---
title: 'Research Engineer (m/f/d) at Sereact'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/research-engineer-m-f-d-sereact-zurich-3b4asddr28m3'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-19'
---

# Research Engineer (m/f/d) at Sereact

- **Company:** Sereact
- **Location:** Zurich, Switzerland
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-10-16
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-19
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/sereact/94c6d20b-b204-4ee0-b3aa-894dc493a3a7

## Job description

Research Engineer, Manipulation Data & Teleoperation — Zurich This role owns the data generation layer of Sereact's VLA stack: teleoperation systems and data collection infrastructure that feed Cortex, built from our Zurich research hub.

## About Sereact

Sereact is a Series B embodied-AI company. Cortex, our VLA model, is deployed in live warehouse robotic cells across the EU and US. Zurich is our newest research hub, focused on the manipulation and control problems that sit underneath Cortex.

## The role

This is a Research Engineer position. It is scoped to the data generation layer of the VLA stack: teleoperation hardware and software, retargeting pipelines that map human demonstrations onto robot hands, and the data collection infrastructure that feeds Cortex. It requires building the systems that produce the data those models train on, and working closely with the training team on what that data needs to look like.

## What you'll do

- Build and operate teleoperation systems for dexterous manipulation, including retargeting algorithms that map human hand and arm motion onto robot end-effectors
- Design and maintain scalable, UMI-style data collection hardware and software that other engineers at Sereact rely on
- Benchmark control and retargeting approaches using rigorous, human-factors-informed methodology
- Instrument and support the physical robots deployed in the Zurich hub, including day-to-day work on the control stack
- Work with the model-training team to define what data they need and close the loop on data quality
- Build tooling or infrastructure outside your immediate brief when it unblocks the wider team

## What you'll bring

- MSc (or equivalent, in progress) in robotics, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field, with a thesis or capstone project on manipulation, teleoperation, or retargeting
- Hands-on experience building a data collection device or system for robot learning (UMI or a comparable system), not just operating one someone else built
- Working knowledge of retargeting algorithms for mapping human input onto robot hands or end-effectors
- 1 to 2 years of combined research, internship, or industry experience in robotics, mechatronics, or a related engineering discipline
- Software and systems engineering skills strong enough to build and maintain infrastructure other engineers rely on, not only research-grade prototypes
- Comfortable working as an individual contributor in a small, still-forming team

## Nice to have

- A conference submission on manipulation, teleoperation, or retargeting where the candidate is an author (an MSc thesis submitted to a venue like CoRL counts; supervising a student team whose own work was later published does not)
- Teaching or TA experience in a robotics course
- Some exposure to large-model training, even without an independent training record
- A concrete example of building something outside the formal role brief because the team needed it

Location: Zurich Area, Switzerland:

- This role is based in our Zurich office, offering a vibrant ecosystem for robotics and AI.

What We Offer:

- Free meals at the workplace.
- Flexible working hours and the option to work from home when needed.
- Direct collaboration with founders and world-leading AI experts.
- Access to large-scale compute clusters and proprietary robotic datasets.
- A key role in shaping the future of embodied AI.
- Competitive compensation and a relocation package for the Zurich area

## About Sereact

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Sereact provides an embodied AI software layer that enables autonomous robotic picking, sorting, and inspection in industrial warehousing and logistics.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B – $110M raised in May 2026)
- **Headquarters**: Stuttgart, Germany (with additional offices in Mason, Ohio, USA and Boston, Massachusetts, USA)
- **Founded**: 2021
- **Founders**: Not publicly listed (the company was founded by a team of engineers from the University of Stuttgart / ARENA2036 ecosystem)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Industrial robotics / AI software for logistics and supply chain
- **Target customers**: B2B – 3PLs, e‑commerce fulfillment centers, manufacturing, and retail enterprises
- **Mission**: “Bridging the gap between artificial intelligence and physical execution” – building the foundational software layer for the next era of industrial robotics.

## Products & Services
- **Cortex (VLAM – Vision Language Action Model)**: The core AI brain that enables zero-shot adaptation across standard 6‑axis and humanoid robot arms. Handles picking, placing, sorting, and inspection without retraining or tuning.
- **Robotic Picking**: Autonomous pick‑and‑place with 98% first‑attempt success and peak speeds >650 UPH.
- **Putwall Automation**: Batch picking and sortation for high‑throughput fulfillment.
- **Return Handling**: Automated inspection, sorting, and routing of returned items.
- **Embodied AI for Humanoids**: Dexterity module for changing tasks and mixed‑SKU environments.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed
- **Key Metric – Total Funding**: $140.78M (including $110M Series B led by Headline, closed ~May 2026)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Headline (lead Series B); customers include Daimler Truck, Material Bank, Ludwig Meister
- **Growth Signals**:
  - 50+ deployments across five continents
  - 500M+ real production picks processed
  - 99.9% uptime in live environments
  - 1 robot replaces 3–4.5 FTE, saving customers up to €111,000/month
  - Expansion into US market (offices in Ohio and Boston)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Zero‑shot adaptability**: No retraining or retooling required when SKU mix changes – works out of the box on new items.
- **Production‑proven VLAM**: Trained on millions of real‑world picks; works in brownfield sites, not just lab conditions.
- **High reliability**: 98% first‑attempt pick success, >99% uptime, minimal human intervention (1 intervention per ~53,000 picks).
- **Platform agnostic**: Supports standard 6‑axis and humanoid robot architectures.

## Strategic Focus
- Scale deployments globally, especially in the US and Europe.
- Continue advancing the Vision Language Action Model to handle increasingly complex manipulation tasks (e.g., humanoid dexterity).
- Deepen partnerships with major logistics and manufacturing players.
- Grow engineering and research teams to accelerate product development.

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: Fast‑paced, collaborative, with a strong emphasis on ownership and end‑to‑end project responsibility. Described as “uncharted territories” – ideal for engineers who want to push boundaries.
- **Flexibility**: Flexible working hours and remote/hybrid options (specific policy not detailed, but “flexible working” is listed as a standard benefit).
- **Perks**: Wellpass (wellness/fitness membership), regular team events, and a modern office in Stuttgart’s ARENA2036 innovation hub.
- **Engineering focus**: Work on cutting‑edge embodied AI, computer vision, and robotics – from research to deployment. Steep learning curve and visible impact.
- **Global exposure**: Opportunities to work across European and US teams.

## Sources
1. [sereact.ai – Homepage](https://sereact.ai/)
2. [sereact.ai – About](https://sereact.ai/about)
3. [sereact.ai – Careers](https://sereact.ai/careers)
4. [jobs.ashbyhq.com – Sereact Job Board](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/sereact)
5. [cbinsights.com – Sereact Company Profile](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/sereact)

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