Robotics Data Collection Tech Lead — San Francisco

Are you interested in solving the most critical operations problem behind cutting-edge robotics development? Interested in fast dynamic environment? Amazon's Frontier AI & Robotics (FAR) team is building advanced robotic systems through frontier foundation models, and high-quality data collection is a core input to that research. Key job responsibilities Own the technical execution and continuous improvement of early-stage data collection for advanced robotics. Partner with researchers to translate research objectives into reliable collection workflows, improve data quality, and shorten policy training iteration cycles. Work independently within agreed priorities, providing hands-on technical guidance to data collectors and coordinating execution across research, engineering, and operations. In this role, you will - Own end to end collection iterations for assigned research tasks, from requirements and station readiness through pilot data collection, quality review, and delivery of training-ready data. Coordinate dependencies and resolve blockers to meet agreed quality and turnaround goals. - Partner with researchers to develop and refine SOPs, translating task objectives, failure modes, and evaluation feedback into clear collection instructions and acceptance criteria. Maintain version control and ensure collectors adopt changes consistently. - Serve as the technical subject matter expert for assigned data collection workflows, equipment, and tools. Independently diagnose complex issues involving robotics hardware, sensors, calibration, collection software, and data integrity; engage engineering partners when resolution requires deeper expertise. - Provide daily technical direction and coaching to data collectors. Demonstrate correct execution, calibrate collectors against quality standards, and develop their troubleshooting skills and judgment. - Assess operational and technical risks, including equipment readiness, unsafe conditions, data loss, and quality degradation. Determine when to continue, pause collection, or escalate, and coordinate recovery within established safety and technical boundaries. - Coordinate technical and nontechnical stakeholders, including researchers, engineering, operations, and annotation partners. Communicate priorities, trade-offs, risks, and decisions clearly, and escalate issues that threaten delivery commitments. - Bachelor's degree or above in Operations Research, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Engineering, Computer Science or related field, or experience working in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) - Demonstrated ability to deliver independently within defined objectives, coordinate multiple partner teams, and resolve operational blockers with limited guidance - Experience diagnosing hardware, software, or process issues, using evidence to identify root causes and implement corrective actions - Strong problem-solving and systems-thinking skills, including the ability to assess risks and make sound technical decisions with incomplete information - Working understanding of how collection quality, task coverage, and consistency affect model training and evaluation, with the ability to translate research requirements into executable procedures and quality checks - Demonstrated ability to train and mentor others and communicate complex information clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences, including remote teams and colleagues who use English as a second language - 2+ years of experience in technical operations, engineering, technical project management, or a related role involving hands-on ownership of complex systems or workflows - Experience developing SOPs, technical documentation, performance metrics, and process improvements, and ensuring their adoption - Experience with robotics, teleoperation, egocentric video, or multimodal sensor data - Experience supporting ML/AI data collection, annotation, quality assurance, or model evaluation workflows - Familiarity with sensor calibration, timestamp synchronization, pose tracking, and data integrity checks - Experience using vibe coding agents to build and maintain lightweight operational tools - Experience taking an experimental workflow from initial pilot through repeatable execution across multiple stations or teams Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status. Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 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, San Francisco - 110,400.00 - 191,200.00 USD annually