Descrição
Job Description
At General Motors, our product teams are redefining mobility. Through a human-centered design process, we create vehicles and experiences that are designed not just to be seen, but to be felt. We’re turning today’s impossible into tomorrow’s standard — from breakthrough hardware and battery systems to intuitive design, intelligent software, and next-generation safety and entertainment features.
Every day, our products move millions of people as we aim to make driving safer, smarter, and more connected, shaping the future of transportation on a global scale.
Role Summary
The Senior Robotics Researcher will drive advanced robotics research and development to support GM’s future manufacturing and product strategies. This role combines deep technical expertise, hands-on experimentation, and close collaboration with cross-functional partners to create innovative, scalable robotic solutions for complex industrial applications.
Key Responsibilities
- Generate innovative concepts, propose and lead R&D projects, and evaluate emerging technologies to address critical business and technical needs.
- Lead research and experiments to collect data, validate concepts, and advance state-of-the-art solutions in your domain.
- Produce high-quality research reports, external publications, and records of invention that clearly document new ideas and research results.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of industry and academic developments to continually grow core technical skills and competencies.
- Build and manage strong partnerships with divisional teams and stakeholders to align on objectives and deliverables.
- Ensure proper laboratory safety practices, including use and maintenance of personal protective equipment, and clear communication of laboratory hazards.
- Execute complex technical and special assignments with minimal guidance.
- Support lab leadership in identifying megatrends in technology and business strategies across the automotive sector and related industries.
- Contribute to GM’s strategic response to emerging threats and opportunities in robotics and automation.
- Represent GM as a technical leader in external technical and business communities (e.g., conferences, standards bodies, industry consortia).
- Lead technical discussions, design reviews, and peer reviews as an expert in your field, clearly communicating results and progress across the organization.
- Continuously grow and diversify your skills and technical competencies.
- Demonstrate in-depth knowledge of state-of-the-art research in specialized robotics domains and consistently exhibit innovative thinking and strong cross-functional partnership.
Required Qualifications
- Master’s degree required in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
- PhD preferred in a related discipline with a focus on robotics, controls, or intelligent systems.
- 3–5 years of experience as an individual researcher in robotics or closely related areas.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills, with a track record of clear technical documentation and presentations.
Technical Skills & Experience
- Robot kinematics and dynamics: forward/inverse kinematics, advanced kinematic modeling, and novel robot configuration development.
- Robot motion and trajectory planning: time-optimal, collision-free, and constraint-aware path planning.
- Robot control methods: position, velocity, force/torque, impedance, and vision-based control.
- Closed-loop and automatic control: stability, overshoot, path accuracy, and control tuning for industrial systems.
- Multi-robot systems: coordination, collaboration, and synchronization of multiple robots.
- Industrial articulated robots: programming, commissioning, and optimization for processing, assembly, and material handling.
- Industrial mobile robots: navigation, coordination, and integration into manufacturing environments.
- Industrial hardware and system integration: hardware design, system configuration, and integration of robots, sensors, and controllers.
- Fanuc robot programming: advanced applications using KAREL and related toolsets.
- ROS-based control architectures: development of robot control stacks and integration with industrial systems.
- Digital twins and offline programming: expert-level modeling, simulation, and offline programming of robotic systems.
- Physical behavior of robotic systems: understanding thermal growth, vibration, stability, path accuracy, and dynamic effects.
- End-to-end AI for robot control: data-driven and learning-based control strategies for industrial applications.
- Modular and hybrid control schemes: combining classical control with AI while ensuring reliability, explainability, and safety.
- Industrial application development: robotic solutions for processing, assembly, and material handling.
Manipulation & End-Effector Expertise
- Gripper and end-effector design: vacuum, mechanical, soft-robotic, and hybrid grippers.
- Handling challenging materials and parts, including:
- Flexible materials (e.g., cardboard, wiring harnesses)
- Deformable parts (e.g., seals, trims)
- Large rigid structures (e.g., closures, castings)
- Grasp planning under uncertainty: robust strategies for variable pose, compliance, and contact conditions.
- In-process manipulation: integrated manipulation with processes such as welding and other value-add operations.
Esta função é classificada como híbrida. Isso significa que o candidato selecionado deverá trabalhar no escritório/fábrica da GM pelo menos 3 vezes por semana {ou outra frequência ditada por seu gerente}.
Esta posição pode ser elegível para benefícios de relocação.
Informações sobre diversidade
A General Motors está comprometida em ser um local de trabalho que não só é livre de discriminação ilegal, como estimula verdadeiramente a inclusão e integração. Acreditamos enfaticamente que a diversidade na força de trabalho cria um ambiente no qual nossos colaboradores podem crescer e desenvolver melhores produtos para nossos clientes. Incentivamos os candidatos interessados a analisar as principais responsabilidades e qualificações de cada função e a se candidatar a qualquer cargo que corresponda a suas habilidades e capacidades. Os candidatos no processo de recrutamento podem, quando aplicável, ser solicitados a concluir com sucesso uma ou mais avaliações relacionadas à função e/ou uma seleção pré-emprego antes de iniciar o emprego. Para saber mais, acesse Como contratamos.
Declaração de Igualdade de Oportunidades de Emprego (EUA)
A General Motors tem orgulho de ser um empregador que oferece oportunidades iguais. Todos os candidatos qualificados serão considerados para o emprego, independentemente de raça, cor, religião, sexo, orientação sexual, identidade de gênero, origem nacional, deficiência ou status como veterano protegido.
Adaptações (EUA e Canadá)
A General Motors oferece oportunidades a todos os candidatos a emprego, incluindo pessoas com deficiências. Se você precisa de uma adaptação razoável para ajudá-lo na sua pesquisa de cargos ou solicitação de emprego, fale conosco pelo e-mail [email protected] ou pelo telefone 800-865-7580. No seu e-mail, inclua uma descrição da adaptação específica que você está solicitando assim como o nome do cargo e o número de requisição do cargo ao qual está se candidatando.