Research Scientist
- Pay
- $150,000 – $250,000 per year
- Location
- San Francisco, CA · On-site
- Job type
- Full-time
- Level
- Mid-level
- Experience
- 3+ years
- Education
- Master's degree
- Listed
- 31 days ago
Skills & highlights for this role
- reinforcement learning
- imitation learning
- PyTorch
- robot autonomy software
Also useful
- Ray
- TensorFlow
- simulation-to-reality transfer
Stated benefits & perks
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Daily meals stipend
What you'll do
- Design and develop robot autonomy software stack and algorithms to enable capabilities including grasping and more dexterous behaviors in unstructured environments
- Research and implement state-of-the-art robot learning policies, including reinforcement learning and imitation learning-based techniques
- Build reliable, high-speed robot autonomy software stack optimized for inference performance
- Design and maintain robust data collection and curation pipelines for production robot fleets
- Optimize robot policies for distributed training at scale and real-time edge deployment
- Ship production quality, safety-critical software
- Advance SOTA dexterous manipulation research through novel methodologies while bridging theory & practice-real customer use-cases with clear success criteria.
Required Qualifications
- PhD or MS degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Robotics, or equivalent technical discipline
- Deep expertise in machine learning fundamentals, reinforcement learning, and associated frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, Ray, etc.)
- 3+ years of proven track record developing and deploying ML systems from research through production implementation
- Hands-on experience with model lifecycle management including training, deployment, and maintenance in production settings
Preferred Qualifications
- Authored or co-authored peer-reviewed publications in robotics or related fields
- Hands-on experience designing and implementing bimanual manipulation tech stacks with imitation learning or RL-based methods
- Background in real-time ML inference systems, simulation-to-reality transfer, or advanced reinforcement learning implementations
Benefits
We support publishing at top robotics/ML venues and presenting at conferences (travel + time fully covered).
- Medical, dental & vision plans
- Daily meals stipend
- Hiring Process
- Phone screen + 3 virtual technical interviews + onsite
Expected Compensation $150,000 - $250,000 annual salary + cash and stock awards + benefits
- The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.
- The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role.
- This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.
From Deft AI, Inc.'s careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 10, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.
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Common questions
What is the salary for the Research Scientist role at Deft AI, Inc.?
The Research Scientist posting at Deft AI, Inc. states compensation of $150,000 – $250,000 per year. It is listed as a full-time position. Final pay may depend on location, experience, and interview evaluation on Deft AI, Inc.'s official career site.
Where is the Research Scientist job at Deft AI, Inc. located?
This Research Scientist position at Deft AI, Inc. is located in San Francisco, CA (On-site). Always check Deft AI, Inc.'s application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.
What qualifications are required for Research Scientist at Deft AI, Inc.?
For the Research Scientist role, Deft AI, Inc. highlights 3+ years of relevant experience; a master's degree; experience with reinforcement learning, imitation learning, PyTorch, robot autonomy software. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.
How do I apply for the Research Scientist position at Deft AI, Inc.?
This listing links directly to Deft AI, Inc.'s Ashby application page. You can apply directly on Deft AI, Inc.'s site, or use Rolev.ai to check your resume fit, generate a zero-hallucination tailored resume and cover letter for this posting, and autofill the Ashby application form in 1 click with the Rolev.ai Chrome extension. You always review the form and press Submit yourself.