Senior Manager, Robotics and Perception

About Grainger:

Grainger is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. We achieve our purpose, We Keep the World Working®, by serving more than 4.5 million customers with a wide range of products that keep their operations running and their people safe. Grainger also delivers services and solutions, such as technical support and inventory management, to save customers time and money.

We're looking for passionate people who can move our company forward. As one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For, we have a welcoming workplace where you can build a career for yourself while fulfilling our purpose to keep the world working. We embrace new ways of thinking and recognize everyone is an individual. Find your way with Grainger today.

Position Details:

You will work with world-class scientists and technologists as we assemble a team to develop cutting-edge capabilities to further Grainger’s technological leadership in the MRO industry.

You will build advanced, innovative technologies and solutions to solve a wide spectrum of business and customer challenges. Grainger’s business-centric innovation methodology will empower you to experiment with leading-edge technology, such as Computer Vision, Deep Learning, Conversational AI, 3D Imaging and LiDAR, Augmented/Virtual Reality, AI Robotics & IoT, and multimodal Machine Learning. From there, you will work closely with production teams within Grainger’s Technology Group (GTG) to harvest innovations into product roadmaps and scale them for production.

As a Manager or Senior Manager of Robotics and Perception, you will drive innovation, manage resources effectively, and collaborate with other teams to ensure the organization's products and services are optimized for success in an increasingly technology-driven world. 

You will report to the Director of Applied Machine Learning based in either Lake Forest, IL, or downtown Chicago. 

You Will:

• Manage a team of engineers, researchers, and technicians to deliver technologies powered by AI and multimodal perception systems. 
• Conduct research, using both quantitative and qualitative methods, to identify new technologies, tools, and techniques that can enhance the organization's robotics and intelligent capabilities. 
• Collaborate with other departments, such as software engineering, data science, and product development, to integrate robotics and perception technologies into our products and services. 
• Lead the design and development of new autonomous systems, including the selection of hardware and software components, testing, and evaluation. 
• Ensure compliance with safety, regulatory, and ethical standards in the development and deployment of robotics applications. 
• Create/Promote a culture of team autonomy, continuous improvement, and sustainable pace within the teams that they manage. 
• Develop metrics for measuring the success of robotics and perception projects, tracking progress towards goals, and reporting results to senior leadership. 

You Have:

• 7+ years of work experience in AI and Robotics, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and other related technologies. 
• A Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, related discipline, or equivalent work experience is required. 
• Postdoctoral experience working on research projects related to SLAM, Robotic Arms, Reinforcement Learning, or multimodal fusion is a plus. 
• Strong research background in Reinforcement Learning , Structure from Motion/SLAM, and related research topics, including:  
  • Few-shot, zero-shot, and transfer learning.  
  • Deep Metric Learning 
  • Vision-AI and Multimodal foundational models  
  • Deep Learning foundation models  
  • Localization and mapping 
  • LIDAR and multimodal sensing technologies  
  • Object detection, Tracking, and behavior understanding in a network of cameras setup. 
  • 3D vision and point-cloud.  
• Experience working on Multimodal perception algorithms to support workflow automation. 
• Hands-on experience commissioning and programming industrial robots.  
• Experience with robot-based vison systems (IR Vision) 
• Understanding of interdependencies between technology, operations, and Machine learning lifecycle. 
• 10+ years of experience in Python and/or C/C++.  
• Experience with ML/Robotics tools: Tensorflow, Pytorch, GPU-computing, CUDA, Edge-AI and deployment, OpenCV, ROS/ROS2, embedded platforms, etc.

Rewards and Benefits:

With benefits starting day one, Grainger is committed to your safety, health and wellbeing. Our programs provide choice to meet our team members' individual needs. Check out some of the rewards available to you at Grainger.

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage starts day one
• Paid time off (PTO) days and 6 company holidays per year
• 6% 401(k) company contribution each pay period
• Education assistance, including financial counseling, tuition reimbursement and low-cost degree options
• Employee discounts, parental leave, and more

DEI Statement

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.