Senior Manager, Open Innovation - Robotics

665 Clyde Avenue, Mountain View, CA, USA

Lab Summary:

Samsung Research America’s Open Innovation team identifies and incubates innovative external technologies that accelerate Samsung’s development and market position of its industry-leading consumer devices.  We proactively research and create partnership & investment opportunities with breakthrough technologies that lay the foundation for the future of Samsung’s core product & services across smartphones, tablets, wearables, PCs, TVs, appliances, and more.  In addition to driving both the technical and business processes to validate and commercialize new technologies in Samsung’s existing products, we maintain a strong pulse on the market to find the next big thing.

Position Summary: 

The Sr. Manager, Open Innovation - Robotics is responsible for researching, identifying, partnering, and promoting external robotics innovations to develop collaboration opportunities for accelerating Samsung’s R&D efforts and formulate strategies to deliver innovative solutions through Samsung’s device ecosystem.

In this role, you will navigate the startup & university communities to identify the latest advances in robotics hardware & software, develop business cases to promote the most relevant and impactful technology breakthroughs with our leadership team, foster partnerships, and drive pivotal initiatives that increase Samsung’s differentiation in the space. 

Position Responsibilities: 

•    Demonstrate domain expertise by paying close attention to market trends, breakthroughs in technology, and navigate startups, university research & publications in robotics that are relevant to Samsung’s existing robot products & research activities to inform future development
•    Navigate the various advances in the core technology for robotics including, but not limited to, locomotion, manipulation, actuation, sensors, SLAM, simulation, power management, compute, and the intersection with AI & foundation models
•    Develop business cases that highlight new revenue-generating opportunities for robotics that Samsung could enter to promote to senior leadership teams
•    Identify new opportunities and key research areas that Samsung and SRA can embrace to secure core technology for future development and champion them throughout the organization
•    Foster relationships with external technology startups, VCs, and universities to find breakthrough innovations and effectively communicate their value proposition to Samsung R&D teams and executives globally
•    Be the primary liaison between partners and Samsung by leading discussions, facilitating evaluations, and driving POCs with an eye towards partnership, commercialization, investment, and/or M&A
•    Be the internal champion for partner’s strategic goals and vision and advocate their needs to stakeholders ensuring awareness and understanding through effective communication
•    Coordinate cross-functional and cross-geo team activities, setting project milestones, and motivating teams to meet project timelines and deliverables
•    Proactively address ambiguity through strategic thinking followed by tactical execution
•    Form a clear understanding of team priorities to balance urgent vs. daily activities
•    Proactively build concepts and define new consumer experiences through partners

Required Skills:

•     Bachelor’s degree in technology or engineering discipline required (e.g. EE, CS, or similar), Post-graduate (MS, PhD and/or MBA) degree or equivalent combination or education, training, and experience
•    8+ years of professional experience in robotics, as a technology researcher, product manager or hardware/software engineer in a technology company with a foundational understanding of robotics hardware, software, and artificial intelligence
•    Effective interpersonal and relationship management skills
•    Strong personal network within the industry, startup and ventures community
•    Experience in leading complex, multi-team and cross-geographic projects to success
•    Excellent written, verbal communications and presentation skills
•    Ability to deal with ambiguity associated with working in a fast-paced and changing environment
•    Must be willing to travel domestically and internationally (20%)

Special Attributes

•    Positive attitude and energy, persistence, and flexibility
•    Great communication skills: clear, patient, and well adapted to the audience and situation
•    Analytical skills to formulate and present structured, objective recommendations and respond to challenges and objections
•    Personal skills to plan, organize, and prioritize multiple assignments and delivery on tight schedules
•    Ability to position and sell technology to executive audiences

Our total rewards programs are designed to motivate and engage exceptional talent. The base pay range for roles at this level is listed below, but may be higher or lower in other states due to geographic differentials in the labor market. Within the base pay range, individual rates depend on a number of factors—including the role’s function and location as well as the individual’s knowledge, skills, experience, education and training. This is part of our comprehensive compensation package with annual bonus eligibility and generous benefits to help you live life well.

Base Pay Range

$188,400 - $282,450 USD

Additional Information

Disclosure of Trade Secrets

Samsung has a strict policy on trade secrets. In applying to Samsung and progressing through the recruitment process, you must not disclose any trade secrets of a current or previous employer.

Essential Job Functions

This position will be performed in an office setting. The position will require the incumbent to sit and stand at a desk, communicate in person and by telephone, and frequently operate standard office equipment, such as telephones and computers.

Samsung Research America is committed to complying with all Federal, State and local laws related to the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the employment selection process, please contact the recruiter or email sratalent@samsung.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Samsung, we believe that innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce. We aim to create a global team where everyone belongs and has equal opportunities, inspiring our talent to be their true selves. Together, we are building a better tomorrow for our customers, partners, and communities.

Samsung Research America is committed to employing a diverse workforce, and  provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

For more information regarding protection from discrimination under Federal law for applicants and employees, please refer to this link: Pay Transparency

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Information about what we are doing to meet the obligations of the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Consumer Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) other important information for California residents is available at SRA’s Job Applicant Privacy Policy.  Please review the policy carefully, and if you agree to the collection, processing, use, and transfer of your personal information as described in the policy, please indicate your acceptance by selecting “Accept” from the following drop down menu.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Samsung Research America’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.