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PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - SR. PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - Physical AI - Robotics

Southwest Research Institute
San Antonio, TX Full Time
POSTED ON 5/22/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/17/2026
Who We Are:

The Intelligent Systems Division develops automated and robotic solutions for commercial and government clients in multiple domains.

Objectives of this Role:

  • Join the Robotics Department to contribute to building advanced capabilities, technologies and solutions in the field of industrial robotics and automation that solve real-world challenges faced by our customers.
  • Lead novel Physical AI and Robotic application development with vision-language-action (VLA) 3D perception and complex surface reconstruction.
  • Business development for new applications, industries, and clients for novel robotic capabilities; more specifically fabrication robotics (heavy industry, foundries, assembly, shipbuilding, etc).
  • Technical leadership and project management of cutting edge robotics applications.
  • Visit https://robotics.swri.org to learn about some of the work we do.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

  • Communicate effectively with internal team, external clients, and industry partners.
  • Design, build, debug and implement robotic and automation solutions primarily using software skills.
  • Lead technical role, project management, and customer engagement.
  • Coordinate individual performance goals and objectives set by the organization as well as lead project teams to realize organizational objectives.
  • Prepare proposals and cost estimates.
  • Interact with customers to promote new business and develop technical requirements.
  • Has a special focus on software design for robotic manipulators.

Requirements:

  • Requires a Bachelors, Masters or a PhD in Robotics, Mechatronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Software Engineering, or other robotics-related engineering degree. Fewer years of experience may be considered for those with graduate degrees.
  • 10-20 years: Relevant industry experience in robotic systems research and development in organizations to include a manufacturer, robotics company, robotics integrator, etc.
  • 10-20 years: Strong software skills; C or Python required.
  • 2-5 years: Robot Operating System (ROS) experience required.
  • Strong communication skills.
  • A valid/clear driver's license is required.

Special Requirements: Applicant selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen. Job Locations: San Antonio, Texas

Salary.com Estimation for PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - SR. PROGRAM MANAGER-R&D - Physical AI - Robotics in San Antonio, TX
$132,335 to $166,364
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