Full-Time

Robotics and Autonomous Systems Senior Engineer

Vernova Research

Posted on 5/9/2026

GE Vernova

GE Vernova

1,001-5,000 employees

Portfolio of energy businesses delivering electricity

Compensation Overview

$113.2k - $188.8k/yr

No H1B Sponsorship

Schenectady, NY, USA

In Person

Category
Mechanical Engineering (2)
,
Requirements
  • PhD in Engineering, Robotics, Computer Science, or a related technical discipline with 5+ years' relevant professional experience, OR Master's Degree in same with 8+ years' relevant professional experience.
  • Significant experience in robotics, autonomous systems, or related interdisciplinary engineering fields.
  • Demonstrated record of technical innovation in robotics, including publications, patents, prototypes, or deployed systems.
  • Experience developing robotic systems in one or more of the following areas: robot design, motion planning, perception, manipulation, controls, system integration, or human–robot interaction.
  • Demonstrated ability to execute complex technical projects and work effectively across functions, teams, and organizational levels.
  • Demonstrated leadership experience in technical programs, project execution, or research initiatives.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Must be willing to work on-site at GE Vernova Advanced Research in Niskayuna, NY.
  • Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. This role is not eligible for immigration or visa sponsorship.
Responsibilities
  • Serve as a senior technical contributor in a multidisciplinary team developing advanced robotics and autonomous systems.
  • Mentor early career team members.
  • Invent, design, and develop functional systems and tools spanning robot system design, motion planning, perception, manipulation, system integration, and human–robot interaction.
  • Contribute deep technical expertise to the development of novel robotics capabilities aligned with GE Vernova business and research priorities.
  • Build and demonstrate prototype systems that address real-world industrial and energy-related challenges.
  • Rapidly evaluate concepts through hands-on prototyping, experimentation, and technical validation.
  • Translate emerging robotics technologies into practical applications through rigorous system development and testing.
  • Collaborate with product managers, chief engineers, researchers, and business teams across GE Vernova to define needs, requirements, and development priorities.
  • Work with external collaborators, including government agencies, industry, national laboratories, and academic partners, to shape and execute advanced technology programs.
  • Support alignment between technical development efforts and longer-term product or process roadmaps.
  • Work with Advanced Research senior leadership and technology managers to help shape technical vision and strategic direction for robotics and autonomous systems.
  • Identify opportunities where robotics and intelligent systems can create differentiated impact for GE Vernova businesses.
  • Contribute to the growth of the Robotics & Computer Vision organization through technical leadership and strategic engagement.
  • Drive intellectual property development through prior art analysis, invention generation, disclosure writing, and support for patent applications.
  • Develop rigorous experimental evidence to support intellectual property and technical claims.
  • Maintain external technical visibility through reports, presentations, publications, and participation in professional communities where appropriate.
  • Build strong working relationships across Advanced Research and GE Vernova businesses.
  • Coach and support developing technologists, contributing to a culture of technical excellence, learning, and collaboration.
  • Foster productive internal and external partnerships that expand technical capability and program impact.
  • Help identify, shape, and pursue external research and commercial opportunities in robotics and autonomy.
  • Lead or contribute to proposals for government-funded and strategic R&D programs, including serving as principal investigator where appropriate.
  • Articulate compelling technical approaches to challenging problems and align them with sponsor or customer priorities.
  • Deliver clear and effective presentations, technical reports, and other communications to Advanced Research leadership, GE Vernova businesses, government agencies, and external stakeholders.
  • Contribute to peer-reviewed publications and professional society engagement where aligned with business and research objectives.
Desired Qualifications
  • PhD strongly preferred for candidates focused on advanced research leadership or externally sponsored R&D.
  • Experience developing patentable intellectual property and supporting patent prosecution activities.
  • Experience writing successful R&D proposals, particularly for U.S. government agencies or other externally funded research programs.
  • Experience transitioning technologies from research and prototyping into product, manufacturing, or field deployment environments.
  • Familiarity with experimental design, validation methods, and rigorous test practices.
  • Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in multidisciplinary environments and across organizational boundaries.
  • Strong creative problem-solving skills with a hands-on, execution-oriented approach.
  • Ability to influence technical direction through expertise, collaboration, and credibility rather than formal authority alone.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, initiative, and a clear interest in long-term impact through industrial research.
  • Adaptability, resilience, and comfort working in evolving technical and programmatic environments.

GE Vernova is the umbrella for GE’s energy businesses, including Power, Renewable Energy, and Digital, along with Energy Consulting, Energy Financial Services, Grid Solutions, Nuclear Energy, and LM Wind Power. It contributes to about one-third of the world’s electricity and focuses on making energy more reliable, affordable, and sustainable. The company combines hardware, software, services, and financing to deliver end-to-end energy solutions—from gas turbines, wind turbines, and nuclear systems to digital tools and grid infrastructure, supported by consulting and financing. What sets GE Vernova apart is its one-stop portfolio that covers the full energy value chain at a global scale, integrating equipment, software, services, and finance to help customers improve efficiency and decarbonize. Its goal is to speed the transition to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for customers around the world.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Founded

2022

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Data centre orders drive 20% of 100 GW gas pipeline with pricing 10-20 bps higher.
  • Global electricity supercycle from AI, EVs, and reshoring targets 50% revenue growth by 2028.
  • European expansion via Italian manufacturing and 100-MW wind contracts reduces US market dependence.

What critics are saying

  • Prolec integration failures erode $5B transformer backlog margins within 12-18 months.
  • BWRX-300 NRC regulatory delays push US deployments beyond 2030, stranding R&D investments.
  • Chinese competitors undercut onshore wind prices 25%, capturing 20% European and Asian share.

What makes GE Vernova unique

  • Integrated portfolio spans Power, Wind, and Electrification with $163B backlog and 2x book-to-bill ratio.
  • Prolec GE acquisition adds $5B transformer backlog, accelerating $200B target to 2027.
  • BWRX-300 small modular reactor partnership with Hitachi under $40B US-Japan nuclear plan.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Paid Vacation

Paid Parental Leave

Mental Health Support

Relocation Assistance

Performance Bonus

Company News

Yahoo Finance
Apr 4th, 2026
GE Vernova secures $6M state funding for $96M energy research centre in Niskayuna

GE Vernova has secured an additional $6 million in state funding for its $96 million Advanced Research Center on Balltown Road in Niskayuna, New York. The grant, awarded through the FAST NY programme, will fund water supply, road and stormwater management upgrades at the campus, offsetting roughly half of the $12 million in required infrastructure improvements. The company previously received $9.6 million in state tax credits linked to plans for creating 75 new jobs at the research centre, along with low-cost hydropower allocation. The site, separate from GE Vernova's existing River Road labs, will house energy technology research including a direct air capture carbon system currently under testing. GE Vernova earned nearly $5 billion in 2025 on $38 billion in revenue, with a market value of $242 billion.

BetaKit
Mar 31st, 2026
ThinkLabs raises $28M USD Series A to help power grids handle AI data centre demand

ThinkLabs has raised $28 million USD ($39 million CAD) in a Series A round led by Energy Impact Partners to help power grids manage surging demand from AI data centres. Nvidia's venture fund NVentures and Edison International participated, alongside returning investors including GE Vernova. The Canadian-led, New York-based startup provides physics-informed AI software that creates digital twins of power grids, simulating scenarios to help operators maintain reliability and reduce outages. The platform reduces what would typically be a six-month, quarter-million-dollar study to under a day's analysis. Founded by former Toronto Hydro smart-grid department head Josh Wong, ThinkLabs spun out of GE Vernova in early 2024 with $6.8 million CAD in seed funding. The company will use the new capital to mature its product and expand features whilst focusing on the North American market.

Yahoo Finance
Mar 20th, 2026
Trump and Japan unveil up to $40B US nuclear reactor plan

President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have unveiled a US-Japan energy investment plan potentially worth $40 billion, centring on small modular nuclear reactors. GE Vernova and Hitachi will develop BWRX-300 reactors in Tennessee and Alabama, whilst Japan will invest up to $33 billion in natural gas plants in Pennsylvania and Texas. The initiative forms part of a broader $550 billion bilateral investment fund agreed under a recent trade pact. It aims to address rising electricity demand from data centres and artificial intelligence infrastructure. However, most SMR designs await regulatory approval and none have been deployed on US grids. The agreement also covers critical minerals and industrial supply chains, with Japanese firms contributing components and participating in rare-earth projects across Indiana, Arizona and North Carolina.

Yahoo Finance
Mar 10th, 2026
GE Vernova shares rise 14.8% in 3 months on AI data centre power demand

GE Vernova shares have risen 14.8% over the past three months, outperforming its Zacks Alternate Energy – Other industry's 4.1% growth. The company is benefiting from surging electricity demand driven by AI data centre expansion, creating strong opportunities for its turbines and grid equipment. GE Vernova is improving profitability in its wind segment through cost controls and portfolio optimisation, whilst its gas power and power services businesses continue strong performance. In March 2026, the company secured a contract for a 100-megawatt wind farm in Italy, supplying 17 turbines plus maintenance support. The company is expanding its Italian manufacturing facility to boost production of transformer components and advancing its BWRX-300 small modular reactor project in Poland, strengthening its position in the nuclear power market.

Yahoo Finance
Mar 4th, 2026
BlackRock tips AI energy stocks over big tech, highlights 3 power plays for surging data centre demand

BlackRock is advising investors to focus on AI energy stocks rather than big tech companies in 2026, as AI data centres drive a surge in power demand. Deloitte anticipates a 30-fold increase in US AI data centre power consumption between 2024 and 2035. Three promising investments include Bloom Energy, which provides hydrogen fuel cell solutions for onsite electricity generation. The company reported $778 million in revenue last quarter, up 36% year over year, with analysts expecting accelerated growth. Constellation Energy, America's leading nuclear power provider, is restarting a Three Mile Island reactor to supply Microsoft's AI data centre. The company generates over two-thirds of its electricity through nuclear power. GE Vernova, General Electric's power production spinoff, reported orders up 34% to $59.3 billion, with a $150 billion backlog.