Principal Applied Scientist, Fauna

Full Job Description

Fauna Robotics is seeking a Principal Applied Scientist to lead the development of evaluation frameworks and data collection protocols that measure, stress-test, and improve robot behavior across real-world tasks.

Operating at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, and human-in-the-loop systems, this role owns the infrastructure and methodologies that connect teleoperation, evaluation, and learning — shaping how policies are validated and how high-quality datasets are generated to accelerate system performance.

Key job responsibilities What you'll do:

• Build and own evaluation frameworks that measure and stress-test robot behavior across real-world tasks

• Design data collection protocols that generate high-quality datasets to accelerate system performance

• Connect teleoperation, evaluation, and learning systems into cohesive, measurable infrastructure

• Translate ambiguous capability goals into actionable, measurable evaluation systems What we're looking for:

• A highly experimental, systems-oriented scientist comfortable working across software, robotics, and data pipelines

• Deep expertise in machine learning and robotics, with a track record of building evaluation methodologies

About the team Fauna Robotics, an Amazon company, is building capable, safe, and genuinely delightful robots for everyday life. Our goal is simple: make robots people actually want to live and interact with in everyday human spaces. We believe that future won’t arrive until building for robotics becomes far more accessible. Today, too much effort is spent reinventing the fundamentals. We’re changing that by developing tightly integrated hardware and software systems that make it faster, safer, and more intuitive to create real-world robotic products. Our work spans the full stack: mechanical design, control systems, dynamic modeling, and intelligent software. The focus is not just functionality, but experience. We’re building robots that feel responsive, expressive, and genuinely useful.

At Fauna, you’ll work at the frontier of this space, helping define how robots move, manipulate, and interact with people in natural environments. It’s an opportunity to solve hard problems across hardware and software with a team focused on making robotics accessible and joyful to build. If you care about making robotics real for everyone and building systems that are as delightful as they are capable, we’re interested in hearing from you. an opportunity to solve hard problems across hardware and software with a team focused on making robotics accessible and joyful to build. If you care about making robotics real for everyone and building systems that are as delightful as they are capable, we’re interested in hearing from you.

Basic Qualifications

-5+ years of hands-on work in predictive modeling and analysis experience -PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related technical field -Experience working in predictive modeling and analysis -Experience distilling informal customer requirements into problem definitions, dealing with ambiguity and competing objectives -Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language -Experience with leading experienced scientists as well as having a record of developing junior members from academia or industry to a career track in a business environment

Preferred Qualifications

-10+ years of relevant work in industry or academia experience -Knowledge of problem solving, algorithm design and complexity analysis -Experience creating novel algorithms and advancing the state of the art -Have peer-reviewed scientific contributions in premier journals and conferences

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, CA, Sunnyvale - 228,700.00 - 309,400.00 USD annually

-5+ years of hands-on work in predictive modeling and analysis experience -PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related technical field -Experience working in predictive modeling and analysis -Experience distilling informal customer requirements into problem definitions, dealing with ambiguity and competing objectives -Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language -Experience with leading experienced scientists as well as having a record of developing junior members from academia or industry to a career track in a business environment