Head of AI Robotics R&D

Janicki Industries is an innovative, family-owned aerospace company located at the foot of the Cascades. We focus on engineering and manufacturing complex projects for companies in the aerospace, defense, and space industries. We are looking for a Director of AI Robotics to join our growing team.

Position Description

This position is located on-site in Bellingham, Washington State.

Janicki Industries is seeking a Head of AI Robotics R&D to lead a team of AI Engineers responsible for the research, development, and deployment of object perception systems that enable our robots to recognize, locate, and interact with parts, tooling, pallets, and other objects across our factory floors. This leader will guide the Research and Development to determine the technical direction of 3D object detection and six-degree-of-freedom pose estimation efforts using frameworks such as NVIDIA Isaac Perceptor, FoundationPose, and OpenCV, while building and mentoring a high-performing engineering team. Objects handled by these systems range from standard pallets to one-of-a-kind composite tooling weighing up to 50,000 lb, requiring perception solutions that perform reliably across an unusually broad range of object scale, geometry, and material.

The following essential job functions are performed as the Head of AI Robotics R&D:

Set technical direction and roadmap for object perception R&D, including 3D detection, classification, and pose estimation model strategy.
Guide architecture decisions for multi-sensor perception pipelines integrating RGB cameras, depth cameras, and LIDAR.
Review and approve calibration methodologies (camera-to-LIDAR, camera-to-robot-frame) and production monitoring/testing frameworks for perception accuracy.
Evaluate emerging perception technologies, sensors, foundation models, and synthetic data generation approaches, and make build-vs-buy recommendations.
Personally engage in hands-on technical work as needed, including model evaluation, architecture reviews, and troubleshooting production issues.
Hire, mentor, and manage a team of AI Engineers, setting clear goals and providing regular performance feedback.
Build team capability through training, technical growth planning, and structured onboarding.
Foster a culture of rigorous experimentation, documentation, and knowledge sharing within the team.
Manage team workload, priorities, and project timelines across multiple concurrent perception initiatives.
Partner with navigation and controls engineering leadership to ensure perception outputs translate into effective robot behavior.
Collaborate with manufacturing engineering and operations stakeholders to prioritize perception use cases based on production impact.
Represent the perception team in program reviews, technical roadmap discussions, and budget planning.
Communicate technical progress, risks, and resource needs to senior engineering and program leadership.
All Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Vision, Robotics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Physics or related field.
10+ years of relevant engineering experience spanning robotics and AI required.
Deep hands-on experience with industrial robot programming, integration, and deployment
Proven track record shipping applied AI/ML solutions (object detection, model training/re-training loops, reinforcement learning, etc.) in real-world environments
Strong background in robot perception (cameras, LiDAR, structured light, force sensing)
Extensive NVIDIA Jetson development experience (JetPack, TensorRT, DeepStream, Isaac ROS, etc.)
Expert-level Python, common AI ecosystems (PyTorch/TensorFlow, OpenCV, PCL, ROS/ROS2), and modern dev-ops tooling (Git, Docker, CI/CD)
Comfortable installing, configuring, and troubleshooting Linux/Windows systems, VMs, and complex development environments
Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and lead technically without formal authority
Due to our ITAR and EAR regulations, applicants must be a US Citizen or of Legal Permanent Resident Status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b (a) (3)
This position requires the ability to obtain a U.S. Secret Security Clearance (U.S. Citizenship Required). Janicki will assist with gaining this access once employed. Special Access Program or other Government Access Requirements are mandatory for this position and requires candidate agreed to enter a Continuous Evaluation program

Preferred Qualifications

MS or PhD in Robotics, AI, or related field preferred
Experience in aerospace or similarly regulated manufacturing preferred
Previous work with Isaac Sim, MoveIt, or other advanced robotics frameworks preferred

Additional Information

Salary range for this role is between $275,000 - $325,000, plus discretionary bonus, 401(k) matching, vacation, and health benefits. Employees can also receive additional pay for off shifts. The range provided is Janicki’s estimate of the base compensation for this role. Actual amount offered will be based on job-related and non-discriminatory factors such as experience, location, education, training, skills, and abilities
By applying for this job, you are expressing interest in this position and could be considered for other career opportunities where similar skills and requirements have been identified as a match. Should this match be identified, you may be contacted for this and future openings

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contribution
Disability insurance as well as Life/AD&D insurance
HSA (Health Savings Account) with employer contribution and FSA (Flexible Savings Account)
401k with employer matching
Paid time off and paid holidays (including two floating holidays)
Education reimbursement program
Several shift options
Premium pay for off shifts

Not sure that you’ll be the perfect fit for this role? You should still apply! We’ll review your application for other opportunities. We are always on the lookout for talented people!

Janicki Industries is an