Internship - Humanoid Dexterous Manipulation
Ora
Summary
The Optimizations and Intelligent Robotics team at MERL is seeking a highly motivated intern to conduct fundamental research on dexterous humanoid robot manipulation. The project covers multiple research topics including multi-finger dexterous manipulation, tactile/force-sensing, object handover, robot learning, contact modeling, and is targeting specific humanoid robot tasks.
Job description
Applicants must be Ph.D. students with a strong background in robot learning such as VLAs, diffusion and RL. The selected intern will collaborate closely with MERL researchers to design and implement novel algorithms, conduct experiments, and disseminate research findings in one of the top-tier robotics conferences and patents. The internship duration and start date are flexible. Interested applicants are encouraged to apply with an updated CV and a list of relevant publications.
Required Specific Experience
- Current enrollment in a Ph.D. program in Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
- Hands-on research experience with learning models for robotics (Diffusion, RL, imitation learning, VLAs etc)
- Dexterous manipulation using humanoid hands or bimanual manipulation.
- Contact-rich manipulation and force-controlled manipulation.
- Experience with tactile or force/torque sensing
- Robotic simulators (Isaac Lab, MuJoCo, Genesis, etc).
- Programming skills in at least one common language (C++, Python, etc)
- Strong publication record or demonstrated research potential in robotics, embodied AI, computer vision, or machine learning. Must have some publications in top robotic or AI conferences or journals (i.e., RSS, ICRA, IROS, T-RO, RA-L, NeurIPS, CoRL, ICML etc).
Requirements
- Current enrollment in a Ph.D. program in Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
- Hands-on research experience with learning models for robotics (Diffusion, RL, imitation learning, VLAs etc)
- Dexterous manipulation using humanoid hands or bimanual manipulation
- Contact-rich manipulation and force-controlled manipulation
- Experience with tactile or force/torque sensing
- Experience with robotic simulators (Isaac Lab, MuJoCo, Genesis, etc)
- Programming skills in at least one common language (C++, Python, etc)
- Strong publication record or demonstrated research potential in robotics, embodied AI, computer vision, or machine learning
- Publications in top robotic or AI conferences or journals (RSS, ICRA, IROS, T-RO, RA-L, NeurIPS, CoRL, ICML etc)
Benefits
- Relocation Stipend
- Covered Travel To And From MERL
- Monthly Charlie Card
- Health Insurance
- Professional Development Opportunities
Company overview
Ora is the world's leading full-service ophthalmic drug and device development firm, operating as a specialized contract research organization (CRO) focused exclusively on ophthalmology. Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Andover, Massachusetts, the company has over 45 years of experience in advancing eye care innovations globally. Ora provides comprehensive research and development services spanning preclinical studies, clinical trials, regulatory strategy, and product development for both pharmaceutical and medical device companies. With operations across the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and Asia, the company has helped clients achieve more than 85 product approvals to date. Ora's expertise covers a wide range of ophthalmic conditions including allergy, dry eye, retina diseases, glaucoma, and anti-infective therapies. The company employs over 500 ophthalmology specialists who utilize proprietary clinical models, integrated data solutions, and global regulatory strategies to accelerate product development from concept to market. Ora serves a diverse client base ranging from startups to global pharmaceutical and device companies, positioning itself as the trusted partner for ophthalmic innovation worldwide.