Robotics Engineer

Primary Work Address: 19700 Helix Drive, Ashburn, VA, 20147 Current HHMI Employees,  to apply via your Workday account.

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus is a pioneering research center in Ashburn, Virginia, where scientists pursue fundamental questions in the life sciences. Our integrated teams of biologists, computational scientists, and tool-builders innovate research practices and technologies to solve biology’s deepest mysteries. HHMI launched Janelia in 2006, establishing an intellectually enriching environment for scientists to do creative, collaborative, hands‑on work.

We share our methods, results, and tools with the scientific community.

The Janelia Experimental Technology (jET) group, in collaboration with the Reiser Lab (HHMI Janelia) and the Schnitzer Lab (Stanford University; HHMI), seeks a Staff Robotics Engineer to design and build AI‑driven robotic systems for high‑throughput brain imaging and behavioral phenotyping in Drosophila, a model organism powering modern neuroscience discoveries.

This project builds on the Schnitzer lab’s advances in robotic experimentation, laser microsurgery, and optical voltage imaging, and the Reiser labs’ expertise in instrumentation, fly behavior, neural circuit analysis, and connectomics. This position is part of AI@HHMI, a ten‑year initiative to integrate artificial intelligence throughout the scientific process. The selected engineer will play a leading role in replicating, streamlining, and advancing the FlyMAX system—a state‑of‑the‑art robotics platform for automating complex neuroscience experiments.

During the initial phase of the project, the engineer will spend significant time working on‑site at Stanford University with the Schnitzer Lab to learn and document the existing FlyMAX system. This may involve an extended stay at Stanford during the initial ramp‑up period. Afterward, the position will be based primarily at Janelia (Ashburn, VA), with periodic travel for continued collaboration.

• A competitive compensation package, with comprehensive health and welfare benefits.
• Access to advanced facilities in instrument design and fabrication, imaging, and computation.
• The opportunity to engage with world‑class researchers, software engineers and AI/ML experts, contribute to impactful science, and be part of a dynamic community committed to advancing humanity’s understanding of fundamental scientific questions.
• Amenities that enhance work‑life balance such as on‑site childcare, free gyms, available on‑campus housing, social and dining spaces, and convenient shuttle bus service to Janelia from the Washington D.C. metro area.

• Lead the engineering architecture and development of next‑generation FlyMAX systems, integrating robotics, computer vision, and AI‑driven control to automate Drosophila experiments.
• Integrate, troubleshoot, and revise hardware and software systems—robotics, controls, imaging, and data pipelines—into reliable, high‑performance research tools.
• Develop and implement algorithms for machine vision, adaptive control, and real‑time learning to support fully autonomous experimentation.
• Document and share new designs, workflows, and analytical tools with the broader scientific community.

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field required;
  Master’s or Ph.D. preferred.
• 8+ years of experience developing complex robotic or mechatronic systems, including a strong background in systems engineering, and autonomous control.
• Demonstrated success delivering end‑to‑end robotic systems that combine hardware, software, and intelligent control. Expertise in applying AI and machine learning in robotics, including computer vision, adaptive control, real‑time decision systems, and programming in Python and C++ for seamless integration with sensing and actuation hardware.
• Proactive approach with practical skills in electrical wiring and controls, mechanical design and assembly, modeling and simulation.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with enthusiasm for working alongside experimental biologists, engineers, and neuroscientists.

Remai…