Senior Deep Learning Researcher – Physical AI

Company

Qualcomm Technologies Netherlands B.V.

Engineering Group, Engineering Group >
Machine Learning Researcher

At Qualcomm AI Research, we advance AI to make perception, reasoning, and action ubiquitous across devices. Our mission is to drive fundamental breakthroughs in AI and translate them into real‑world impact at scale. A key pillar of our research agenda is Physical AI: intelligent systems that learn to perceive, reason, and act through embodied interaction with the physical world. We pursue research that tightly integrates learning, robotics, and real‑world experimentation, with a strong emphasis on scientific rigor, business impact, and thought leadership.

We are seeking a Senior Deep Learning Researcher in Physical AI / Embodied AI to join our Amsterdam‑based research team. The ideal candidate is a scientifically strong deep learning researcher with extensive experience in embodied AI and real robot experiments, and deep expertise in at least one core area relevant to Physical AI. You will be joining a well‑established and innovative Physical AI research team that brings together researchers with strong academic backgrounds and extensive experience in embodied AI and robotics.

You will have access to a diverse fleet of real robotic platforms, including humanoid robots and high‑degree‑of‑freedom robot arms, enabling rigorous experimental validation beyond simulation. The team regularly conducts hands‑on research in dexterous manipulation, loco‑manipulation, and multimodal sensing, including vision, tactile, and force feedback. In addition, the team collaborates closely with robot OEM partners around the world, providing opportunities to influence real robotic systems and align scientific research with practical deployment considerations.

• Vision‑Language‑Action (VLA) models for embodied intelligence
• World models and latent dynamics for planning and control
• Video‑based world models and predictive representations
• Dexterous manipulation, including tactile and force‑based control
• Learning from multimodal sensory inputs (vision, proprioception, force, tactile sensing)
• Loco‑manipulation for humanoid robotics

• Conduct original research in Physical AI and Embodied Intelligence that creates business and scientific impact.
• Design and evaluate learning‑based methods in simulation and on real robots, with emphasis on humanoid platforms and manipulation.
• Develop models that integrate perception, language, and action under real‑world physical constraints.
• Publish research in top‑tier conferences and journals (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CoRL, RSS, ICRA).
• Collaborate with other researchers and engineers to ensure long‑term impact and relevance.
• Contribute to Qualcomm AI Research’s research strategy and scientific visibility in Physical AI.

• PhD in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Robotics, Computer Vision, or a closely related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Deep expertise in at least one of the areas listed above.
• Excellent programming skills in Python and experience with modern deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, JAX).
• Ability to design clean experimental pipelines and write maintainable research code.
• Strong track record of scientific publications in top‑tier machine learning and/or robotics venues.

• Proven experience with embodied AI and real robot experiments, beyond purely simulated work.
• Experience bridging simulation and real‑world robotics (sim‑to‑real, system identification, data collection).
• Hands‑on experience with humanoid or high‑DoF manipulation platforms.
• Prior experience in industrial research environments with strong scientific output.

The role is based out of our Amsterdam office, and we are not seeking remote‑based candidates.

At Qualcomm AI Research, you will be part of a team with a wide range of backgrounds that values innovation and creativity. Our commitment to professional growth and development ensures that all team members can thrive and contribute their unique perspectives to making research and business impact. You will be based in Amsterdam, a scenic,…