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Automated Reasoning call for proposals — Fall 2024

Systems assurance by mathematical proof.

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About this CFP

Amazon is committed to helping customers achieve the highest levels of security, availability, and robustness in the cloud. Automated reasoning is the application of mathematical logic to answer questions and prove properties about critical computer systems. Using automated reasoning, Amazon is able to detect previously missed misconfigurations, or show their absence, and to prove that protocols and programs work as intended. Our work in provable security and privacy aims to provides higher assurance for customers. We anticipate funding research in these categories:

  • Automated reasoning
  • Abstract interpretation
  • Correct-by-construction software
  • Dafny
  • Efficient reasoning with quantifiers
  • Improvements to SAT, SMT, and CHC solvers
  • Model checking
  • Novel applications of automated reasoning
  • Provable Privacy
  • Software synthesis and optimization
  • Software verification, e.g., C, Rust, Java
  • Static analysis
  • Theorem proving
  • The use of automated reasoning to improve generative AI techniques
  • Using automated reasoning in combination with generative AI techniques
  • Verification of distributed protocols and systems
  • Verification of randomized algorithms

Timeline

Submission period: September 25, 2024 - November 13, 2024 (11:59PM Pacific Time)

Decision letters will be sent out in March 2025

Award details

Selected Principal Investigators (PIs) may receive the following:

  • Unrestricted funds, no more than $80,000 USD on average
  • AWS Promotional Credits, no more than $20,000 USD on average
  • Training resources, including AWS tutorials and hands-on sessions with Amazon scientists and engineers

Amazon Research Awards (ARA) are structured as one-year unrestricted gifts. The budget should include a list of expected costs specified in USD, and should not include administrative overhead costs. The final award amount will be determined by the awards panel.

Eligibility requirements

Please refer to the ARA Program rules on the Rules and Eligibility page.

Proposal requirements

Proposals should be prepared according to the proposal template. Proposals should answer the following questions:

  1. Does your work target analysis of protocols, code, or configuration? Please provide information about your domain and the type of analysis.
  2. What are the current applications of your work? (e.g., libraries, codebases, or industry code).
  3. What are potential applications of your work to Amazon?
  4. What assumptions are made by your work? If the techniques proposed are sound: What are issues that may invalidate this result?
  5. If your work involves the development and maintenance of a tool:
    1. Under what license is or will your tool be released?
    2. What on-boarding/tutorial material is available?
    3. Is your tool actively maintained (i.e., commits within last 3 months)? How many active contributors does your project have?

Selection criteria

ARA funding decisions will be based on potential impact to automated reasoning research, and the development of the automated reasoning scientific community. Amazon's commitment to developing the automated reasoning scientific community includes increasing the number of university researchers engaged in automated reasoning research. We are also committed to increasing the diversity of the automated reasoning community at all levels.

Expectations from recipients

To the extent deemed reasonable, Award recipients should acknowledge the support from ARA. Award recipients will inform ARA of publications, presentations, code and data releases, blogs/social media posts, and other speaking engagements referencing the results of the supported research or the Award. Award recipients are expected to provide updates and feedback to ARA via surveys or reports on the status of their research. Award recipients will have an opportunity to work with ARA on an informational statement about the awarded project that may be used to generate visibility for their institutions and ARA.

How to apply
When you're ready to submit your proposal, use the button below and follow the instructions on the site.
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Member of Technical Staff - Robotics Electrical Engineer, Frontier AI & Robotics
US, CA, San Francisco
We are seeking a hands-on Electrical Engineer to lead the design and integration of electrical systems or subsystems for high-degree-of-freedom robotic platforms. This role involves architecting the robot’s power distribution, sensor wiring, and embedded electrical infrastructure. You will be responsible for designing across the full electrical system for advanced robotics platforms including power distribution, sensing, compute, motor controllers, communication infrastructure, battery system and power electronics in close collaboration with mechanical, controls and software engineers. You’ll play a key role in ensuring high-performance, reliable operation of complex electromechanical systems under real-world conditions. Key job responsibilities * Electrical system architect / owner for power electronics, actuation, PCBAs, battery, ware harness specs and high speed electrical/communications protocols * Design, develop and integrate power distribution, embedded electronics, motor controllers and safety-critical circuits for complex robotic systems * Own board layout of PCBAs including SoCs, microcontrollers, sensors, power devices, etc. using Cadence OrCAD/Allegro or equivalent tools. Oversee bring-up and validation * Determine appropriate high speed electrical and communication protocols (e.g., CAN, EtherCAT, USB, etc) for reliable and efficient system operation * Specify and design custom power electronics and power distribution boards to meet performance, thermal, and safety requirements * Design and route all cabling and wire harnesses across the robotic platform, considering EMI, signal integrity, serviceability, and integration with mechanical structures * Architect and integrate the robot’s battery system, including protection circuitry, battery management, charging systems, and thermal considerations * Define and implement wiring and electrical interfaces for sensors (e.g., lidar, stereo cameras, IMUs, tactile) and compute modules * Ownership over prototyping and bringing up electrical designs and creation of test & validation rigs About the team At Frontier AI & Robotics, we're not just advancing robotics – we're reimagining it from the ground up. Our team is building the future of intelligent robotics through innovative foundation models and end-to-end learned systems. We tackle some of the most challenging problems in AI and robotics, from developing sophisticated perception systems to creating adaptive manipulation strategies that work in complex, real-world scenarios. What sets us apart is our unique combination of ambitious research vision and practical impact. We leverage Amazon's massive computational infrastructure and rich real-world datasets to train and deploy state-of-the-art foundation models. Our work spans the full spectrum of robotics intelligence – from multimodal perception using images, videos, and sensor data, to sophisticated manipulation strategies that can handle diverse real-world scenarios. We're building systems that don't just work in the lab, but scale to meet the demands of Amazon's global operations. Join us if you're excited about pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotics, working with world-class researchers, and seeing your innovations deployed at unprecedented scale.
Technical Lab Manager - Robotics R&D, Frontier AI & Robotics
US, CA, San Francisco
Join our Frontier AI & Robotics team to lead the hardware integration of next-generation robotic systems that will transform how robots perceive and interact with the world. You'll take ownership of critical hardware components, from advanced actuators to precision sensors, ensuring they work seamlessly together to support breakthrough AI research and real-world deployment. Key job responsibilities - Prototype Lab Leadership — Lead & develop a cross-functional technician team supporting robotic prototype hardware; own daily priorities, team KPIs, and risk communication to FAR leadership. Serve as the technical escalation point for the lab. - Assembly, Integration & DFx ownership — Assemble & integrate robotic hardware (actuators, sensors, vision, machined components). Build assembly processes and test protocols with hardware engineering. Drive DFM/DFA feedback and own simple mechanical/electrical design tasks, lead integration/debug, and partner with engineers to optimize manufacturability and testability. - Own R&D prototype test & validation — Validate hardware revisions, verify mechanical assemblies, power sequencing, comms interfaces, and peripherals during bring-up. - Build a strong debugging & failure analysis function — Troubleshoot & root-cause across the full robot platform (power, compute, comms, actuators, sensors); hands-on for complex issues, directing the team on routine ones. Conduct failure analysis from component to system level using oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and multimeters; train technicians on diagnostic techniques. Reproduce critical failures, interpret schematics, and bridge communication between the lab and engineering teams. - Own lab technical documentation — Own documentation & quality - author runbooks, FA reports, assembly guides and troubleshooting guides; mentor the team to maintain consistent standards. - Own mechanical design for the lab — Own mechanical design technician output. Oversee technicians performing simple R&D design tasks and test fixture design, ensuring quality and alignment with engineering priorities. - Manage prototyping lab operations — oversee machine shop capabilities and quality, equipment/inventory, vendor coordination, and safety/regulatory compliance. - Build additional lab capabilities — develop test methodologies, design jigs/fixtures, implement HIL testing, and streamline failure-to-resolution workflows. A day in the life Your focus centers on the hardware that powers our advanced robotic platforms. You'll lead a strong robotics technician and lab engineering team to support high degrees of freedom (DoF) robotic hardware prototype assembly and validation. Your team will be responsible for building, debugging and validating prototype hardware, critical component and assembly quality assessments, providing DFM/DFA feedback to engineers and designing test jigs and test set-ups. You’ll manage responsibilities like quality inspections of incoming parts, one-on-ones with technicians, and coordinating machine shop operations. Throughout the day, you balance leading your team through complex assemblies and integration testing while also handling urgent prototyping requests, documentation updates, and planning for upcoming milestones. You're switching between working at the bench alongside your technicians, collaborating in design reviews with engineers, and ensuring lab safety and equipment maintenance. About the team At Frontier AI & Robotics, we're not just advancing robotics – we're reimagining it from the ground up. Our team is building the future of intelligent robotics through frontier foundation models and end-to-end learned systems. We tackle some of the most challenging problems in AI and robotics, from developing sophisticated perception systems to creating adaptive manipulation strategies that work in complex, real-world scenarios. What sets us apart is our unique combination of ambitious research vision and practical impact. We leverage Amazon's computational infrastructure and rich real-world datasets to train and deploy state-of-the-art foundation models. Our work spans the full spectrum of robotics intelligence – from multimodal perception using images, videos, and sensor data, to sophisticated manipulation strategies that can handle diverse real-world scenarios. We're building systems that don't just work in the lab, but scale to meet the demands of Amazon's global operations. Join us if you're excited about pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotics, working with world-class researchers, and seeing your innovations deployed at unprecedented scale.
Applied Scientist III, Whole Body Control
US, MA, N.reading
Amazon is seeking exceptional talent to help develop the next generation of advanced robotics systems that will transform automation at Amazon's scale. We're building revolutionary robotic systems that combine cutting-edge AI, sophisticated control systems, and advanced mechanical design to create adaptable automation solutions capable of working safely alongside humans in dynamic environments. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of robotics and automation at an unprecedented scale, working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotic dexterous manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction. This role presents an opportunity to shape the future of robotics through innovative applications of deep learning and large language models. At Amazon we leverage advanced robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to solve complex operational challenges at an unprecedented scale. Our fleet of robots operates across hundreds of facilities worldwide, working in sophisticated coordination to fulfill our mission of customer excellence. The ideal candidate will contribute to research that bridges the gap between theoretical advancement and practical implementation in robotics. You will be part of a team that's revolutionizing how robots learn, adapt, and interact with their environment. Join us in building the next generation of intelligent robotics systems that will transform the future of automation and human-robot collaboration. Key job responsibilities - Design and implement whole body control methods for balance, locomotion, and dexterous manipulation - Utilize state-of-the-art in methods in learned and model-based control - Create robust and safe behaviors for different terrains and tasks - Implement real-time controllers with stability guarantees - Collaborate effectively with multi-disciplinary teams to co-design hardware and algorithms for loco-manipulation - Mentor junior engineer and scientists
Data Science Manager, PXT Central Science
US, VA, Arlington
Every day, hundreds of thousands of Amazon associates show up to fulfill the promise we make to our customers. Behind the workforce decisions that support them — staffing, retention, scheduling, development — there should be science that doesn't just describe what happened, but explains why it happened and predicts what comes next. That's the work we do. PXT Central Science (PXTCS) is Amazon's internal research organization dedicated to bringing scientific rigor to people and workforce decisions at global scale. Our team sits within the part of PXTCS that focuses on Amazon's Tier 1 hourly populations — the associates at the heart of Amazon's operations. We are a multidisciplinary group of 15 economists, data scientists, data engineers, and research scientists united by a single mission: to transform complex operational challenges into actionable insights through rigorous causal analysis and predictive modeling that empowers data-driven workforce decisions. We are building something new — causal predictive models that go beyond traditional forecasting. Our models don't just tell leaders what will happen; they reveal why it will happen and what levers they can pull to change the outcome. This is the frontier where causal inference meets modern machine learning, and we need a scientist who can help us push it forward. As a Data Science Manager (DSM), you will lead a team of economists, scientists, and data engineers working to solve complex scientific problems that have high business and customer impact. You will be responsible for building structural and predictive models, leveraging data science workflows, and driving innovations that deliver measurable results for Amazon customers. You will work shoulder-to-shoulder with economists who deeply understand the causal mechanisms driving workforce dynamics and data scientists who know the operational landscape — and you will bring the technical creativity to expand what's possible. That means writing production-quality code that our partner engineering teams can implement into decision-making tools. It means exploring novel feature spaces — large language models, computer vision, and other emerging techniques — to unlock signal that traditional approaches miss. And it means doing all of this with the scientific rigor that causal claims demand. This role is built for someone who is entrepreneurial and energized by ambiguity — someone who sees a prototype model and immediately starts thinking about how to make it robust, scalable, and impactful. You will not just advance your own work; you will elevate the scientists around you. If you want to do science that directly shapes how Amazon supports its workforce — not in theory, but in production systems that leaders use to make better decisions every day — we'd love to talk. Key job responsibilities - Leadership & Team Management: Independently manage and develop a diverse science team, creating an environment that enables consistent delivery and innovation; Build and maintain a high-performing team that can operate effectively and autonomously; Drive strategic growth opportunities for team members, providing paths to demonstrate higher-level scope, impact, and leadership; Establish clear performance metrics and audit mechanisms to track and communicate team progress; Foster a team culture focused on bringing research to production and delivering customer value - Technical & Scientific Direction: Partner with stakeholders and leadership to define and execute the scientific vision for your team; Lead the development of structural and predictive models, leveraging emerging technologies and novel features; Drive the implementation of data science workflows and simulation frameworks; Bridge the gap between science, technology, and business requirements; Leverage the broader Amazon scientific community to enhance team capabilities and knowledge sharing - Strategic Planning & Execution: Define and maintain team structure, strategic direction, and owned technologies; Establish processes that enable consistent delivery and quality of scientific artifacts; Drive reasonable schedules and adjust priorities to ensure optimal outcomes; Create and implement audit mechanisms to track team performance against goals; Remove roadblocks and optimize team productivity - Communication & Influence: Create well-written documents to effectively communicate with technical and non-technical audiences; Influence science and analytics practices across the organization; Build strong partnerships with stakeholders across different business units; Present complex scientific findings to senior leadership; Drive adoption of best practices and innovative solutions About the team The Central Science Team within Amazon’s People Experience and Technology org (PXTCS) uses economics, behavioral science, statistics, machine learning, and Generative AI to proactively identify mechanisms and process improvements which simultaneously improve Amazon and the lives, well-being, and the value of work to Amazonians. We are an interdisciplinary team, which combines the talents of science and UX to develop and deliver solutions that measurably achieve this goal.
Applied Scientist II, Foundation Model, Robotics
US, CA, San Francisco
Amazon is seeking exceptional talent to help develop the next generation of advanced robotics systems that will transform automation at Amazon's scale. We're building revolutionary robotic systems that combine cutting-edge AI, sophisticated control systems, and advanced mechanical design to create adaptable automation solutions capable of working safely alongside humans in dynamic environments. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of robotics and automation at unprecedented scale, working with world-class teams pushing the boundaries of what's possible in robotic manipulation, locomotion, and human-robot interaction. This role presents an opportunity to shape the future of robotics through innovative applications of deep learning and large language models. The ideal candidate will contribute to research that bridges the gap between theoretical advancement and practical implementation in robotics. You will be part of a team that's revolutionizing how robots learn, adapt, and interact with their environment. Join us in building the next generation of intelligent robotics systems that will transform the future of automation and human-robot collaboration. As an Applied Scientist, you will develop and improve machine learning systems that help robots perceive, reason, and act in real-world environments. You will leverage state-of-the-art models (open source and internal research), evaluate them on representative tasks, and adapt/optimize them to meet robustness, safety, and performance needs. You will invent new algorithms where gaps exist. You’ll collaborate closely with research, controls, hardware, and product-facing teams, and your outputs will be used by downstream teams to further customize and deploy on specific robot embodiments. Key job responsibilities As an Applied Scientist in the Foundations Model team, you will: - Leverage state-of-the-art models for targeted tasks, environments, and robot embodiments through fine-tuning and optimization. - Execute rapid, rigorous experimentation with reproducible results and solid engineering practices, closing the gap between sim and real environments. - Build and run capability evaluations/benchmarks to clearly profile performance, generalization, and failure modes. - Contribute to the data and training workflow: collection/curation, dataset quality/provenance, and repeatable training recipes. - Write clean, maintainable, well commented and documented code, contribute to training infrastructure, create tools for model evaluation and testing, and implement necessary APIs - Stay current with latest developments in foundation models and robotics, assist in literature reviews and research documentation, prepare technical reports and presentations, and contribute to research discussions and brainstorming sessions. - Work closely with senior scientists, engineers, and leaders across multiple teams, participate in knowledge sharing, support integration efforts with robotics hardware teams, and help document best practices and methodologies. About the team We leverage advanced robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to solve complex operational challenges at unprecedented scale. Our fleet of robots operates across hundreds of facilities worldwide, working in sophisticated coordination to fulfill our mission of customer excellence. We are pioneering the development of robotics foundation models that: - Enable unprecedented generalization across diverse tasks - Integrate multi-modal learning capabilities (visual, tactile, linguistic) - Accelerate skill acquisition through demonstration learning - Enhance robotic perception and environmental understanding - Streamline development processes through reusable capabilities
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