AI Robotics Researcher

Summary

NIO Inc. is a pioneer and a leading company in the global smart electric vehicle market. They are seeking exceptional AI Robotics Researchers to join their next-generation intelligent systems team, focusing on the intersection of embodied AI, dexterous robotic manipulation, and physical world understanding.

Responsibilities

• Conduct original research in embodied AI, robotic manipulation, and world modeling—including perception, planning, and control
• Develop and evaluate large-scale multimodal models that integrate vision, language, proprioception, and tactile inputs for real-world robotic tasks
• Create and prototype algorithms for dexterous robotic hands, contact-rich manipulation, and adaptive task generalization
• Explore methods for sim-to-real transfer, self-supervised physical interaction learning, and reinforcement learning in dynamic environments
• Collaborate with hardware and systems teams to translate research into real robotic systems—from simulation to physical deployment
• Publish and present your work at top-tier venues (e.g., CoRL, ICRA, RSS, NeurIPS) and contribute to advancing the state of embodied AI globally
• Shape the long-term roadmap of NIO’s embodied intelligence initiative, defining the frontier of AI-powered robotics in real-world domains

Skills

• Master's or Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or related fields
• Deep understanding of robot learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, world modeling, or differentiable physics simulation
• Hands-on experience with robotic manipulation, grasp planning, tactile sensing, or multi-sensor fusion
• Proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow), and robotics middleware such as ROS2
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and publish in leading AI/robotics venues
• Strong analytical and system-building skills; ability to work across simulation, perception, control, and physical robot hardware
• Ph.D. (or Ph.D. candidate expecting graduation within 6–12 months)
• Track record of publications in top AI or robotics conferences (CoRL, ICRA, IROS, RSS, NeurIPS, CVPR, ICML)
• Experience with dexterous manipulation systems, multi-fingered hands, or grasp optimization
• Familiarity with 3D perception, neural implicit representations, or foundation models for robotics
• Experience in sim-to-real transfer, real-time control, or model-based RL
• Passion for applying AI to physical systems and creating robots that solve real problems in the real world

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Master's or Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or related fields
• Deep understanding of robot learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, world modeling, or differentiable physics simulation
• Hands-on experience with robotic manipulation, grasp planning, tactile sensing, or multi-sensor fusion
• Proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow), and robotics middleware such as ROS2
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and publish in leading AI/robotics venues
• Strong analytical and system-building skills; ability to work across simulation, perception, control, and physical robot hardware

Nice to Haves

• Ph.D. (or Ph.D. candidate expecting graduation within 6–12 months)
• Track record of publications in top AI or robotics conferences (CoRL, ICRA, IROS, RSS, NeurIPS, CVPR, ICML)
• Experience with dexterous manipulation systems, multi-fingered hands, or grasp optimization
• Familiarity with 3D perception, neural implicit representations, or foundation models for robotics
• Experience in sim-to-real transfer, real-time control, or model-based RL
• Passion for applying AI to physical systems and creating robots that solve real problems in the real world

Benefits

• Anthem Blue Cross, HSA, and Kaiser HMO medical plans with $0 for Employee OnlyCoverage.
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plan.Both provide options with a $0 paycheck contribution covering you and your eligible dependents.
• Company Paid HSA (Health Savings Account) Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Anthem Blue Cross medical plan
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with Brokerage Link option
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time
• 13 Paid Holidays a year
• Paid Parental Leave for first 8 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO)
• Paid Disability Leave for first 6 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO)
• Voluntary benefits including: Voluntary Life and AD&D options for you, your spouse/domestic partner and dependent child(ren), pet insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Mobile Cell Phone Credit
• Free lunch and snacks
• Onsite gym
• Employee discounts and perks program