Research Scientist, Adhesion

The Mission

At GRAM, we believe the next great leap for humanity will be physical, not digital. What AGI is to bits, Self-Replication (SR) is to atoms. As an SR research and deployment company, our mission is to make humanity galactic by enabling physical exponential growth. To achieve this, we are conducting foundational research across general-purpose robotics, artificial intelligence, biology, and materials science to enable SR within our lifetimes.

Our first step is to challenge the consensus that robots should look like us. We believe true progress comes from optimizing for function over form. We are creating a new embodiment for intelligence, designed from first principles to build the future physical economy, on and off-world.

The Role

At GRAM, our engineering is built on a foundation of scientific discovery. This role is for the scientists who work at the frontier, creating the fundamental breakthroughs that will enable our future technology. You will be responsible for tackling high-risk, high-reward challenges, transforming nascent scientific principles into tangible, ownable advantages that redefine what is possible.

The ability to adhere to any surface is more than a feature; it is a foundational capability for a galactic species. Your breakthroughs in adhesion will grant our machines purchase on any foothold, enabling them to crawl across the irradiated skin of a starship, cling to the sheer, unprocessed rock of an alien cliffside, or anchor themselves to the shifting crystalline ores of a deep-space mining operation. This is an opportunity to solve adhesion not just for one robot, but for the billions of machines that will build our multi-planet economy.

Your work will form the bedrock upon which our engineering teams build the future. This is a chance to build a research program from the ground up, with the resources and mandate to pursue your curiosity in service of an ambitious, long-term mission.

Key Responsibilities:

• Architect and own GRAM's entire research program for surface-agnostic adhesion, creating the foundational technology for mobility in zero-g and extra-terrestrial environments.

• Lead the development of novel adhesion systems, from first-principles discovery and materials science to fully-integrated, patentable hardware ready for deployment on our robots. 

• Develop a strategic research roadmap, identifying and de-risking the most promising technological pathways, whether they be electromagnetic, electrostatic, or bio-mimetic.

• Personally drive the design, fabrication, and rigorous testing of experimental prototypes, establishing the empirical truth that will guide our engineering direction.

• Act as a deeply embedded, multi-disciplinary partner to our engineering teams, ensuring the seamless integration of your systems into a cohesive and functional robot.

About You

You are a first-principles thinker who is energized by solving problems that have no playbook. You are drawn to ambitious, long-term missions and want to build technology that fundamentally changes our physical capabilities. You thrive in a high-agency environment where you are given the ownership and resources to tackle core challenges. You have a demonstrated ability to deliver tangible results on high-stakes, open-ended research problems.

Basic Qualifications:

• A PhD in Experimental Physics, Materials Science, Mechatronics, or a related discipline, OR an MS with an exceptional portfolio of inventive, first-of-its-kind hardware.

• A track record of turning a scientific concept into a functional, physical prototype.

• Deep theoretical knowledge in a relevant field, such as electromagnetism, materials science, or contact physics.

• Hands-on experience with fabrication, experimental design, and data analysis.

Preferred Qualifications:

• A portfolio of patents and/or first-author publications in premier scientific journals.

• Direct experience developing hardware for extreme environments (e.g., vacuum, high-radiation, extreme temperatures).

• Experience leading a small, high-stakes R&D project from concept to delivery.

• Proficiency with multiphysics simulation tools (e.g., COMSOL, Ansys).

• A "full-stack" research capability, from theory and simulation to CAD, prototyping, and testing.

Location

This is an on-site role at our research lab in El Segundo, California. We offer significant relocation assistance for exceptional candidates.

Interview Process

After submitting your application, we review your portfolio and any exceptional work you've shipped. If your application demonstrates the caliber we seek, you'll enter our interview process, which is designed for speed and substance. We aim to complete it within one week from start to finish.

• Company-Wide Base Salary Range: $75,000 - $300,000 USD, calibrated to your impact potential
• Equity: Substantial ownership stake befitting founding team members
• Benefits: Health, dental, and vision coverage; all meals are paid for; relocation assistance

GRAM is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate solely on capability and drive.

Why Join?

We are an early, focused team of scientists and engineers building the system that builds itself. GRAM is funded by leading investors and long-term visionaries. We operate without bureaucracy. Ownership and leadership flow to those who demonstrate exceptional capability, and every team member works directly on our core technology. We are based in El Segundo, the heart of America's industrial future, focused on solving one of the most important problems of our time.