Senior Applied Scientist

Amazon is hiring a Senior Applied Scientist in San Francisco, United States. It pays $192k-$260k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on Amazon.

Level's read on this job

On Level's scale, this applied scientist role is Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
Pay on this posting starts 15% higher than the typical applied scientist posting on Level.
The posting mentions PyTorch, TensorFlow and Python among its tools and skills.
Level classes it as a senior role.
Amazon has 20,000+ other open roles on Level.

AI in this role

Senior Applied Scientist building state-of-the-art perception algorithms and AI models for industrial robotics.

PyTorchTensorFlowPythonComputer visionVision Language Models

ai-automationcomputer-vision

Amazon Industrial Robotics is on a mission to redefine the future of
automation — and we're looking for exceptional talent to help lead the way.
We are building the next generation of advanced robotic systems that
seamlessly blend cutting-edge AI, sophisticated control systems, and novel
mechanical design to create adaptable, intelligent automation solutions
capable of operating safely alongside humans in dynamic, real-world
environments.
At Amazon Industrial Robotics, we leverage the power of machine learning,
artificial intelligence, and advanced robotics to solve some of the most
complex operational challenges at a scale unlike anywhere else in the world.
Our fleet of robots spans hundreds of facilities globally, working in
sophisticated coordination to deliver on our promise of customer excellence
— and we're just getting started.
As a Sr. Applied Scientist in Robot Perception, you will be at the forefront of
this transformation. You will develop and deploy state-of-the-art perception
algorithms that enable robots to truly understand and interact with the
physical world — bridging the gap between theoretical research and realworld
impact. Bringing deep expertise in Computer Vision and a nuanced
understanding of the capabilities and limitations of modern Vision-Language
Models (VLMs), you will innovate boldly and push the boundaries of what's
possible. Our vision for the Perception layer is ambitious: to enable seamless,
intelligent interaction between the user, the robot, and its environment.
This is a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of deep learning, large
language models, and robotics — contributing to research that doesn't just
advance the field, but reshapes it. You will collaborate with world-class teams
pioneering breakthroughs in dexterous manipulation, locomotion, and humanrobot
interaction, all at an unprecedented scale.

Key job responsibilities
Design, develop, and deploy perception algorithms for robotics systems,
including object detection, segmentation, tracking, depth estimation, and
scene understanding
• Lead research initiatives in computer vision, sensor fusion and 3D
perception
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including robotics engineers,
software engineers, and product managers to define and deliver
perception capabilities
• Drive end-to-end ownership of ML models — from data collection and
labeling strategy to training, evaluation, and deployment
• Mentor junior scientists and engineers; contribute to a culture of
technical excellence
• Define and track key metrics to measure perception system performance
in real-world environments
• Publish research findings in top-tier venues (CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, ICRA,
NeurIPS, etc.) and contribute to patents

A day in the life
Train ML models for deployment in simulation and real-world robots,
identify and document their limitations post-deployment
• Drive technical discussions within your team and with key stakeholders to
develop innovative solutions to address identified limitations
• Actively contribute to brainstorming sessions on adjacent topics, bringing
fresh perspectives that help peers grow and succeed — and in doing so,
build lasting trust across the team
• Mentor team members while maintaining significant hands-on
contribution to technical solutions

About the team
Our Industrial Robotics Group is a diverse group of scientists and engineers
passionate about building intelligent machines. We value curiosity, rigor, and a bias for action. We believe in learning from failure and iterating quickly toward solutions that matter.

Basic qualifications

- Experience programming in Java, C++, Python or related language
- PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related
- field
- • 4+ years of hands-on experience in computer vision, 3D perception, or
- sensor fusion
- • Strong proficiency in Python and/or C++
- • Experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, TensorFlow, or
- equivalent)
- Job Description https://loop.cloud.microsoft/print/eyJwIjp7InUiOiJodHRwczovL2FtY...
- 3 of 9 4/30/26, 5:07 PM
- • Proven track record of delivering ML/perception systems to production
- • Strong publication record or equivalent applied research experience

Preferred qualifications

- Experience with robotic perception in real-world, unstructured
- environments
- • Familiarity with ROS/ROS2 and robotics middleware
- • Experience with point cloud processing (PCL, Open3D) and multi-modal
- sensor fusion
- • Knowledge of SLAM, localization, or mapping systems
- • Experience with large-scale data pipelines and distributed training
- • Prior experience in warehouse automation, autonomous vehicles, or
- industrial robotics

Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status.

Los Angeles County applicants: Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit https://amazon.jobs/content/en/how-we-hire/accommodations for more information. If the country/region you’re applying in isn’t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner.

The base salary range for this position is listed below. Your Amazon package will include sign-on payments and restricted stock units (RSUs). Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Amazon also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision, prescription, Basic Life & AD&D insurance and option for Supplemental life plans, EAP, Mental Health Support, Medical Advice Line, Flexible Spending Accounts, Adoption and Surrogacy Reimbursement coverage), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Learn more about our benefits at https://amazon.jobs/en/benefits.

USA, CA, SAN FRANCISCO - 192,200.00 - 260,000.00 USD annually

How we rate this

Senior Applied Scientist at Amazon rates 95 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Senior Applied Scientist is an open job at Amazon.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $192k-$260k a year.
The role is based in US, CA, San Francisco.
The job was posted on June 19, 2026.
Seniority: senior.
Applications are handled by Amazon. Apply on Amazon

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

AI AutomationComputer visionPyTorchTensorFlowPythonVision Language Models

Also common in applied scientist jobs at this level

Generative AI NLP Reinforcement learning Spark AWS scikit-learn

Pay

This job starts at: $192k
Typical applied scientist job: $167k

This posting starts 15% above the typical applied scientist job. See applied scientist jobs

Questions you could be asked

Tell me about a workflow you automated with AI tools, end to end.
Walk me through a computer vision problem you solved, from raw data to a deployed model.
What are the limits of PyTorch that you've run into, and how did you work around them?
What's a project where you used TensorFlow hands-on?
Walk me through how you've used Python in your day-to-day work.

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: AI Automation, Computer vision, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and Python. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.

Get your CV reviewed before you apply

Send your CV and the role you want next. Your review arrives by email within 3 days.

Get a free CV review Check your resume with the ATS resume checker