Assistant Specialist - Dept of EECS - University of California, Berkeley
Position overview
Position title: Specialist Researcher
Salary range: The UC academic salary scales set the minimum pay determined by rank and step at appointment. See the following table(s) for the current salary scale(s) for this position: https://www.ucop.edu/academic-personnel-programs/_files/2025-26/represented-july-2025-scales/t24-b.pdf . The current full time base salary range for this position is $63,500 - $70,700. "Off-scale" salaries, which yield compensation that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions.
Percent time: 100%
Anticipated start: January 2026
Position duration: One year, with possibility of an extension depending on performance and availability of funding.
Application Window
Open date: December 1, 2025
Next review date: Tuesday, Dec 16, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The position is based in Prof. Sanjit Seshia's lab in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) department at UC Berkeley. The Seshia lab aims to develop techniques to ensure that computational systems are provably safe, secure, and trustworthy. The Seshia group addresses this topic by developing theory and tools of formal methods, which are mathematical techniques to model, design, and verify systems using computational proof engines. The lab's work has been applied to improving the safety, security, and dependability of software, hardware, distributed systems, AI/ML, robotics, cyber-physical systems, and biological systems, impacting societal-scale applications in several domains including cloud computing, transportation, healthcare, and education.
A particular focus area for this position is the formal modeling and generation of operating environments of autonomous and semi-autonomous systems. His group developed a probabilistic programming language called Scenic whose syntax and semantics are designed to model and generate physical scenarios involving stochastic, multi-agent, reactive behaviors of the real world. This language has been used to train and evaluate certain properties of autonomous and semi-autonomous cyber-physical systems in simulation.
The position is a part of a fast-paced project for supporting the Scenic open-source project and for using the Scenic language in extended reality (XR), spanning virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, to train both humans and robots to collaborate. We are looking for someone with strong background in XR development and in programming frameworks such as Scenic in multi-player settings to prototype virtual environments where humans and robots can virtually interact with each other. The position will also involve supporting the Scenic project in various ways including the website, supporting the Scenic open-source community, etc.
The job responsibilities will be as follows:
- Assist with developing an XR-based system consisting of a XR app and XR headset, which synthesizes Scenic programs from a user's description and demonstration of collaborative physical activities. The system needs to provide interfaces for the user to inspect and correct the system's learning of the user's behaviors.
- Help build a supporting tool to train and evaluate humans and robots to collaborate using the synthesized Scenic programs.
- Conduct user studies to validate the effectiveness of the system, and iteratively improve it based on the evaluation.
- Support the Scenic open-source project in various roles including maintaining the web site and other infrastructure for the Scenic project.
Labor Contract: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/resources/employment-policies-contracts/bargaining-units/academic-researchers/contract/
Qualifications
Basic qualifications (required at time of application)
Bachelor's degree or equivalent international degree at the time of application.
Preferred qualifications
- Masters degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or Electrical Engineering or related field.
- Extensive experience programming in the Python programming language.
- Experience with extended reality (virtual, augmented, mixed reality) systems.
- Experience with the Scenic probabilistic programming language and web development is highly recommended.
Application Requirements
Document requirements
- Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
- Cover Letter
Reference requirements
- 3 required (contact information only)
Apply link: https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05195
Help contact: leisa@berkeley.edu
About UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in our public mission of research, teaching, and service, consistent with UC Regents Policy 4400 and University of California Academic Personnel policy (APM 210 1-d). These values are embedded in our Principles of Community, which reflect our passion for critical inquiry, debate, discovery and innovation, and our deep commitment to contributing to a better world. Every member of the UC Berkeley community has a role in sustaining a safe, caring and humane environment in which these values can thrive.
The University of California, Berkeley is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or protected veteran status.
For more information, please refer to the University of California's Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment Policy and the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy.
In searches when letters of reference are required all letters will be treated as confidential per University of California policy and California state law. Please refer potential referees, including when letters are provided via a third party (i.e., dossier service or career center), to the UC Berkeley statement of confidentiality prior to submitting their letter.
As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
Unless stated otherwise, unambiguously, in the position description, this position does not include sponsorship of a new consular H-1B visa petition that would require payment of the $100,000 supplemental fee.
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct.
Job location
Berkeley, CA
To apply, visit https://aprecruit.berkeley.edu/JPF05195
