AI Robotics Researcher at NIO USA, INC (San Jose, CA)AI Robotics Researcher

NIO Inc. is a pioneer and a leading company in the global smart electric vehicle market. Founded in November 2014, NIO aspires to shape a sustainable and brighter future with the mission of “Blue Sky Coming”. NIO envisions itself as a user enterprise where innovative technology meets experience excellence. NIO designs, develops, manufactures and sells smart electric vehicles, driving innovations in next-generation core technologies. NIO distinguishes itself through continuous technological breakthroughs and innovations, exceptional products and services, and a community for shared growth. NIO provides premium smart electric vehicles under the NIO brand, premium smart electric vehicles for families through the ONVO brand, and small smart high-end electric cars with the FIREFLY brand.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Conduct original research in embodied AI, robotic manipulation, and world modeling—including perception, planning, and control.
• Develop and evaluate large-scale multimodal models that integrate vision, language, proprioception, and tactile inputs for real-world robotic tasks.
• Create and prototype algorithms for dexterous robotic hands, contact-rich manipulation, and adaptive task generalization.
• Explore methods for sim-to-real transfer, self-supervised physical interaction learning, and reinforcement learning in dynamic environments.
• Collaborate with hardware and systems teams to translate research into real robotic systems—from simulation to physical deployment.
• Publish and present your work at top-tier venues (e.g., CoRL, ICRA, RSS, NeurIPS) and contribute to advancing the state of embodied AI globally.
• Shape the long-term roadmap of NIO’s embodied intelligence initiative, defining the frontier of AI-powered robotics in real-world domains.

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Robotics, Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, or related fields.
• Deep understanding of robot learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, world modeling, or differentiable physics simulation.
• Hands-on experience with robotic manipulation, grasp planning, tactile sensing, or multi-sensor fusion.
• Proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow), and robotics middleware such as ROS2.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct independent research and publish in leading AI/robotics venues.
• Strong analytical and system-building skills; ability to work across simulation, perception, control, and physical robot hardware.

• Ph.D. (or Ph.D. candidate expecting graduation within 6–12 months).
• Track record of publications in top AI or robotics conferences (CoRL, ICRA, IROS, RSS, NeurIPS, CVPR, ICML).
• Experience with dexterous manipulation systems, multi-fingered hands, or grasp optimization.
• Familiarity with 3D perception, neural implicit representations, or foundation models for robotics.
• Experience in sim-to-real transfer, real-time control, or model-based RL.
• Passion for applying AI to physical systems and creating robots that solve real problems in the real world.

• Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.
• Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only. It does not include discretionary bonus, equity, or benefits.

Along with competitive pay, as a full-time NIO employee, you are eligible for the following benefits on the first day you join NIO:

• Anthem Blue Cross, HSA, and Kaiser HMO medical plans with $0 for Employee Only Coverage.
• Dental (including orthodontic coverage) and vision plan.  Both provide options with a $0 paycheck contribution covering you and your eligible dependents.
• Company Paid HSA (Health Savings Account) Contribution when enrolled in the High Deductible Anthem Blue Cross medical plan
• Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• 401(k) with Brokerage Link option
• Company paid Basic Life, AD&D, short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Sick and Vacation time
• 13 Paid Holidays a year
• Paid Parental Leave for first 8 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO)
• Paid Disability Leave for first 6 weeks at full pay (eligible after 90 days of employment with NIO)
• Voluntary benefits including: Voluntary Life and AD&D options for you, your spouse/domestic partner and dependent child(ren), pet insurance
• Commuter benefits
• Mobile Cell Phone Credit
• Free lunch and snacks
• Onsite gym
• Employee discounts and perks program