Research Engineer: Robotics & 3D Simulation - Honda Research Institute USA

Research Engineer: Robotics & 3D Simulation

Your application is being processed

Research Engineer: Robotics & 3D Simulation

Job Number: P25T09
Honda Research Institute USA (HRI-US) is seeking a self-motivated research engineer to join our Intelligent Robotics Research division. This individual will support research workflows by preparing and running high-fidelity 3D simulation experiments in robotics, including but not limited to: reconstructing real-world objects and contact-rich scenes, aligning/evaluating simulated behavior with real-world measurements, adapting/evaluating existing machine learning and control methods using simulation. The role combines hands-on scene creation, robotics simulation, simulation-based methods, experimental validation, and clear communication of technical and implementation outcomes.
San Jose, CA

 

Key Responsibilities

 

  • ​Create diverse contact-rich scenes in simulation using 3D scanners and/or 3D modelling of real-world objects.
  • Perform system identification to reduce/evaluate sim-to-real gaps.
  • Create and run scenes across different simulators to compare and evaluate simulation fidelity.
  • Implement, adapt, and evaluate existing methods that are relevant to and leverage simulation (e.g., control optimization, 3D representation learning).
  • Deliver results in accordance with project timelines.
  • Prepare written and oral technical reports and demonstrations.
  • Collaborate with our teams of scientists and engineers in Honda’s regional and global R&D offices..
  • Communicate results, tradeoffs, and implementation outcomes.

 

Minimum Qualifications

 

  • MS or PhD in Robotics, Computer Science,  or related field.
  • Experience with 3D asset creation or processing workflows, such as 3D scanning, mesh cleanup, CAD/Blender-style modeling, material definition, etc.
  • Experience with creating high-fidelity 3D scenes and 3D assets of real objects.
  • Experience with running robotics simulation (experience with multiple platforms preferred).
  • Comfortable reading, understanding, and implementing algorithms from research papers.
  • Has general knowledge/experience with machine learning (e.g., collecting data, training and evaluating models, defining loss, understanding of different architectures).

 

Bonus Qualifications

  • Experience with contact-rich physics simulation.
  • Experience with 3D representation learning.
  • Has knowledge and experience on system identification.
  • Has general knowledge/experience with control optimization (e.g., multi-chain gradients and Jacobians, optimization steps and trust regions).
  • Familiarity with numerical simulation, optimization, or differentiable physics workflows.
  • Demonstrated expertise through research, projects, or open-source contributions.

 

Desired Start Date   10/26/2026
Contract Duration   1 year
Position Keywords  robotics, 3D simulation, high-fidelity 3D modelling, sim-to-real, real-to-sim 

Alternate Way to Apply

Send an e-mail to careers@honda-ri.com with the following:
- Subject line including the job number(s) you are applying for 
- Recent CV 
- A cover letter highlighting relevant background (Optional)

Please, do not contact our office to inquiry about your application status.