Carnegie Mellon not worried as Uber hires away 40 from robotics center
The exodus of top robotics scientists from Carnegie Mellon University to Uber Technologies' Lawrenceville research center might put the school in a temporary bind, but officials said it promises to help lure researchers to Pittsburgh.
“Before, where would those people go? There's a few small start-ups that are pretty amazing companies. Now, (Uber) is a company that has money and oomph behind them, and they want to do something,” said Audrey Russo, president and CEO of the nonprofit Pittsburgh Technology Council.
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that the ride-share company Uber hired away 40 researchers and scientists from the robotics center since February, when Uber and the center announced a collaboration to develop technologies for autonomous vehicles.
Uber, which connects riders and drivers through a smartphone application, is valued at $50 billion.
Carnegie Mellon's departures made it tough for the school to replace researchers and scientists at the center that employed more than 100 and meant the potential loss of millions in federal research dollars because scientists tapped for funding left.
“There was a tough period of three weeks where we were trying to figure out how we are going to move forward with our research,” Andrew Moore, dean of Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science, told the Journal.
Carnegie Mellon and Uber officials declined Tribune-Review interview requests. They issued statements.
“The National Robotics Engineering Center remains one of the premier robotics facilities in the nation, with a bright future. The attention it receives is a testament to the distinctive value it brings to the field,” the university said.
Carnegie Mellon said it is working to finalize its partnership with Uber. In addition to research, officials said the deal would include money from Uber for faculty chairs and graduate fellowships.
“We look forward to a strong continued relationship with Uber and other industry partners,” the university's statement said.
Because of Carnegie Mellon's prowess in computer science and robotics, Uber Chief Product Officer Jeff Holden said: “Pittsburgh and CMU are naturally where we turned when we were looking for a home for the Uber Advanced Technologies Center. ... We believe Uber's presence provides an excellent local option for graduating students, and the collaborative work between Uber and CMU is a draw for talent to the area.”
That can only benefit Carnegie Mellon's recruiting efforts and highlight a burgeoning market for that talent in Pittsburgh, Russo said.
Carnegie Mellon may reap the benefit of being a school with a reputation for advanced work and one in a city with employment options beyond its walls.
The robotics center's website lists job openings for a senior software engineer and robotics and software engineers. The advertisement for the senior post said Carnegie Mellon “has an immediate need for (an engineer) with significant experience related to the testing of autonomous (robot) vehicles or systems for mining operations.”
The Uber Advanced Technologies Center is looking to hire about two dozen engineers, along with a Pittsburgh recruiting coordinator, according to job postings on its website. One listed perk: An “unlimited vacation policy; work hard and take time when you need it.”
Carnegie Mellon has worked with General Motors since 2000 to research autonomous technology. That agreement recently was renewed. It won't be affected by the talent lost to Uber, GM spokesman Dan Flores said.
“We don't really control people's personal choices on where to work,” Flores said. “The agreement we have is with the university.”
Chris Fleisher and Tom Fontaine are Trib Total Media staff writers.
