Chinese Robotics Firm Offers Up to 18 Million for Chief Scientist

Chinese humanoid robotics company UBTECH has unveiled an ambitious recruitment initiative for the role of chief embodied intelligence scientist, offering an unprecedented annual salary that ranges from 15 million yuan, equivalent to approximately 2.18 million dollars, to a staggering 124 million yuan, or 18 million dollars. This salary proposal was officially confirmed by the Hong Kong-listed firm to the Global Times on Friday, marking a significant moment in the competitive landscape for AI talent.

The highest salary offering not only underscores UBTECH's commitment to attracting elite talent but also positions it among the top tiers of salaries in the industry. For context, the proposed maximum salary is comparable to the annual fiscal revenue of a medium-sized township or a small county-level city in China, aligning with the earnings of leading scientists at esteemed global tech firms such as OpenAI and Meta.

In describing the profile of the ideal candidate, a post on UBTECH's WeChat account stated, 'This is the ceiling for working-class professionals.' The company is seeking a pioneering figure who can not only drive forward its technological innovations but also revolutionize the humanoid robotics sector.

The structured compensation package for the chief embodied intelligence scientist will encompass a combination of cash, benefits, and equity, as confirmed by the Global Times. This approach reflects UBTECH's strategic intent to attract and retain top-tier talent essential for advancing their technological agenda.

According to a spokesperson for UBTECH, the role is pivotal in leading critical research in various core areas. This includes vision-language-action models, foundational robot models, manipulation, and dexterous skill learning. The new hire will be instrumental in translating cutting-edge embodied intelligence technologies from laboratory settings into practical applications, aiming to accelerate the widespread adoption of humanoid robots across multiple sectors.

Additionally, UBTECH is in the process of establishing a comprehensive network of technical talent by creating high-level positions encompassing roles such as reinforcement learning algorithm engineer, senior hardware engineer, and mechanical engineer, among others. This strategy aims to bolster the company's research and development capabilities.

As China’s humanoid robot and embodied intelligence sectors enter a crucial phase of growth and technological advancement, these recruitment efforts are timely. The embodied intelligence industry has been recognized for its potential explosive growth in the domestic market, as specified in the Government Work Report for the past two consecutive years.

On the global stage, humanoid robots have emerged as leading embodiments of artificial intelligence, making them focal points of intense technological competition. UBTECH's initiatives reflect not only its ambitions but also the broader trends witnessed across the global labor market in the robotics field.

Meanwhile, competition for top talent is heating up, as demonstrated by a recent report revealing that U.S. company Tesla has also launched a recruitment campaign for its Optimus humanoid robot. Tesla is seeking over 80 professionals in AI, engineering, and manufacturing, aiming to promote large-scale production of the humanoid robot.

Experts, such as Wang Peng from the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, highlight that the industry grapples with several technical challenges, including core algorithms and dexterous manipulation. Attracting top talent is seen as crucial for steering technological directions and enhancing development efficiency in this competitive landscape.