99 OPEN
SALARIES · ML RESEARCH ENGINEER
ML Research Engineer [YoY +8%]
Median total compensation for ml research engineer roles in robotics, AI, and autonomy. Open roles by salary, direct from each employer.
[ SENIOR COMPENSATION · ANNUAL · BASE ]
$230,000 – $295,000USD
§ 01
Compensation by level
[ MID ]
$170K
[ SENIOR ]
$230K
[ STAFF ]
$295K
[ PRINCIPAL ]
$375K
§ 02
Top-paid open roles
- 01Senior Deep Learning Software Infrastructure EngineerNVIDIA·US, CA, Remote$224K–$431K
- 02Senior Deep Learning Software Engineer, InferenceNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$184K–$357K
- 03Senior Deep Learning Software Engineer, Inference and Model OptimizationNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$184K–$357K
- 04Deep Learning Senior Engineer, End-To-End Autonomous DrivingNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$184K–$357K
- 05Senior Deep Learning Framework Communications EngineerNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$184K–$357K
- 06Senior Systems Software Engineer - Deep Learning SolutionsNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$224K–$357K
- 07Senior Deep Learning Engineer, Cosmo 3D SpatialNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$224K–$357K
- 08Senior Software Architect - Deep Learning and HPC CommunicationsNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$184K–$357K
- 09Senior Deep Learning Frameworks CUDA Software EngineerNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$184K–$357K
- 10Engineering Manager, Deep Learning InferenceNVIDIA·US, CA, Santa Clara$184K–$357K
§ 03
Top employers hiring ml research engineers
| Employer | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA | 52 | $270K |
| Skydio | 11 | $224K |
| Robotics technology LLC | 5 | — |
| Nuro | 5 | $230K |
| Shield AI | 3 | $250K |
| Diligent Robotics | 3 | — |
| Boston Dynamics | 2 | $187K |
| Anduril Industries | 2 | $225K |
§ 04
Top cities hiring ml research engineers
| Metro | Open roles | Median comp |
|---|---|---|
| US | 30 | $250K |
| China | 22 | — |
| Mountain View | 7 | $230K |
| San Mateo | 6 | $224K |
| Zurich | 5 | — |
| Remote | 2 | $250K |
| Costa Mesa | 2 | $225K |
| San Francisco | 2 | $25K |
§ 05
FAQ
- How much do ml research engineers make in the robotics industry?
- Senior ml research engineers in the robotics industry typically earn $230K base salary at top employers. Staff-level roles run $295K and principal-level reach $375K. Numbers are median base salary across 156 data points; total compensation including equity is typically 15-30% higher at private robotics employers.
- Who is hiring the most ml research engineers right now?
- NVIDIA (52 open roles), Skydio (11 open roles), and Robotics technology LLC (5 open roles) lead by open-role volume. Browse all 99 open ml research engineer roles sorted by recency.
- Where are most ml research engineer jobs located?
- The top robotics industry hubs for ml research engineer roles right now are US, China, and Mountain View. Defense robotics tends to concentrate in DC/Northern Virginia and Colorado Springs (clearance-required roles), while commercial launch is heaviest in LA basin and Florida's Space Coast.
- Do ml research engineer roles in robotics, AI, and autonomy require security clearance?
- Many do. Defense robotics programs at Anduril, Shield AI, Saronic, and defense primes require Secret or TS/SCI clearance. Commercial robotics roles at Boston Dynamics, Apptronik, 1X, Skydio, and Wayve generally do not. ITAR registration is more common than clearance — many sensor, autonomy, and unmanned-systems roles require it.
§ 06
Browse every ml research engineer role