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AI Robotics Researcher

Nio

San Jose, CA

  • $163,500–$212,400 per year
  • Onsite
  • Full Time
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About the role

About NIO

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.


About the Position

We are seeking exceptional AI Robotics Researchers to join our next-generation intelligent systems team—pioneering the intersection of embodied AI, dexterous robotic manipulation, and physical world understanding. This role is ideal for PhD students or recent graduates passionate about bridging fundamental AI research with real-world robotic impact—from developing generalizable models for robot perception and control to enabling dexterous robotic hands to manipulate complex objects in unstructured environments.

You will tackle challenges that lie at the heart of embodied intelligence: how robots perceive, reason, and act in the physical world. You’ll work on models that unify visual, tactile, and proprioceptive learning; build world models that enable prediction and generalization; and deploy AI-driven robots that interact safely and effectively in the real world.

Your work won’t stay on paper—you’ll see it come to life through physical robots performing complex tasks, making your research tangible, visible, and impactful across warehouses, factories, and mobility environments. This position offers the rare opportunity to combine cutting-edge research freedom with practical real-world deployment, shaping the next wave of intelligent embodied systems.

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.

    • Qualifications

  • 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.

    • Preferred Qualification

  • 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.

    • Compensation

  • 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.

    • 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