Robert G. Bonitz is currently the Principal Investigator for the Sampling Chain for Primitive Body Surface Sample Return R&TD Task and the lead engineer for the InSight Instrument Deployment System. Previously he was the Principal Investigator for the Sample Acquisition and Sample Handling and Encapsulation for Lunar and Small Body Sample Return R&TD Task. He was the PEM for the Phoenix Lander 2007 Robotic Arm. He developed the control algorithms and software for the Mars Exploration Rover and Mars Polar Lander robotic arms. He has conducted research in control algorithms for multiple-manipulator robotic systems. He has worked for a variety of industrial companies including Raytheon, TRW, Source 2 International, and GTE.

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, University of California, Davis, 1996
Dissertation: Internal Force-based Impedance Control for Coordinated Multiple-arm Manipulation with Various Grasping Methods

Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Santa Clara University, 1989

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, University of Nebraska, 1969

Principal Member of the Technical Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, 2004-present

Lead engineer for the InSight Instrument Deployment System responsible for deploying the SEIS and HP3 science instruments to the surface of Mars, JPL, 2012- present

Principal Investigator for the Sampling Chain for Comet Surface Sample Return R&TD Task, 2011-present

Principal Investigator for for the Sample Acquisition and Sample Handling and Encapsulation for Lunar and Small Body Sample Return R&TD Task, 2008-2011.

Project Element Manager for the Robotic Arm on the Phoenix Mars Lander that included responsibility for the design, development, build, test, and operations of the robotic arm subsystem (mechanism, bio-barrier, electronics, and flight software). 2004-2008

Senior Member of the Technical Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, 1996-2003
Designed and developed the control algorithms and software for the Mars Exploration Rover robotic arm used for placement of a suite of scientific instruments for in situ analysis of Martian materials. 2000-2003

Designed and developed the manipulability, accuracy and repeatability, and stability analysis modules for the Robot Computed-Aided Analysis and Design (RCAAD) software tool 2001

Designed and developed the control algorithms and software for the Mars Volatiles and Climate Surveyor Robotic Arm. The manipulator was part of the Mars Polar Lander payload and was to be used to acquire Martian soil samples for in situ scientific analysis. 1996-2000

Chief Engineer, Source 2 International and CTIS, Cupertino, CA, 1980-1990
Developed the industry's first and most comprehensive computerized data base for integrated circuits and discrete semiconductor devices that forms the heart of CTIS' CD-ROM-based Computer-Aided Product Selection (CAPS) system from which circuit designers select parts for their designs using detailed part specifications and digitally-scanned images of the manufacturers' data catalogs. CAPS is still widely used today. 1980-1990

Components Engineering Manager, ESL, Sunnyvale, CA, 1978-1980

Failure Analysis Lab Supervisor, ESL, Sunnyvale, CA, 1977-1978

Reliability Engineer, Raytheon Co., Wayland, MA, 1969-1976

NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for leadership in the development of the
Phoenix Mars Lander Robotic Arm, 2009

NASA Group Achievement Award for the Phoenix Project Payload Team, 2009

San Fernando Valley Engineers’ Council Distinguished Engineering Project
Achievement Award for the Phoenix Mars Lander Project Team, 2009

NASA Group Achievement Award for the Mars Exploration Rover 3rd and 4th
Extended Mission Team, 2008

NASA Group Achievement Award for the Mars Exploration Rover Project Operations Team, May 25, 2004

NASA Group Achievement Award for the Mars Exploration Rover Science/Science Support Team, May 25, 2004

JPL Award for Exceptional Technical Excellence to MVACS Team, May 29, 1999

JPL NOVA Award for Commitment to Excellence, July, 1998

Anil Jain Award for Best PhD Thesis, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Davis, 1996