Job Description
Are you ready to push the boundaries of Embodied AI and autonomous systems? The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) invites applications for a highly motivated Senior Scientist to join the Advanced Robotics Technology Centre (ARTC) in Singapore. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of contact-rich robotics through groundbreaking research in Learning from Demonstration (LfD).
As a Senior Scientist, you will spearhead core research initiatives that bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI algorithms and complex real-world robotic manipulation. You will leverage your deep expertise in LfD, imitation learning, and reinforcement learning to enable robots to master intricate, contact-rich tasks. The role requires a blend of theoretical depth and practical rigor, from designing novel machine learning architectures to deploying and validating sophisticated control systems on advanced robotic platforms.
At A*STAR ARTC, you will collaborate with a diverse team of world-class researchers and engineers, working closely with industry partners to translate innovations into tangible impacts for Singapore's manufacturing and logistics sectors. You will have access to state-of-the-art facilities and will be encouraged to publish your work in leading international conferences and journals. If you are passionate about creating intelligent systems that can learn from human demonstration and operate seamlessly in the physical world, this is the role for you.
Join us in building the future of intelligent automation. Your work will directly contribute to Singapore's Smart Nation vision, driving efficiency, safety, and new capabilities across industries.
Responsibilities
- Lead the design and implementation of advanced Learning from Demonstration (LfD) and Imitation Learning algorithms for contact-rich robotic manipulation tasks.
- Develop and maintain simulation environments and real-world robotic testbeds to validate autonomous systems.
- Conduct rigorous experimental validation of novel AI models, analyzing performance, robustness, and transferability across tasks.
- Publish high-quality research in top-tier peer-reviewed journals and international conferences (e.g., ICRA, IROS, RSS, NeurIPS).
- Mentor and guide a team of Research Engineers and PhD interns, fostering a culture of scientific excellence and innovation.
- Collaborate with industrial partners to identify use cases and translate research outcomes into deployable solutions.
- Contribute to the strategic research direction of the ARTC group and assist in securing competitive research funding through grant proposals.
Qualifications
- PhD in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related field.
- Deep theoretical and practical expertise in at least one of the following areas: Learning from Demonstration, Reinforcement Learning, or Contact-Rich Manipulation.
- Strong publication record demonstrating independent research capability in top-tier AI/Robotics conferences and journals.
- Proficiency in Python and C++, with experience using frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow, and robotics middleware (ROS/ROS2).
- Hands-on experience with real robotic hardware (e.g., collaborative robot arms, force-torque sensors, dexterous grippers) is highly desirable.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary team environment.
- Keen interest in translating fundamental research to solve practical industry challenges in manufacturing and logistics.