July 1, 2025
Senior RL Controls Scientist, Dynamic Systems and Control
Senior • On-site
$150,400 - $260,000/yr
Sunnyvale, CA
DESCRIPTION
Amazon Lab126 is an inventive research and development company that designs and engineers high-profile consumer electronics. Lab126 began in 2004 as a subsidiary of Amazon.com, Inc., originally creating the best-selling Kindle family of products. Since then, we have produced innovative devices like Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and the Astro household robot. What will you help us create?
As a Senior Reinforcement Learning Controls Scientist, you will be responsible for developing Reinforcement Learning models to control complex electromechanical systems. You will take responsibility for defining frameworks, performing analysis, and training models that guide and inform mechanical and electrical designs, software implementation, and other software modules that affect overall device safety and performance. You understand trade-offs between model-based and model-free approaches. You will demonstrate cross-functional collaboration and influence to accomplish your goals. You will play a role in defining processes and methods to improve the productivity of the entire team. You will interface with Amazon teams outside your immediate organization to collaborate and share knowledge. You will investigate applicable academic and industry research, prototype and test solutions to support product features, and design and validate production designs that deliver an exceptional user experience.
Key job responsibilities
- Produce models and simulations of complex, high degree-of-freedom dynamic electromechanical systems
- Train Reinforcement Learning control policies that achieve performance targets within hardware and software constraints
- Hands-on prototyping and testing of physical systems in the lab
- Influence hardware and software design decisions owned by other teams to optimize system-level performance
- Lead cross-functional teams (controls, firmware, perception, planning, sensors, mechanical, electrical, etc.) to solve complex system integration issues
- Define key performance indicators and allocate error budgets across hardware and software modules
- Perform root cause analysis of system-level failures and distinguish between hardware/software failures and hardware/software mitigations
- Translate business requirements to engineering requirements and identify trade-offs and sensitivities
- Mentor junior engineers in good design practice; actively participate in hiring of new team members
About the team
The Dynamic Systems and Control team develops models, algorithms, and code to bridge hardware and software development teams and bring robotic products to life. We contributed to Amazon Astro (https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Amazon-Astro/dp/B078NSDFSB) and Echo Show 10 (https://www.amazon.com/echo-show-10/dp/B07VHZ41L8/), along with several new technology introductions and unannounced products currently in development.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS
- PhD, or Master's degree and 6+ years of applied research experience
- 4+ years of building machine learning models for business application experience
- Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language
- Experience with neural deep learning methods and machine learning
- Experience with designing reward functions and tuning hyperparameters for reinforcement learning control policies for high degree-of-freedom dynamic systems
- Experience with domain randomization in physics-based simulation environments for dynamic systems and bridging the sim2real gap
- Experience serving as a technical lead and mentor
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Publication record in high-impact robotics journals and conferences
- Experience with model-based controls and gait planning for high degree-of-freedom dynamic systems
- Experience with robotic manipulation: impedance control, admittance control, operational space control, joint space control, etc.
- Experience with the complete product lifecycle development from early concept to prototype to production
- Experience with specification and selection of sensors, actuators, and electromechanical+software architecture
- Experience with Functional Safety, including design, implementation, verification, and validation of safety functions
- Experience training, fine-tuning, deploying, and validating robotic foundation models
- Experience shipping control algorithms or models in high-volume or consumer systems
Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.
Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.
Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $150,400/year in our lowest geographic market up to $260,000/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. For more information, please visit https://www.aboutamazon.com/workplace/employee-benefits. This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.
