---
title: 'PhD Research Internship – Robotics Engineer (VLM / VLA Models) at Sensmore'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/phd-research-internship-robotics-engineer-vlm-vla-models-sensmore-berlin-8kmngjwfa82a'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-10'
---

# PhD Research Internship – Robotics Engineer (VLM / VLA Models) at Sensmore

- **Company:** Sensmore
- **Location:** Berlin, Germany / Potsdam, Germany
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-04-23
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-10
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/sensmore/f10f3646-7a5b-43b5-a68e-d50e43c02af3

## Job description

sensmore is a Berlin/Potsdam-based robotics startup delivering production-proven automation for industries where the world’s raw materials are extracted, moved, and processed. Its automation system transforms heavy machines into intelligent, automated robots powered by Physical AI and vertically integrates them into the full production environment: from the machine and safety infrastructure to network infrastructure, site processes, and operational interfaces. Co-developed with customers, sensmore is backed by Point Nine Capital, leading industry investors, the State of Brandenburg, and the European Union.

## Role Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to join our team as a Research Intern specializing in General Purpose AI, with a focus on Vision-Language Models and Vision-Language-Action systems. This role sits at the frontier of industrial robotics: developing scalable, general-purpose VLA systems that enable robots to perceive, reason, and act autonomously in complex heavy-industry environments. You will contribute to bridging multi-modal perception (e.g., video, radar, lidar) with robust real-world execution, while advancing state-of-the-art methods in embodied AI. Beyond engineering, this position has a strong research component, with opportunities to contribute to novel methods, publish findings, and shape the future of industrial autonomy.

## Key Responsibilities

Depending on your expertise and project priorities, you will:

Research & Method Development

- Design and develop novel approaches for Vision-Language-Action systems in real-world industrial settings
- Explore scalable architectures for multi-modal reasoning and action generation
- Contribute to advancing state-of-the-art methods in embodied AI and robotic autonomy

Multi-Modal Learning & Data Systems

- Lead the design and analysis of large-scale multi-modal datasets (video, radar, lidar, sensor fusion)
- Develop self-supervised or weakly supervised dataset generation pipelines for VLA training
- Investigate data-centric approaches to improve robustness and generalization

Model Development & Optimization

- Build, adapt, and extend cutting-edge GenAI models (e.g., VLMs, VLA frameworks)
- Apply advanced fine-tuning strategies (e.g., parameter-efficient tuning, alignment methods)
- Explore prompt optimization, reasoning augmentation, and action grounding techniques

Training, Evaluation & Benchmarking

- Design rigorous evaluation protocols for embodied AI systems in industrial contexts
- Run large-scale experiments, analyze performance, and iterate systematically
- Benchmark models against state-of-the-art approaches and internal baselines

Deployment & Systems Integration

- Collaborate with engineering teams to transition research prototypes into production-ready systems
- Optimize models for real-time inference, robustness, and safety in heavy-industry environments

Scientific Contribution

- Document findings and contribute to research publications, technical reports, or patents
- Present results internally and potentially at leading conferences

Required Qualifications

- Current enrollment in a PhD program in Robotics, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
- Strong programming skills in Python and deep learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch)
- Solid understanding of machine learning, deep learning, and multi-modal models
- Proven ability to conduct independent research and drive projects from idea to results
- Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills

## Preferred Skills & Experience

- Experience with Vision-Language Models, embodied AI, or robotics learning systems
- Familiarity with modern GenAI tooling (e.g., Hugging Face ecosystem, Gemini, Unsloth, or similar)
- Experience with multi-modal data (vision + sensor fusion)
- Background in robotics, control systems, or real-world deployment
- Track record of research output (publications, preprints, or significant research projects)
- Experience with large-scale training, distributed systems, or model optimization

Research Environment & Outlook

- Opportunity to work on high-impact, real-world robotics problems at the intersection of AI and industrial automation
- Collaboration with a multidisciplinary team spanning AI research and robotics engineering
- Potential to publish and contribute to the scientific community
- Opportunity to shape long-term research directions and transition work into real-world deployment

What We Offer:

- Build physical AI for the world's largest off-highway machinery – making them intelligent, safe, and ready for every tough task
- Join the pioneer in intelligent robotics backed by Point Nine & other Tier 1 investors
- Combine cutting-edge robotics research in end-to-end learning & Vision Language Action Model with real-world heavy mobile equipment
- Tailor your own career path, whether you like to become technical specialist or technical team lead
- Experience a great team culture, beverages, and an amazing office environment

Benefits:

- Attractive compensation package and stock options.
- Beverages on-site and regular social events.
- Engage with top-tier researchers, engineers, and thought leaders.
- Influence the future of robotic technologies and tackle significant technological challenges.
- Assistance with relocation to Berlin.

About Us: Heavy machinery, light years ahead. sensmore automates the world's largest machines with unprecedented intelligence. Our proprietary Physical AI enables heavy machines such as wheel loaders to instantly adapt to dynamic environments and execute new tasks without prior training. We integrate cutting-edge robotics into a platform powering intelligence and automation products - transforming productivity and safety for customers in mining, construction, and adjacent industries today. We are proudly backed by Point Nine and other Tier 1 investors.

## About Sensmore

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Sensmore builds an AI‑driven automation platform that retrofits heavy machinery (haul trucks, wheel loaders, etc.) into autonomous robots for mining, construction, and raw‑material operations.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed / Series A stage; last round $7.3M led by Point Nine Capital)
- **Headquarters**: Berlin, Germany (also has presence in Singapore and the UK)
- **Founded**: 2022
- **Founders**: Maximilian Rolf (CEO) and Bjarne Johannsen (CTO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Heavy machinery automation for mining, construction, aggregate, and raw‑material extraction.
- **Target customers**: B2B, focusing on large open‑pit sites, quarry operators, and industrial material handlers (e.g., CEMEX, Lhoist).
- **Mission / purpose**: “Heavy machinery. Light years ahead.” — to transform manual, dangerous operations into safe, autonomous, and efficient systems using Physical AI.

## Products & Services
- **Sensmore Site OS**: A live operational layer that gives site supervisors a single source of truth for fleet monitoring, productivity tracking, and decision support.
- **Sensmore Machine Assist**: Intelligent collision alerts and precision positioning for drivers, reducing downtime and accidents.
- **Sensmore Eye**: Vision‑based quality control and environment awareness (e.g., material composition, hazard detection).
- **Sensmore Live Mapping**: Real‑time 3D mapping of the site for planning and navigation.
- **Sensmore Loader Automation**: Full autonomous load‑and‑carry cycles for Load‑Haul‑Dump (LHD) machines (currently in field testing).

All products are modular, retrofittable, and powered by an end‑to‑end AI stack (cameras, 4D radar, and multimodal reasoning).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation / Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed.
- **Key Metric**: **Total Funding** – $10.3‑$13.7M (reports vary; latest round $7.3M announced May 2025). Sources: [CB Insights](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/sensmore), [LinkedIn](https://de.linkedin.com/company/sensmore).
- **Notable Investors / Partners**:
  - Lead: Point Nine Capital
  - Additional: Acequia Capital, Tiny Supercomputer Investment Company, Prototype Capital, Entrepreneur First
  - Notable angels: Amar Shah (Wayve), Michael Wax (Forto), Arnoud Balhuizen (former CCO BHP), Elmar Leiblein (former CEO Thyssenkrupp Mining)
  - Non‑dilutive funding from the State of Brandenburg and the European Union
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Employee headcount grew 100% YoY (15 people as of mid‑2025); 13 current job openings
  - Customer rollouts at several of Europe’s largest open‑pit sites (e.g., CEMEX and Lhoist)
  - First fully automated LHD machine undergoing field testing, performing complete cycles without human intervention
  - Monthly job postings grew 18.2%, quarterly +160%

## Competitive Advantages
- **Full‑system provider**: Sensmore retrofits hardware and proprietary AI software onto existing heavy machines — no need to buy new autonomous equipment.
- **Physical AI approach**: Combines vision, language, and action models (think Wayve for cars but for industrial machinery) enabling real‑time adaptation without prior training.
- **Co‑development model**: Automation systems are built and tested alongside operators on live sites, ensuring practical, field‑ready solutions.
- **Harsh‑condition reliability**: Uses 4D radar + cameras + AI to maintain performance in dust, darkness, and extreme weather.

## Strategic Focus
- **Immediate**: Expand field deployments and further harden the autonomous LHD system for commercial launch.
- **Medium‑term**: Grow the modular product suite (Machine Assist, Eye, Site OS) to generate recurring data and revenue while building toward full autonomy.
- **Long‑term**: Become the operating system for raw‑material sites worldwide — connecting machines, people, and data into a single intelligent platform.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Early‑stage, research‑driven robotics startup with a “customer‑first, field‑first” mindset. Engineers work on real hardware that directly improves safety and productivity.
- **Work environment**: Based in Berlin/Potsdam, Germany; likely hybrid (office presence for hardware work). Technical team makes up ~75% of headcount (12 of 15 people).
- **Open roles**: 13 active positions in robotics simulation, hardware engineering, AI/ML, state estimation, and mechatronics (see [jobs.ashbyhq.com/sensmore](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/sensmore)).
- **Perks / highlights**: Opportunity to work on embodied AI at the intersection of robotics and heavy industry; backed by top VCs and industry veterans; strong emphasis on safety and real‑world impact.

## Sources
1. [sensmore.ai](https://www.sensmore.ai/)
2. [sensmore Careers](https://www.sensmore.ai/careers)
3. [LinkedIn – sensmore](https://de.linkedin.com/company/sensmore)
4. [CB Insights – sensmore profile](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/sensmore)
5. [Pulse 2.0 – “sensmore: $7.3 Million Raised For Turning Machines Into Intelligent Robots”](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/sensmore) (via CB Insights)

## Other roles at Sensmore

- [Technical Founder's Associate (Berlin, on-site)](https://feeny.ai/job/technical-founder-s-associate-berlin-on-site-sensmore-berlin-vnwsx2998q1m) — Berlin, Germany / Potsdam, Germany
- [Working Student - Mechatronics Assembly Technician (20 hrs)](https://feeny.ai/job/working-student-mechatronics-assembly-technician-20-hrs-sensmore-potsdam-zyf5zzb44fjp) — Potsdam, Germany
- [Electronics / Embedded Robotics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/electronics-embedded-robotics-engineer-sensmore-potsdam-r3s2w54kg9j2) — Potsdam, Germany
- [Machine Learning Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/machine-learning-engineer-sensmore-berlin-9be9zmbh48vy) — Berlin, Germany
- [Robotics Hardware Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-hardware-engineer-sensmore-potsdam-qztshxr9tfvc) — Potsdam, Germany
- [Robotics Engineer - AI](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-ai-sensmore-potsdam-bnjm8gv8kbeb) — Potsdam, Germany
- [Robotics State Estimation Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-state-estimation-engineer-sensmore-potsdam-nxvgrha5y001) — Potsdam, Germany
- [ML Ops / Data Engineer - Robotics](https://feeny.ai/job/ml-ops-data-engineer-robotics-sensmore-potsdam-61t8514rbfzz) — Potsdam, Germany
- [Robotics Engineer - Vision Language Action Model](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-vision-language-action-model-sensmore-berlin-mwerx1aj7ebb) — Berlin, Germany / Potsdam, Germany
- [Robotics Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/robotics-engineer-sensmore-berlin-y9ddefcrt2sw) — Berlin, Germany