About this role
Bridging the gap between high-level artificial intelligence and the physical constraints of hardware requires robust control systems that ensure reliable robot behavior. The Robotics team at OpenAI addresses this challenge by integrating advanced software with physical form factors to push toward general-purpose robotics.
In this foundational role, the engineer will architect, implement, and tune the control infrastructure for robotic platforms, working extensively with real-time systems, actuation, and dynamics. Responsibilities include designing motion control algorithms, collaborating with machine learning teams to deploy reinforcement learning models, and spending significant time onsite debugging hardware.
Candidates who succeed here possess a strong background in classical control, system dynamics, and robot estimation, paired with the ability to write performant code in C++ or Rust. Someone who thrives in a hands-on environment and enjoys moving rapidly between simulation and real-world experimentation will find a strong fit.
What you will do
- Design and implement real-time control algorithms for robotic systems, covering motion control, feedback loops, state estimation, actuator control, and subsystem tuning.
- Define the complete control architecture ranging from low-level actuators and hardware interfaces to whole-robot behavior and policy.
- Characterize actuator, hardware, and software parameters through rigorous experimentation, testing, commissioning, and verification.
- Partner with machine learning engineers to integrate and implement reinforcement learning models.
- Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, and software engineering teams to combine control logic with sensing and actuation hardware.
- Inform mechanical and electrical design choices to maximize overall system capability and flexibility.
What you need
- Demonstrated background in robotics, including experience with manipulators, mobile robots, or other complex physical systems.
- Practical experience with actuation, control systems, robot dynamics, estimation, subsystem tuning, or whole-body motion.
- Strong fundamentals in classical control, system dynamics, and estimation, alongside exposure to modern learning-based or reinforcement learning approaches.
- Ability to work across the technical stack from low-level actuator behavior to higher-level algorithms and whole-robot performance.
- Experience writing performant production-quality software using C++ or Rust.
- Comfort and familiarity with hands-on robotic hardware work, including commissioning, debugging, testing, and iterating on real systems.
Benefits
- Offers Equity
Skills and tech stack
Questions candidates ask
Where is this role located and what is the remote policy?
This role is based in San Francisco, CA, and requires in-person attendance 5 days a week.
What is the salary range for this position?
The salary range for this position is $380K – $460K with offered equity.
What programming languages are required for the software development work?
Engineers are required to have experience writing performant production-quality software in C++ or Rust.
What does the team actually focus on building?
The Robotics team focuses on unlocking general-purpose robotics and pushing towards AGI-level intelligence in dynamic, real-world settings by integrating cutting-edge hardware and software.