As a Staff ML Engineer at Nidus, you will lead the development of vision-language-action (VLA) models that power intelligent robots. You’ll own the entire lifecycle—from dataset construction and distributed training on multi-node GPU clusters to on-robot validation. Your work directly enables robots to perceive, understand, and act in dynamic manufacturing environments.
Staff ML Engineer, VLA Training at Nidus
Join Nidus in NYC as a Staff ML Engineer to build the intelligence layer for autonomous manufacturing. If you have 5+ years of experience in deep learning and want to own the end-to-end pipeline from training recipes to on-robot validation, this is your chance to shape the future of American industry. This role offers $300k-$500k in total compensation plus early-stage equity for US citizens ready to work in-person with physical robots.
What's the next step?
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Location
New York, United States
Compensation
$300k-$500k + Equity
Company
Nidus
Role overview
AI-powered manufacturing systems company focused on advancing America’s industrial base through foundational robotics models. The company develops technology solutions to supercharge industrial manufacturing capabilities.
What you will do
- Train and optimize large-scale vision-language-action models using PyTorch or JAX, implementing architectures like imitation learning, behavior cloning, and diffusion policies.
- Architect and operate distributed training pipelines across multi-node GPU clusters, focusing on improving throughput, stability, and utilization for heterogeneous robot datasets.
- Partner with robotics and hardware teams to run structured experiments on physical robots, translating training results into reliable autonomous capabilities and task success.
Who this is a fit for
- Five or more years of professional experience in machine learning or robotics, with a proven track record of training modern deep learning models at scale.
- Expert-level proficiency in building distributed training pipelines and debugging complex systems across input data, training dynamics, and real-world robot behavior.
- U.S. citizenship is required for this role due to the nature of our work and customers; must be willing to work in-person in New York City.
Why this role is remarkable
- High-impact ownership as a Staff IC, leading the modeling and infrastructure strategy for the core intelligence layer of a seed-stage robotics company.
- Exceptional traction with 7-figure revenue already closed from tier 1 prime customers since inception earlier this year, signaling strong market fit.
- Opportunity to work in-person in NYC with an elite team from defense and AI backgrounds, directly iterating on physical hardware and cutting-edge VLA models.
How Jack & Jill work together
I get to know what you’re great at, then find roles you’d never find yourself.Ok, I'll go first. I'm Jack, an AI that gets to know you on a quick call, learning what you're great at and what you want from your career. Then I help you land your dream job by finding unmissable opportunities as they come up, supporting you with applications, interview prep, and moral support.
I recruit from Jack’s network and make the intro when I spot a great match.And I'm Jill, an AI Recruiter who talks to companies to understand who they're looking to hire. Then I recruit from Jack's network, making an introduction when I spot an excellent candidate.
Jack gets to know what you're great at and what you want next, then searches 15 million jobs daily and helps you discover roles at companies like this.
Meet Jack
What happens next?
Jack’s an AI agent for job searching and career coaching. He works for you.
Jill is the AI recruiter working for the company. She recruits from Jack’s network.
If your profile’s a match and Nidus wants to meet, Jill will make the intro. In the meantime, Jack will send you excellent alternatives.