Principal ML Engineer (Robotics) Careers at Analog Devices in Boston, Massachusetts
Overview: Pioneering Dexterous AI at the Edge of Innovation
Imagine engineering robots that rival human dexterity, seamlessly blending vision, touch, sound, and spatial awareness to revolutionize industries. At Analog Devices in Boston, Massachusetts, the Dexterous AI Group (DAG) seeks a Principal Machine Learning Engineer (Robotics) to lead this transformation. Analog Devices, a global semiconductor powerhouse with over $9 billion in FY24 revenue and 24,000 employees worldwide, bridges physical and digital realms through breakthrough sensor technologies.
This elite role demands mastery of reinforcement learning (RL), imitation learning (IL), and multimodal AI integration. You'll harness ADI's proprietary sensors—tactile arrays, high-fidelity vision systems, and precise force feedback—to create robots that don't just move, but understand their environment with human-like intuition. Target hire date: February 2026. Boston's thriving robotics ecosystem, anchored by MIT and world-class venture capital, positions you at the epicenter of Physical AI innovation.
From digitized factories to autonomous mobility and precision healthcare, your models will power ADI's Intelligent Edge solutions. This isn't incremental improvement; it's redefining robotic possibility through scalable, deployable intelligence.
A Day in the Life of a Principal ML Engineer (Robotics) in Boston
Your morning begins in ADI's state-of-the-art Boston labs, surrounded by robotic arms executing your latest dexterous policies. Over coffee, you review overnight training runs on multi-GPU clusters, analyzing DeepSpeed-optimized models processing terabytes of multimodal data—vision streams capturing subtle object textures, tactile feedback mapping contact forces, audio cues detecting material properties.
By 10 AM, you're architecting simulation environments in Isaac Sim, bridging virtual training worlds with real-world ADI sensor physics. Lunch sparks cross-disciplinary debates with sensor engineers and mechanical designers, refining your RL reward functions for human-level manipulation. Afternoon hours dive into deployment: optimizing policies for edge inference on ADI hardware, eliminating latency bottlenecks that separate lab success from factory deployment.
Collaboration defines your rhythm—whiteboarding system architectures with the DAG team, mentoring junior engineers on data curation pipelines, and publishing breakthroughs at CoRL or ICRA. Evenings might involve 10% travel prep for robotics conferences or exploring Boston's innovation corridor, from Kendall Square to the Seaport's AI hubs. This is engineering at its most impactful: every line of code moves physical intelligence forward.
Why Boston, Massachusetts for Robotics Innovation?
Boston isn't just a city; it's the world's robotics capital. Home to MIT's CSAIL—the birthplace of countless robotic paradigms—and Harvard's Wyss Institute, the city pulses with $2B+ annual robotics investment. Analog Devices' Boston presence taps this ecosystem, placing you minutes from collaborators shaping the future.
Kendall Square, dubbed "The Most Innovative Square Mile," hosts AI giants like Google DeepMind and OpenAI outposts alongside nimble startups pioneering soft robotics. Venture firms like Bessemer and NEA fuel a startup density unmatched globally. Massachusetts' $1B+ life sciences cluster intersects perfectly with ADI's digital health ambitions, while the Route 128 tech corridor offers manufacturing partnerships for real-world deployment.
Beyond innovation, Boston delivers: walkable neighborhoods blending historic charm with modern vibrancy, world-class universities ensuring talent pipelines, and direct flights to global robotics hubs. Public transit rivals Europe's best, while proximity to Cape Cod offers weekend escapes. For families, top-ranked schools and cultural institutions abound. Massachusetts' robotics tax incentives and ADI's competitive compensation make this the optimal launchpad for Physical AI leadership.
Career Growth: From Principal to Robotics Visionary
At Analog Devices, Principal ML Engineers don't plateau—they accelerate. Your trajectory spans technical leadership (leading DAG sub-teams), strategic influence (shaping ADI's $9B+ sensor roadmap), and executive visibility (briefing Fortune 500 clients on dexterous automation ROI). Publications in NeurIPS, ICML, and RSS amplify your voice in academia-industry dialogues.
ADI invests heavily in growth: unlimited conference budgets, sabbaticals for deep research, and cross-functional rotations across mobility, healthcare, and industrial divisions. Boston's ecosystem accelerates networking—collaborate with iRobot alumni, Boston Dynamics veterans, and MIT professors turned entrepreneurs. Equity grants tie your success to ADI's 20%+ CAGR trajectory.
Internal mobility shines: transition to ADI Ventures for startup investments, lead global Physical AI centers, or architect semiconductor-ML co-design. Mentorship programs pair you with ADI Fellows who've shaped sensing paradigms for decades. This is career catapults, not ladders.
Rewards: Compensation That Reflects Elite Impact
Base salary spans $200,000-$275,000, calibrated to your publications, deployment impact, and leadership. Discretionary bonuses reward team and company milestones, frequently exceeding 20% base. Equity positions you as ADI shareholder in a NASDAQ: ADI growth story.
Comprehensive benefits eclipse Big Tech: full medical/dental/vision (zero-premium family plans common), 401(k) with 6%+ match, unlimited PTO accrual, 15+ paid holidays, and sabbatical eligibility. Boston's no-state-income-tax-on-401(k) contributions maximizes take-home. Relocation packages cover coastal apartments in Back Bay or family homes in Newton.
Perks extend beyond: $10K+ annual learning stipend, home office stipends for hybrid flexibility, on-site fitness/nutrition, and ADI Foundation matching for your causes. 10% travel budget funds RSS keynotes and ICRA workshops. This compensation philosophy recognizes: elite robotics talent commands—and receives—elite rewards.
Culture: Innovation Without Ego at Analog Devices
ADI's Boston culture rejects Silicon Valley posturing for substance. Engineers own outcomes, not processes—flat hierarchies empower Principal ML Engineers to kill bad ideas (including their own) swiftly. "Ahead of What's Possible™" isn't marketing; it's daily rigor, from silicon validation to RL convergence.
Diversity drives breakthroughs: 50%+ women in technical leadership tracks, global perspectives from 24,000 employees, and inclusive hiring blind to pedigree beyond impact. DAG embodies this—PhDs collaborate with self-taught deployment wizards. Boston's cerebral ethos amplifies: no chest-thumping, just peer-reviewed progress.
Work-life harmony thrives: 1st-shift predictability, generous parental leave, and "no-meeting Wednesdays" preserve deep work. Social fabric weaves through hackathons, sailing regattas, and DAG robotics demos. This is culture where human-level dexterity extends to human-centered engineering.
Apply Now: Shape the Future of Dexterous Robotics
Ready to lead Physical AI at Analog Devices? Submit your CV highlighting RL/IL publications, PyTorch deployments, and robotics impact. Include GitHub with simulation environments or deployed policies. U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents prioritized due to export controls; others welcome pending licensing.
Target hire: February 2026. Interviews span technical deep-dives (design dexterous policy from specs), system design (multimodal pipeline at scale), and cultural fit (collaborative innovation stories). Join 24,000+ innovators ensuring tomorrow's breakthroughs happen today.
EEO Statement: Analog Devices celebrates diversity. We succeed when everyone can bring their whole selves to solve humanity's biggest challenges.
