Humanoid Locomotion Control Engineer

Persona AIis developing and commercializing a multi-purpose humanoid robot for manufacturing and other industries. Persona and its staff have a long history in humanoid research and development and are positioned to be a commercial leader in bringing these capable machines to market.

If you're passionate about cutting-edge technology and want to be part of a world-class team that's driving the future of manufacturing and humanoids, we'd love to hear from you.

We're looking for an experienced Humanoid Locomotion Control Engineer to collaboratively develop and implement locomotion control algorithms using traditional and machine learning control techniques, and applying sensor fusion, state estimation, and other robotics tools.

In addition to aptitude and energy, we are primarily interested in candidates with real-world experience in developing bipedal walking controllers.

As one of the inaugural Locomotion Control Engineers at Persona, you will have an incredible opportunity to get in at the beginning to shape the design and development of Persona's humanoid robot.

How will you be part of the team?

• Develop and implement locomotion control algorithms for bipedal walking, including balance control, gait planning, and reactive adaptation.
• Design and optimize real-time controllers for dynamic stability, disturbance rejection and energy efficiency.
• Integrate sensor feedback (IMUs, force/torque sensors, cameras, etc.) for state estimation and closed-loop control.
• Simulate, test and validate walking controllers in both simulation and real-world environments.
• Collaborate with hardware, perception and planning teams to refine system performance and robustness.
• Contribute to the development of whole-body control strategies for humanoid motion.

What does an ideal background look like?

• MS or PhD in Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in bipedal locomotion control, legged robotics, and dynamic systems.
• Expertise in model-based control techniques (e.g., inverse dynamics, whole-body control, MPC).
• Strong background in kinematics, dynamics, and optimization for robotic motion.
• Proficiency in C++ and/or Python for real-time control implementation.
• Experience with physics-based simulation tools (e.g., MuJoCo, Gazebo, PyBullet, Isaac, etc.).
• Familiarity with ROS, LCM, or other middleware for robotic systems.

What are additional skills that would make a candidate stand out?

• Experience with reinforcement learning or data-driven approaches for locomotion.
• Significant hands-on experience deploying control algorithms on real humanoid robots in real world settings.
• Knowledge of hardware actuation, compliance control, and force-based interactions.
• Understanding of energy-efficient locomotion strategies for long-duration operation.

Persona AI embraces diversity and equal opportunity in a serious way. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We believe the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Location: Pensacola, FL