Senior Professional Officer (& Above) in Robotics and Embodied AI

Job Purpose

The Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) is Singapore’s first University of Applied Learning, offering industry-relevant degree programmes that prepare its graduates to be work- and future-ready professionals. Its mission is to maximise the potential of its learners and to innovate with industry, through an integrated applied learning and research approach, so as to contribute to the economy and society.

The university’s unique pedagogy integrates work and study, embracing authentic learning in a real-world environment through collaborations with key strategic partners. Its focus on applied research with business impact is aimed at helping industry innovate and grow. Targeted to be ready in 2024, SIT’s centralised campus within the larger Punggol Digital District will feature a vibrant learning environment where academia and industry will be tightly integrated with the community.

SIT espouses an applied learning approach and offers degrees with a strong focus on science and technology. Our faculty work closely with industry on translational research and innovation, as well as provide consultancy on solutions to industry challenges. This well-established nexus with industry endows our graduates with deep skills and work-ready training experience – attuning them to the needs and demands of the future economy.

The Professional Officers Division (POD) houses a centralised pool of academic staff under the Professional Officers scheme. Professional Officers bring specialised and deep technical expertise developed through extensive industry experience. They provide a critical industry perspective to student learning and applied research, complementing the academic expertise of faculty by translating industry practices and real-world applications into the curriculum.

SIT is expanding its Robotics and Embodied AI (EAI) capabilities, building a cohort of academic staff who are keen and experienced working on industry problems in relevant areas. At SIT, academic staff will have the opportunity to shape and lead applied research in a unique real-world environment. Located within Punggol Digital District (PDD), SIT’s purpose-built campus serves as a living lab for precinct-scale robotics test-bedding, where academic staff can work with government and industry partners to develop, validate and deploy next-generation robotic systems safely and at scale. Candidates will contribute to industry-relevant research in embodied AI, simulation and digital twins, cybersecurity, robot operations and related areas, with a strong emphasis on translation into real-world applications. Through collaborations with leading robot companies and end-users, academic staff will help solve practical deployment challenges, build shared digital infrastructure, and train the next generation of robotics talent for Singapore’s future economy.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead or co-lead innovative applied research and industry collaboration projects with industry partners and government agencies. Bring practical engineering skills to drive EAI innovations.
• Design, develop, and teach laboratory sessions and practice-based modules in Robotics & Embodied AI and related areas.
• Secure and manage research grants to support applied research initiatives.
• Supervise and mentor students in applied research projects, Capstone Projects, and the Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP).
• Manage laboratory facilities, equipment, and technical resources to support academic programmes and applied research activities.
• Ensure compliance with laboratory safety policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Contribute to the development of applied AI capabilities, learning resources, and industry-relevant curriculum support.
• Work closely with faculty and internal stakeholders to drive teaching, applied research, and innovation initiatives outcomes.

Job Requirements

• A good Bachelor’s degree or Master’s / PhD degree in Robotics, Mechanical/Electronics Engineering, Computer Science, or a relevant domain with demonstrated embodied AI research and/or application experience.
• At least 8 years of relevant industry experience, preferably in a technical role within an organisation driving research and/or innovation outcomes
• Strong technical expertise in the following areas (ideally at least two):
• Policy Learning and Robotics Control : Imitation / reinforcement learning, generative policies, residual learning, cross-embodiment generalisation.
• Robotics Data Engineering : Data capture, synchronisation, calibration, evaluation harnesses and simulation data pipelines
• Foundation Models & World Models for Robotics : VLA grounding, planning interfaces and world-model reasoning for robots
• State Estimation, Perception and Sensor Fusion : 3D scene understanding, diagnostics, active and manipulation-centric perception
• System Integration, Deployment & RobotOps : ROS2 systems integration, runtime robustness, safety and field deployment engineering
• Swarm Robotics & Multi-Agent Systems : Decentralised coordination, shared mapping and resilient communications
• Fleet Management & Remote Operations : Mission control, tele-operation, network resilience and lifecycle operations
• Cyber-Physical Security & Trustworthy Robotics : Threat modelling, resilience, incident response, AI ethics and data privacy
• Experience applying embodied AI to real-world use areas will be advantageous, such as (non-exhaustive):Facility ManagementHealthcareAdvanced ManufacturingUrban SystemsBiotechnology & Chemical Engineering
• Demonstrated interest and capability in supporting research and academic project work, with the ability to develop software solutions to technical problems.
• Strong supervisory and mentoring skills, with an interest in working closely with students in an educational environment.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development, with the ability to keep abreast of developments in the field. Relevant industry certifications will be an added advantage.
• For senior appointments, demonstrated managerial or team leadership experience may be required.