Research Engineer

Position Overview

Autodesk Research is seeking a Research Engineer to help shape the future of manufacturing through hands-on experimentation at the intersection of manufacturing, engineering, artificial intelligence, automation, and digital transformation.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, and run hands-on experiments in the Manufacturing Industry Futures group, with a focus on applied research that advances manufacturing processes, systems, and technologies
• Develop experimental workflows that connect design, simulation, fabrication, sensing, robotics, automation, and real-world production data
• Apply AI-assisted and agentic workflows to manufacturing and engineering contexts, including areas such as process planning, simulation feedback, anomaly detection, workflow automation, and decision support
• Build integrated software and hardware pipelines for experimentation and physical prototyping, including additive manufacturing, robotic systems, metal fabrication, electronics, sensors, and industrial data systems
• Evaluate and test emerging technologies, including AI, robotics, simulation, digital twins, machine perception, and automation in manufacturing contexts
• Collaborate closely with Boston Technology Center staff, Autodesk Research teams worldwide, and industry and academic partners
• Contribute to research projects from concept through experimentation, prototyping, testing, and implementation
• Help translate research insights into intellectual property, prototypes, tools, and scalable technologies that advance Autodesk’s platform and customer capabilities
• Share findings clearly through prototypes, demonstrations, documentation, presentations, and technical communication

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Manufacturing, Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a related field
• Relevant industry, research, or applied R&D experience
• Hands-on experience with manufacturing systems, robotics, automation, sensing, fabrication, or physical prototyping
• Strong understanding of manufacturing or engineering workflows, including how digital tools are used in design, simulation, production, inspection, or process improvement
• Experience applying AI, data-driven methods, or automation tools to engineering, manufacturing, or physical systems
• Familiarity with simulation, digital twin, or model-based engineering workflows
• Experience working with large datasets, sensor data, machine data, production data, or experimental data
• Ability to build and test integrated systems that combine software, hardware, data, and physical processes
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across disciplines and with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• A track record of hands-on experimentation and working with emerging technologies

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in Engineering, Computer Science, Manufacturing, Robotics, or a related field
• Experience with AI-assisted workflows, agentic systems, MCP or similar toolchains, or AI-enabled automation in engineering or manufacturing contexts
• Experience with physics-informed AI, AI for physical systems, or machine learning applied to manufacturing, simulation, robotics, or process optimization
• Familiarity with industrial data systems and communication protocols such as MQTT, MTConnect, OPC UA, or related IoT / industrial networking technologies
• Experience with robotics, machine vision, additive manufacturing, CNC, industrial automation, or smart factory systems
• Experience developing intellectual property, prototypes, or technology that has transferred from research into industrial or commercial contexts
• Curiosity for exploring uncharted territory and shaping the future of how products are designed and made