RAI Institute

Director of Robotic Manipulation

Reposted 23 Days Ago

Be an Early Applicant

Cambridge, MA

In-Office

Expert/Leader

Artificial Intelligence • Robotics

The Role

Lead and develop advanced robotic manipulation systems while managing a large team, integrating diverse engineering efforts towards innovative robotic capabilities.

Summary Generated by Built In

Our Mission

Our mission is to solve the most important and fundamental challenges in AI and Robotics to enable future generations of intelligent machines that will help us all live better lives.

Overview:

The Director of Robotic Manipulation will spearhead the development of advanced dexterous robotic manipulation systems at the Robotics and AI Institute. This role is ideal for a technically exceptional, hands-on leader with a strong foundation in robotics research, deep experience in system-level architecture, and a proven ability to orchestrate complex engineering organizations. As the most senior leader in our manipulation group, you will manage and oversee the design, development, and integration of cutting-edge manipulation capabilities. You’ll set the technical vision, unify project efforts across teams, and serve as the architect and orchestrator aligning system architecture, research, and deployment goals to deliver breakthrough physical interaction and autonomous behavior in robotic systems.

Responsibilities:

Lead the end-to-end development of robotic manipulation capabilities, from perception and planning to low-level control and physical integration
Manager and mentor a 40+ person organization, including 5 Managers and their multidisciplinary engineering teams (software, hardware, research). Collaborate closely with research, hardware, planning, and software teams to ensure seamless integration of manipulation solutions into broader robotic systems.
Work with the team to set the technical vision and system architecture for advanced dexterous manipulation, ensuring alignment across all active projects.
Manage both traditional and modern methods, integrating motion planning, control theory, and learning-based approaches into cohesive behavior pipelines.
Act as a technical and organizational leader harmonizing multiple ongoing initiatives into a unified strategic roadmap.
Structure priorities and team focus around the most impactful technical and business challenges.
Represent the manipulation organization in cross-functional forums, communicating risks, progress, and strategic direction clearly to stakeholders.

Requirements:

Ph.D. (or equivalent experience) in Robotics, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
15+ years of experience in robotics, including leading technical or research organizations with multiple teams and managers.
Deep expertise in robotic manipulation, including areas such as machine learning, motion planning, compliant control, tactile sensing, and behavior design.
Strong foundation in both classical robotics and modern AI/ML-based methods for control and perception.
Demonstrated success in architecting complex robotic systems and leading their development through to execution.
Proven ability to inspire, mentor, and lead high-performance technical team.
Systems-level thinker, comfortable diving into all layers of the robotics stack from mechanical design to algorithms and infrastructure.
Outstanding communication and collaboration skills, with a track record of working across disciplines and organizations.
Passion for innovation, real-world impact, and developing the next generation of roboticists.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.