Research Intern, Haptic Design and Control (PhD)

Job Description

Back to all jobs Facebook's mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Through our family of apps and services, we're building a different kind of company that connects billions of people around the world, gives them ways to share what matters most to them, and helps bring people closer together. Whether we're creating new products or helping a small business expand its reach, people at Facebook are builders at heart. Our global teams are constantly iterating, solving problems, and working together to empower people around the world to build community and connect in meaningful ways. Together, we can help people build stronger communities — we're just getting started. Facebook Reality Labs brings together a world-class team of researchers, developers, and engineers to create the future of virtual and augmented reality, which together will become as universal and essential as smartphones and personal computers are today. We are currently seeking innovative researchers with a passion for technology to develop next generation haptics for our research location in Redmond, WA. The focus of this role is the design and control of novel wearable haptic displays using soft actuators. This includes mechanical design, modeling, and prototyping of soft actuators, FEA analysis of soft structures to achieve desired actuator characteristics, novel actuation strategies of fluidic valves to achieve desired haptic response, characterization of the developed haptic display using instrumented mechatronic systems and through perceptual experiments with human subjects. We seek a PhD candidate in mechanical, electrical, or control systems engineering, with a strong background in soft robotics, modeling, and haptic control. Our internship is typically twenty (20) to twenty-six (26) weeks long and we have various start dates throughout the year. RESPONSIBILITIES

• Plan and execute cutting-edge research to advance wearable haptic display technology with applications to augmented and virtual reality.
• Collaborate with other researchers, engineers, and technicians to prototype novel hardware and software solutions.
• The work is expected to result in publishable research in a top-tier journal or leading international conference in the field of Haptics.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Must obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
• Interpersonal experience: cross-group and cross-culture collaboration
• Currently has, or is in the process of obtaining, a PhD degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, control systems engineering, or related technical field.
• Excellent research skills involving defining problems, exploring solutions, and analyzing results.
• Proficiency with Matlab, Simulink, and C++.
• Proven record of accomplishment of achieving significant results.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Intent to return to degree-program after the completion of the internship/co-op
• Hands-on experience with building wearable haptic displays using soft components, including wearable kinesthetic impedance displays, with an emphasis on soft actuators.
• Experience in developing and prototyping soft robotic systems including knowledge of fluidic actuation, manufacturing techniques for soft systems (e.g. molding, additive manufacturing, soft substrate bonding) and integration of soft actuators with textiles.
• Basic knowledge of human biomechanics and its role in haptic display design.

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