Sunnyvale, CA
Research Engineer, Reinforcement Learning
Targeted start date: Immediately. Relocation provided.
Research Engineers in reinforcement learning are generalists who develop reinforcement learning algorithms for humanoid locomotion and manipulation policies. A typical day involves prototyping reinforcement learning algorithms or building distributed infrastructure for training and simulation. You will own the RL policies and train in both sim and real to bring capabilities to NEO. You will integrate and distill RL policies and data into foundation model training. You will work closely with other AI team members and also develop independently.
1X's mission is to create an abundant supply of physical labor through safe, intelligent androids that work alongside humans. Since 2014, we’ve designed our products with large-scale manufacturing in mind, so we can produce androids at a high enough volume to meet the world’s labor demand.
Our wheeled Android EVE, is engineered to work with you, from guarding to logistics, and our bipedal model, NEO, is designed to become a household android with broad deployment in various applications. Our products will understand both natural language and physical space, so they can complete useful tasks in any environment.
We’ve established our dual HQ in San Francisco and Norway. Our positions require in-person presence to ensure effective execution and seamless collaboration in our hardware-focused environment. We value passion for our work and encourage candidates who share our dedication to join our team.
Why this job is exciting
Your role on the team will be to build RL algorithms in simulation and real and integrate RL into the overall learning picture
You will work across the AI stack and solve gaps in model training and inference
We aim to (1) double the number of tasks the robot can perform and (2) half the error rate on existing tasks, quarter over quarter
The team works closely together to prioritize direction and scale up a single approach to a production-ready system
Responsibilities
Day to day: build RL algorithms to bring generalized capabilities to NEO
Work with our robot operations team to scale up our datasets and model capabilities
REQUIREMENTS
Must-Haves
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or equivalent
3+ years of professional, full-time experience on robot learning
Experience with physical simulators (Pybullet, IssacSim, Mujoco, etc.) and training RL policies in simulation
Ability to rapidly prototype ideas in code in an independent manner
Published research in top ML conferences (NeurIPS, CoRL, RSS, ICML, etc.)
Nice-to-Haves
Experience with GPU simulation
Have built large programming projects on your own for fun (e.g. open source projects)
Training large-scale ML models such as visual foundation models, large language models, pixel-level generative models
Have implemented highly performant software
Compensation
We offer a total compensation package including base salary from US$105,000 to US$250,000 annually, with generous stock options and other benefits.
Interview process
Introduction Stage - we have initial conversations to get to know you better
- [30m] Recruiter Screen with Moe Thitsa
- [45m] Hiring Manager technical interview with an AI team member
Team Interview Stage
- On-site or remote team interview with the AI team
Final Interview Stage - we move you to our final round
- We will conduct reference checks.
- [30m] CEO interview with Bernt, to be scheduled based on need
- [15m] Job Offer Conversation with Eric Jang
You are welcome to request additional conversations with anyone you would like to meet, but didn’t get to meet during the interview process.
Not sure if this is you?
Studies have shown that women are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet all qualifications. If you’re excited about this role, but you’re not sure if you qualify, apply anyway! You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Location
This position is based in Sunnyvale, California, USA, at our newly renovated AI headquarters. We offer visa sponsorship for exceptional candidates. Joining our team means becoming a valued member of one of the biggest brands in humanoid robotics, where you'll play a part in shaping the future of general purpose androids.
A value driven team
These are the ideas that express our team’s culture and how we work:
Be Nice
Collaboration is our driving force. Our team creates an open, trusting environment where everyone can be their most creative.
Stay Smart
A world-changing team needs the brightest minds in every discipline. This is where people come to work, learn, and grow to their full potential.
Make History
Everything we do gets us closer to one ambitious vision: general-purpose androids helping people around the globe. We believe what we build today will impact generations.
1X is an inclusive and equal-opportunity employer that values diversity. We consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other protected class. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please don't hesitate to let us know during the interview process. We will do our best to accommodate your needs.
We're excited to have you on board!