Application Open:
Full-Time
Job Purpose:
MBZUAI is seeking an engineer to design and implement advanced robotic policy and action planning systems that create natural, human-like behavior for neurally-controlled humanoid robot embodiments. You will develop shared autonomy systems that seamlessly blend human intent with intelligent robotic assistance, enabling tetraplegic patients to perform complex manipulation tasks with unprecedented naturalness and safety.
Key Responsibilities:
Policy and Action Planning Architecture:
- Design real-time policy planners that generate smooth, anthropomorphic behaviors for humanoid robot arms.
- Develop shared teleoperation systems that blend neural commands with autonomous assistance.
- Create adaptive planning algorithms that compensate for neural signal variability and decoding errors.
- Implement safety-critical planning systems with collision avoidance and constraint enforcement.
Human-Inspired Control Systems:
- Model and mimic human neuromuscular control patterns in humanoid robotic systems.
- Develop impedance and admittance control schemes that replicate natural human arm dynamics.
- Create feedforward-feedback control architectures that handle environmental disturbances.
- Design control systems that incorporate human digital twin models for personalized behavior.
Manipulation & Grasp Planning:
- Implement advanced grasp planning algorithms for diverse object geometries and materials.
- Develop force control systems that enable delicate manipulation of fragile objects.
- Create adaptive grasping strategies that adjust to object properties and task requirements.
- Design real-time skill adaptation systems that respond to environmental changes.
Simulation & Safety Systems:
- Build high-fidelity simulation environments for policy testing and validation.
- Develop comprehensive safety algorithms including emergency stops and fail-safes.
- Create virtual training environments for patients to practice neural control.
- Implement predictive safety systems that anticipate and prevent dangerous situations.
Project Statistics & Reporting:
- Monitor and evaluate project milestones and deliverables, ensuring accurate tracking of task completion and adherence to timelines.
- Compile and present concise reports and performance dashboards for management and stakeholders, highlighting progress, risks, and outcomes.
- Generate actionable insights from project data to optimize execution, resource utilization, and overall research effectiveness.
Other Duties:
- Perform all other duties as reasonably directed by the line manager that are commensurate with these functional objectives.
Academic Qualification:
- Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related field.
- A postgraduate degree will be strongly preferred.
Professional Experience:
Essential
- Minimum 2 years of experience with robotic systems and control implementation, or a related technical field.
- Strong programming skills in C++ and Python, experience with ROS.
- Knowledge of control theory, kinematics, and dynamics.
- Experience with motion planning and real-time control systems.
- Hands-on experience with robotic hardware integration.
Preferred
- Experience with robotic manipulation and force control.
- Background in shared autonomy or human-robot interaction.
- Knowledge of safety systems and fail-safe implementations.
- Experience with simulation environments (Gazebo, MuJoCo, Isaac Sim).
- Familiarity with assistive robotics or medical applications.
