Senior Manager, Applied Science- Manipulation & Autonomy , Fauna

About the role

We are seeking a Lead Applied Scientist to drive the development of next-generation manipulation and autonomy systems for robots operating in complex, real-world environments. This role is designed for an exceptional technical leader with a strong research background and a passion for translating cutting-edge ideas into working robotic systems. You will play a central role in defining the technical direction of our manipulation and autonomy stack, from problem formulation and algorithm design to system integration and real-world deployment.

Responsibilities

• Lead research and development of manipulation and autonomy systems for robots, including planning, control, learning, and closed-loop execution
• Design and implement algorithms, especially focused around autonomy and interaction with dynamic environments
• Work closely with perception, motor control, hardware, and systems teams to build tightly integrated autonomy pipelines
• Define evaluation methodologies, benchmarks, and simulation-to-real workflows for manipulation and autonomy
• Stay deeply engaged with the research community, selectively incorporating state-of-the-art techniques into deployed systems
• Mentor and guide other researchers and engineers, help set technical direction, and contribute to team growth and research culture
• Lead technical projects from conception through production deployment
• Bridge research initiatives with practical engineering implementation

Requirements

PhD, or Master's degree and 6+ years of applied research experience
5+ years of industry or academic research experience
Experience in Java, C++, Python, or a related language
Strong publication record at major Robotics/ML/AI conferences (e.g., RSS, CoRL, ICRA, IROS, NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR)
Experience with simulation environments for robot learning (Isaac Gym/Lab, MuJoCo, or similar)
Experience with sim-to-real transfer for robotic systems
Demonstrated track record of leading technical projects
Experience mentoring junior scientists/engineers.

Qualifications

• Basic Qualifications
• Preferred Qualifications

Experience participating in or leading technical collaborations and creating alignment across diverse groups (e.g., hardware engineering, software engineering, program management)

Experience working with PyTorch or JAX software, or experience programming with at least one software programming language

History of impactful first-author publications at major conferences

Experience with large-scale distributed training for RL

Experience bridging research with practical engineering implementation in robotics systems

Experience bridging academic research and production robotics

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status. Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit here for more information.

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The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location.

Learn more about our benefits at here.