Robotics Research Specialist Synphony Co San Carlos, CA Job Details Full-time $62,400 - $72,800 a year 3 hours ago Benefits Paid holidays Health insurance Paid time off Qualifications AI models Computer operation Production data analysis Computer literacy Research Bachelor's degree Attention to detail System testing Python Full Job Description Robot Evaluation Lead Synphony

• San Carlos, CA
• Full-time
• Hourly
• On-site About Synphony Synphony is a Y Combinator-backed robotics startup building the missing deployment layer for physical AI.

We take state-of-the-art robot foundation models and put them to work in the real world, from agricultural fields to manufacturing lines. Our robots learn from human demonstrations, and we iterate on those models through a tight loop of data collection, evaluation, failure analysis, and retraining. The Role You'll own the end-to-end demo loop for a robotic task. Each Robot Evaluation Lead manages a small pod of two Robot Data Collection Specialists and is responsible for moving a task from initial definition through data collection, model evaluation, failure analysis, iteration, and final demo readiness. Your job is not just to run the robot and record whether it worked. You'll determine why it succeeded or failed, identify what data or system changes are needed next, direct your collection team accordingly, and repeat that loop until the robot performs the task reliably. This is a hands-on technical operations role at the intersection of robotics, machine learning, experimentation, and team leadership. What You'll Do Own one or more robotic demos from initial task definition through final validation Manage and direct a two-person data collection team, including daily collection priorities and task protocols Define clear success criteria, evaluation procedures, and test conditions for each robotic task Run structured robot evaluations across model checkpoints and training iterations Track success rates, failure rates, and recurring failure modes Review robot behavior and determine whether failures are caused by training data, perception, policy behavior, hardware, task setup, or environmental conditions Turn evaluation results into concrete next steps for your data collection team Review collected demonstrations and reject low-quality, inconsistent, or unhelpful episodes Adjust task choreography and collection strategy based on model performance Set up and operate robots, cameras, teleoperation systems, sensors, and workcells Reproduce failures and run targeted experiments to isolate their causes Maintain clear experiment logs, evaluation results, dataset notes, and known failure modes Communicate findings and blockers to product, robotics, and engineering teams Keep your team focused on collecting the highest-value data rather than simply maximizing collection hours Occasionally travel to customer or field sites for evaluation and deployment work What We're Looking For Strong analytical thinking and ability to recognize patterns across repeated experiments Excellent attention to detail and consistency Comfortable owning an objective independently and driving it to completion Comfortable managing and directing a small team Strong written and verbal communication skills Comfortable working hands-on with robots, cameras, sensors, and physical equipment Willing to perform repeated testing and methodically investigate failures Basic computer skills and comfort learning technical software tools Able to stand and move for extended periods and lift up to 30 lbs Reliable and punctual; able to work on-site in San Carlos Authorized to work in the United States Nice to Have Robotics, engineering, laboratory, manufacturing, QA, or technical operations experience Experience leading a small technical or operations team Experience with machine learning or robot learning Familiarity with Python or Linux Experience with VR, teleoperation, drones, or precision gaming Experience designing or running structured experiments Familiarity with cameras, sensors, or video recording systems Experience with industrial automation or manufacturing equipment Genuine interest in physical AI and how robots learn from data What We Offer Competitive hourly compensation based on experience Health insurance, paid time off, and paid holidays for FTE Direct ownership of robotic tasks and model evaluation loops A clear growth path into robotics operations, deployment, product, ML operations, and technical leadership Hands-on experience working with state-of-the-art physical AI systems A front-row seat at an early-stage robotics startup where your decisions directly affect how quickly robots learn and reach deployment Schedule Full-time, Monday-Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM, on-site at our San Carlos warehouse. How to Apply Please attach a cover letter with your application. We look forward to meeting you!

Pay:

$62,400.00 - $72,800.00 per year

Benefits:

Health insurance Paid time off

Work Location:

In person