next generation of AI-driven assembly systems
  • Become a core technical interface with defense and industrial partners
Why Join Us?
This is one of the only places where world-class manufacturing operators, mechanical engineers, robotics researchers, and software engineers sit in the same room - building production systems together.
We are committed to being deeply embedded in the U.S. industrial base. Our focus is simple: build adaptive robotic assembly systems that make American manufacturing scalable, resilient, and competitive again.
If you want to publish papers, this may not be the role.
If you want to build and deploy the systems those papers were meant to enable - this is it.
The base salary range for this full-time position in the location of San Francisco is:
$150,000-$250,000 USD
Compensation packages at Foundry Robotics 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. Foundry Robotics employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. You'll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: Comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, and generous PTO.

Apply