"Research Engineer in the Division of Engineering – Dr. Yi Fang"

NYU Abu Dhabi is pioneering a new model of higher education for a global world, dedicated to excellence in teaching and research and to advancing cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. Drawing on the strengths of the NYU global network, it offers an outstanding liberal arts and sciences education to students from the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and around the world, with a distinctive focus on intercultural understanding and leadership. It supports innovative research and graduate education programs that push forward the frontiers of knowledge and respond in powerful and interdisciplinary ways to vital global and local challenges.

Description

The Embodied AI and Robotics (AIR) Laboratory in the Division of Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, seeks to recruit a Research Engineer to support applied research and development in artificial intelligence and robotics.

The successful candidate will contribute to projects in Embodied AI, focusing on integrating AI-driven perception, reasoning, and action to enable intelligent robotic behavior across diverse environments. The position involves developing and testing embodied intelligence systems that combine vision-language-action (VLA) modeling, robotic perception and interaction, and autonomous task execution. The Research Engineer will assist in system design, software implementation, and experimental evaluation on robotic platforms, working closely with faculty, postdoctoral researchers, and students.

The Embodied AI and Robotics Lab (AIR) develops intelligent robotic systems capable of understanding, learning, and acting in complex, dynamic settings. The lab’s work lies at the intersection of computer vision, multimodal learning, and robotics, advancing next-generation embodied agents that interact naturally and safely with humans and their surroundings. The lab collaborates closely with NYU’s global network, including NYU New York, and offers a vibrant, interdisciplinary research environment.

Applicants must hold at least a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or have equivalent professional experience. Candidates should demonstrate technical proficiency in one or more of the following areas:

• Embodied AI and robot learning
• Vision-language-action (VLA) or multimodal AI modeling
• Perception, control, or interaction for robotic systems
• Deep learning or applied machine learning for robotics

Practical experience with robotic hardware, software development (e.g., Python, ROS, PyTorch, TensorFlow), and AI-based experimentation is highly desirable. The candidate should be motivated, detail-oriented, and able to work effectively as part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team.

For consideration, applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, transcript, statement of research interests, and contact information for three references, all in PDF format. For further information, please contact Prof. Yi Fang, Director of the Embodied AI and Robotics Lab, at yfangl@nyu.edu.

The terms of employment are very competitive and include housing and educational subsidies for children. Applications will be accepted immediately and candidates will be considered until the position is filled. To be considered, all applicants must submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, transcript of degree, a one-page summary of research accomplishments and interests, and at least 2 letters of recommendation, all in PDF format. Please visit our website at http://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/about/careers/faculty-positions.html for instructions and information on how to apply. If you have any questions, please email: mrasras@nyu.edu.

About NYU Abu Dhabi https://nyuad.nyu.edu/en/

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 30 universities in the world, making NYU Abu Dhabi the highest-ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world center for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

NYUAD is committed to upholding a culture of non-discrimination, anti-harassment, dignity, and mutual respect; providing equal access and opportunity; and fostering academic excellence in learning, research, and teaching.

UAE Nationals are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications Application Instructions Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

For people in the EU, click here for information on your privacy rights under GDPR: www.nyu.edu/it/gdpr

NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its recruitment and hiring process without regard to age, alienage, caregiver status, childbirth, citizenship status, color, creed, disability, domestic violence victim status, ethnicity, familial status, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital status, military status, national origin, parental status, partnership status, predisposing genetic characteristics, pregnancy, race, religion, reproductive health decision making, sex, sexual orientation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other legally protected basis. All interested persons are encouraged to apply for vacant positions at all levels.

Sustainability Statement

NYU aims to be among the greenest urban campuses in the country and carbon neutral by 2040. Learn more at nyu.edu/sustainability