Senior Research Scientist, Multimodal Foundation Models and Robotics

at Nvidia

USD 192,000-356,500 per year

SENIOR

✅ On-site

Tech Stack
Tag name is followed by "@" symbol and proficiency level value. About proficiency levels:

1-2 — basic awareness. Minimal hands-on experience, and a rudimentary understanding of the technology's purpose;

3-6 — daily use. Comfortable and regular usage, capable of handling common tasks and challenges related to the technology;

7-9 — you are an expert, you can teach others, you know all the pitfalls and tricks;

10 — exceptional knowledge, comprehensive understanding, and adeptness in all aspects of the technology, including advanced problem-solving. Think twice before claiming or demanding such level.

AI @ 4 Algorithms @ 4 CUDA @ 6 JAX @ 7 LLM Machine Learning @ 4 PyTorch @ 7 Python @ 6 Reinforcement Learning @ 4 Robotics @ 4 TensorFlow @ 7

Details

NVIDIA is seeking a Senior Research Scientist to build humanoid robot foundation models and systems in the Generalist Embodied Agent Research (GEAR) group. The team develops general-purpose embodied agents that learn to explore and master complex skills across virtual and physical worlds.

The research team works on multimodal foundation models, large-scale robot learning, game AI, and physical simulation. Previous projects include Eureka, VIMA, Voyager, MineDojo, MimicPlay, Prismer, and Project GR00T, a foundation model for humanoid robots.

Responsibilities

Design and implement novel AI algorithms and models for general-purpose humanoid robots and embodied agents.
Develop large-scale AI training and inference methods for foundation models.
Optimize and deploy AI models in physical simulation and on robot hardware.
Collaborate with research and engineering teams across NVIDIA to transfer research into products and services.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent research experience.
Five years of relevant work or research experience in multimodal foundation models, robotics, or both.
For multimodal foundation models:
- Hands-on training experience and publications in at least one of the following areas: large language models, large vision-language models, video generative models and diffusion algorithms, or action-based transformers.
- Strong engineering skills in rapid prototyping and model training frameworks such as PyTorch, JAX, or TensorFlow.
- Required Python proficiency; C++ and CUDA proficiency is a plus.
- Experience working with large-scale machine learning and AI systems and compute infrastructure.
For robotics:
- Hands-on training experience and publications in robot learning, including reinforcement learning, imitation learning, or classical control methods.
- Strong programming skills in Python, C++, ROS, and machine learning frameworks such as PyTorch.
- Deep understanding of robot kinematics, dynamics, and sensors.
- Ability to safely operate robot hardware, lab equipment, and tools.
- Knowledge of PID, model predictive control, and whole-body control.
- Familiarity with physics simulation frameworks such as MuJoCo and Isaac Sim.
- Robot hardware design and hands-on building experience.

Compensation and Benefits

The base salary is determined by location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is USD 192,000–304,750 for Level 4 and USD 224,000–356,500 for Level 5. The role is also eligible for equity and benefits.

Applications will be accepted at least until January 13, 2026. This posting is for an existing vacancy. NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes and is an equal opportunity employer.