Research Engineer - Physics Based Simulations
Machina Labs
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Posted on Aug 6, 2025
About Machina Labs
At Machina Labs, we’re reshaping manufacturing through advanced robotics and machine learning. Our platform uses the largest 6-axis robots on the market to form 2D sheets of metal into complex 3D parts, layer-by-layer.
Traditional sheet metal production was designed for scale, not flexibility. It relies on costly dies and tooling that make lower volume projects prohibitively slow and expensive. We’re changing that. Whether you’re a startup building a few thousand airframes or an automaker prototyping next-generation components, Machina Labs gives you the ability to iterate and manufacture at the speed of software.
With support from the venture arms of Toyota, NVIDIA, and Lockheed Martin, we’re accelerating the future of manufacturing, one where factories are flexible, production is on-demand, and innovation is unconstrained.
About the Role
We are seeking a Research Engineer with strong expertise in computational science, computer graphics, and robotics to help shape the next generation of AI-driven manufacturing systems. This position combines fundamental research with applied engineering, offering the opportunity to design novel physics-based solvers, explore differentiable and real-time simulation techniques, and contribute to cutting-edge developments in robotics and embodied AI. You will collaborate with a team of researchers and engineers to translate innovative computational ideas into scalable frameworks that enhance both scientific understanding and real-world manufacturing capabilities.
What You'll Do:
- Formulate and implement novel physics simulation algorithms tailored to robotic sheet metal forming, grounded in first-principles modeling.
- Develop and analyze advanced numerical methods for PDEs, contact modeling, deformation, and multi-physics coupling.
- Build high-performance simulation software leveraging GPU acceleration (CUDA, Warp, Taichi, or similar).
- Collaborate with ML, robotics, and manufacturing engineers to ensure physical fidelity and integration with control and learning systems.
- Explore novel approaches, such as differentiable simulation, reduced-order modeling, and multi-scale methods, for enabling real-time decision-making.
- Contribute to high-quality, modular codebases that support reproducible research and production deployment.
- Disseminate results through publications in leading venues, bridging fundamental research and high-impact industrial applications.
What We're Looking For:
- PhD (or Master's with equivalent research experience) in Computer Science, Computational Mechanics, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
- Strong research background in scientific computing, computer graphics, and robotic simulations.
- Demonstrated experience developing high-performance simulation frameworks.
- Proficiency in C++ and Python, with expertise in parallel computing and GPU acceleration.
- Knowledge of finite element methods, material point methods, or other physics-based solvers.
- Proven publication record in top venues such as SIGGRAPH, SIGGRAPH Asia, Journal of Computational Physics, Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, ICRA, IROS, RSS, CoRL, or related conferences and journals.
- Ability to work at the intersection of fundamental research and real-world system development.
Bonus:
- Experience applying physics-based simulations in robotics, control, or manufacturing settings.
- Familiarity with NVIDIA Omniverse, Warp, or Taichi.
- Track record of advancing state-of-the-art algorithms from research prototypes to impactful engineering solutions.
Why This Role Matters
This is a key research-focused role where you’ll define and build the core simulation technologies enabling intelligent manufacturing systems of the future.
Your contributions will push the boundaries of computational physics for robotics, directly influencing how machines learn, plan, and act in complex real-world environments. The technology developed here has the potential to transform smart manufacturing and accelerate progress toward embodied AI, where robots possess a deeper physical understanding of the world.
Machina Labs is an Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or status as a protected veteran in accordance with state and federal law.
We endeavor to make the job application process accessible to any and all users. If you have a disability that impacts your ability to complete the job application process and would like to request assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please contact us at (888)444-9777. This contact information is for accommodation requests only, not to inquire about the status of applications.
In addition to the provided base salary range, this role also offers performance-based bonuses, comprehensive benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision), PTO, and Stock Options.