Robotics Engineer - Learning for Manipulation

At Bota Systems, we build force/torque sensors and the tools that let robots learn from touch. We’re now building a platform for training robot AI that combines vision and force sensing, and we’re looking for an engineer to help robots learn contact-rich manipulation from real-world data.

Position: Robotics Engineer - Learning for Manipulation
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Start Date: As soon as possible

What you’ll do:

• Train, fine-tune, and deploy learning-based manipulation policies (imitation learning, diffusion policies, VLAs) that use both vision and force/torque as inputs
• Build and run data-collection pipelines on real hardware, including kinesthetic teaching, teleoperation, synchronized multi-modal recording, and dataset curation
• Integrate force-aware, physics-consistent simulation for training and evaluation
• Design the software architecture that connects sensors, robots, and learning stack, with a focus on reliability and scalability
• Work directly with our hardware and embedded engineers to bring models from experiment to working robot

What you bring:

• A degree in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, ideally 1–3 years of relevant experience (industry, research, or a substantial thesis)
• Hands-on experience in training and fine-tuning ML models, ideally for robotics
• Strong Python skills and working knowledge of C++
• Experience with ROS 2 and with real robot hardware
• Clear communication and enjoyment of working across disciplines

Nice to have:

• Experience with robot learning frameworks (e.g. LeRobot), policy architectures such as ACT, diffusion policy, or VLAs, or multi-modal/tactile learning
• Simulation experience (MuJoCo, Isaac Sim/Lab, or similar)
• Experience with force control, impedance control, or contact-rich tasks

What we offer:

• Real ownership of a core part of our product, with direct impact on what we ship
• Daily access to state-of-the-art sensors, robots, and teleoperation setups
• A small, highly technical team in Zurich

Benefits:

• Opportunity to work on exciting projects at the forefront of robotics.
• Mentorship from experienced professionals in the field.
• Hands-on experience with robotic systems and technologies.

Apply with your CV and a short note on a manipulation or robotics project you’re proud of.