Robotics Engineer, Mobile Manipulation - NREC

At the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC), our engineers and technicians drive breakthroughs by collaborating with leadership and multidisciplinary teams to design, build, and deploy sophisticated robotic solutions for complex challenges in industrial, commercial, and government sectors. Each project benefits from expertise, creativity, and hands-on problem-solving, fueling progress and innovation. As part of our team, you’ll work alongside world-class robotics professionals committed to pushing the boundaries of technology and transforming ideas into real-world solutions. We foster a culture of professionalism, respect, and collaboration, offering a flexible environment where you can sharpen your skills, lead impactful projects, and take control of your career development.

About the role

We are seeking a motivated roboticist to help develop and deploy the next generation of mobile manipulation systems for real-world applications. You’ll bridge research and industry by transforming advanced robotic concepts into robust, production-ready technologies. The work emphasizes hands-on development, integration, and deployment of systems that combine perception, planning, and control to address challenges in logistics, manufacturing, and automated science. If you’re passionate about building real robots that make a measurable difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

• Develop algorithms for perception-aided control of manipulators on mobile robots for real-world applications
• Prototype in scripting languages
• Transition applications to deployment with production-quality code
• Design, develop, document, test, troubleshoot, and maintain software applications and integrated systems
• Interact with sponsors for planning, application support, and reporting
• Survey literature and implement innovative techniques to tackle exciting problems
• Follow protocols for team software development (peer reviews of designs and code, unit and system testing, version control, bug tracking, integrated documentation)
• Develop, document, and apply software system testing, troubleshooting, and verification procedures
• Collaborate with engineers with varied skills, including communication, co-design, and joint decision-making

Requirements

• B.S. in Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, or equivalent experience (M.S. or PhD is a bonus)
• 1-3 years combined graduate academic and professional software development experience
• Experience with 3D perception (LiDAR, stereo vision, RGB-D, point cloud processing)
• Knowledge of kinematics, dynamics, and control of manipulators
• Strong background in at least one of:
  • Motion planning (MoveIt, OMPL, RRT*, etc.)
  • Grasp/manipulation planning or whole-body control
• Strong C++ skills
• Experience with scripting languages for quick prototyping of computer vision applications (Python or Matlab preferred)
• Linux development experience
• Knowledge of basic software engineering principles
• Technical communication skills
• Demonstrated success collaborating alongside a multi-functional team

Preferred Qualifications

• Sensor and robot calibration (stereo, hand-eye, multi-modal)
• Visual sensing
• Robot navigation, field robotics
• Reinforcement learning, imitation learning, or foundation models for robotics
• Visual/inertial odometry, mapping, or SLAM
• Familiarity with Gazebo, Isaac Sim, or Mujoco for simulation
• Knowledge of real-time control
• Real-world deployment, systems engineering
• Embedded systems or real-time application development
• C++ Libraries such as OpenCV, PCL, ROS, Boost, Eigen
• CUDA programming

Other Requirements

• Successful pre-employment background check
• This position will require work on projects involving military/defense applications and/or funding

About NREC

• Located in Pittsburgh or “Roboburgh,” a hub for over 120+ robotics companies
• 30+ years of pioneering robotics research
• 150+ professionals driving innovation and real-world impact
• Part of Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute, a global leader in robotics
• Leads educational outreach through its Robotics Academy, developing curricula and software for K–12 and college-level students

As part of our team, you’ll have opportunities to engage with student groups through outreach activities and grow your career—whether becoming a technical expert, leading projects, mentoring others, or exploring new pathways.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision insurance
• Generous retirement savings program with employer contributions
• Tuition benefits
• Ample paid time off and observed holidays
• Life and accidental death and disability insurance
• Free Pittsburgh Regional Transit bus pass
• Access to Family Concierge Team for childcare navigation
• Fitness center access

For a comprehensive overview, explore our Benefits page.