2026 Summer Robotics Engineering Intern: AI (Special Projects)

SummaryHeadquartered in sunny Los Angeles, GrayMatter Robotics is a well-capitalized AI robotics startup serving the manufacturing industry. We empower shop floor workers with our smart robots that assist with tedious and ergonomically challenging tasks, specifically in automated surface finishing. Our proprietary GMR-AI™ software is integrated with state-of-the-art industrial robots, sensors, and tools to create application-specific turnkey solutions for customers through a Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) model.Position OverviewAs an AI Intern, Special Projects, you will own a research or engineering problem end-to-end across our AI and robotics stack. Projects are tailored to both your background and our roadmap, with the expectation that your work will either ship into production or directly influence product direction by the end of the internship.You will collaborate closely with senior researchers and engineers, present your work internally and occasionally to external partners, and gain hands-on access to real robot hardware, manufacturing cells, and production-scale datasets.What You’ll Work OnFoundation Models for ManufacturingMultimodal models for industrial perception, scene understanding, and task planningPolicy LearningLearning-based control for contact-rich manipulation under geometric, material, and contact uncertaintySim-to-Real TransferPhysics-based simulation, domain randomization, and bridging the gap between simulation and hardware3D Perception & Scene UnderstandingReal-time point cloud processing, surface reconstruction, defect detection, and anomaly detection in manufacturing environmentsWorld Models & Learned DynamicsTool–surface interaction models for planning, rollout prediction, and uncertainty-aware skill selectionBasic QualificationsWe are looking for researchers and engineers who combine strong technical depth with a builder mindset. Ideal candidates will have most of the following:Currently pursuing or recently completed a Master’s or PhD in AI, Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related fieldExceptional undergraduate candidates will also be consideredHands-on experience training, fine-tuning, or adapting modern machine learning models, including:Foundation modelsMultimodal modelsDiffusion policiesLarge-scale self-supervised learning systemsWorking knowledge of robotic systems, including:KinematicsControl systemsSensors and perceptionHardware debugging and deployment intuitionExperience with physics-based robotics simulators and a practical understanding of sim-to-real limitationsStrong software engineering fundamentals with proficiency in:PythonPyTorchProduction-quality code developmentDemonstrated ownership of projects end-to-end through:PublicationsDeployed systemsOpen-source contributionsAVAILABLE TO START IMMEDIATELY for Summer '26 InternshipPreferred QualificationsFirst-author publications at leading conferences such as:CoRLRSSICRAIROSNeurIPSICMLICLRCVPRExperience deploying learned policies or perception systems on real-world robotic hardware, especially in industrial environmentsBackground in:Distributed training systemsCustom CUDA kernelsLarge-scale pretrainingPrior work involving:Contact-rich manipulationForce/torque controlSurface inspectionIndustrial automationMeaningful open-source contributions to robotics, simulation, or ML infrastructure frameworksGrayMatter Robotics provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We encourage and embrace applicants of all backgrounds to apply!GrayMatter Robotics is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities. If you believe you require accommodations during the recruiting process, please contact accommodations@graymatter-robotics.com to submit your request.Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.Depending on the position and if listed, compensation may include the base salary range, bonus or commission, and equity. We also provide comprehensive benefits and perks which include but are not limited to medical, dental, vision, unlimited PTO, 401(k) plan + employer match, regular offsite events, a discretionary fund for enhancing productivity and so much more! The range listed on job postings reflect the minimum and maximum new hire salary across levels in Los Angeles, CA.