Robotics Lab Support Engineer

Aquent, a leading talent solutions partner, is excited to collaborate with a global innovator who is actively shaping the future of manufacturing. This pioneering organization stands at the forefront of developing groundbreaking physical AI systems capable of autonomously managing vast operational networks. Their advanced Robotics AI division is where cutting-edge AI research, sophisticated robotics engineering, robust data infrastructure, and global manufacturing imperatives converge. Through this impactful work, they are building high-reliability testing environments crucial for advancing next-generation manipulation policies that will revolutionize industries worldwide.

Are you ready to be the pivotal force accelerating the future of robotics and AI in manufacturing? We are seeking a highly motivated and hands-on engineer to join a revolutionary team dedicated to transforming how intelligent physical systems operate. In this critical role, you will be the essential link connecting software deployment, mechanical fabrication, sensor integration, teleoperation, and daily laboratory operations. Your expertise will directly ensure that a state-of-the-art robotics laboratory runs with unparalleled efficiency, safety, and repeatability, enabling breakthrough innovations that will impact global production lines. This is more than a support role; it's an opportunity to drive progress, troubleshoot challenges, and meticulously build the foundations for AI that interacts with the physical world, making a tangible impact on the future of automation.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the daily readiness of robotics workstations, sensor packages, computer systems, power infrastructure, and safety protocols to ensure seamless ongoing experiments and evaluations.
• Rapidly diagnose and resolve basic hardware, power, signal, or network connectivity issues, facilitating smooth setup changes between experimental runs.
• Coordinate essential logistics with facilities and security teams, including managing room utilization, power requirements, storage solutions, equipment receiving, and access control.
• Manage comprehensive inventory of experimental components, cultivating vendor relationships for ordering, shipping, warranty claims, service, and returns.
• Uphold the highest safety standards through meticulous maintenance of standard operating procedures (SOPs), test notes, issue logs, and thorough documentation.
• Execute hands-on teleoperation and structured data collection using specialized interfaces and custom rigs for tasks ranging from precision pick-and-place to complex assembly sequences.
• Ensure data integrity through structured capture, meticulous annotation, comprehensive quality checks, and dataset cleaning for advanced imitation learning models.
• Support rigorous policy evaluations on physical hardware, meticulously logging failure modes, tracking operational metrics, and synthesizing comprehensive evaluation summaries.
• Design and fabricate custom camera mounts, brackets, fixtures, and hardware modifications utilizing CAD software, advanced 3D printing (FDM/SLA), and a range of workshop tools.
• Conduct precise camera calibration, sensor synchronization, coordinate frame setups, and capture high-quality stereo/RGB-D datasets under controlled visual and lighting conditions.
• Iterate and refine physical components to enhance rigidity, spatial positioning, usability, and the overall repeatability of experiments.
• Navigate Ubuntu/Linux terminal environments with ease, utilizing Git, Bash, and Python scripts for running test routines, parsing logs, and data inspection.
• Facilitate basic ROS 2 workflows and execute deployment SOPs to flash and run software and models on robotic hardware.
• Configure and validate simulation environments, including tools like NVIDIA Isaac Sim, to support robust sim-to-real development workflows.

What You'll Bring to the Team

• An educational foundation or equivalent practical experience in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Computer Science, or a closely related technical discipline.
• Demonstrated expertise in maintaining sophisticated robotics laboratory environments, including adherence to safety SOPs, meticulous inventory management, and ensuring hardware readiness.
• Proven practical experience with teleoperation setups, structured dataset collection, and quality control methodologies for robotic manipulation tasks.
• Hands-on proficiency in CAD modeling, 3D printing, and mechanical prototyping techniques for fabricating custom mounts, brackets, and test rigs.
• Experience with camera calibration, coordinate frame transformations, and processing RGB-D or stereo-camera datasets.
• Strong operational proficiency within Ubuntu/Linux terminal environments, coupled with working knowledge of Python, Bash scripting, Git, and introductory ROS 2 workflows.

Bonus Points

• A foundational understanding of imitation learning principles, computer vision pipelines, and the structure of robotics training datasets.
• Familiarity with prominent robotics simulation tools such as NVIDIA Isaac Sim and Gazebo.
• Practical experience managing external vendors, procurement processes, and collaborating with facilities management in industrial or research environments.
• Experience with basic electrical prototyping, wire harness assembly, and troubleshooting connectivity issues.

Who You Are

• You are the quintessential "Hands-On Fixer," equally comfortable moving between CAD design, utilizing power tools, navigating Linux terminals, and operating robot arms to solve complex problems.
• You embody the "Methodical Operator," understanding that the development of exceptional AI models hinges on disciplined, repeatable physical experiment setups, impeccably clean datasets, and strict adherence to SOPs.
• You are a "Cross-Functional Facilitator," possessing outstanding communication skills to effectively collaborate with software engineers, AI researchers, facilities staff, and external vendors, consistently minimizing downtime and ensuring experiments progress without interruption.