Human-Centered AI Research Engineer Intern, XR Interaction Design

At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team in Energy & Materials, Human-Centered AI, Human Interactive Driving, Large Behavioral Models, and Robotics.
This is a paid 12-week Fall/Winter internship opportunity with the Human-Centered AI, Shared Services team at TRI. Please note that this internship will be an in-office role based in Los Altos, CA.
The Team
This internship opportunity falls within the Human-Centered AI Division (HCAI). We are an integrated team of behavioral scientists, ML researchers, and human-computer interaction experts. At the core of our work, we aim to support people to make better decisions by leveraging the best of big data, technology, and insights about why we do what we do.
The Opportunity
The Human-Centered AI (HCAI) Shared Services team designs, builds, and evaluates AI powered research prototypes and interactive systems to support projects across the HCAI division. We are seeking a motivated and dedicated intern to join our team focusing on XR prototyping and interaction design. This is a unique opportunity to work on next-generation proof of concept applications leveraging XR technologies in conjunction with the latest AI models.

Responsibilities

• Define project scope and agree on project direction with your mentor
• Conduct research and engineering on novel XR applications or interactions
• Ideate, design, and build proofs of concept XR systems
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers from other HCAI departments to evaluate the potential of developed solutions
• Document code and findings, and present results to the team and potential collaborators
• Stay up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements in XR and related fields

Qualifications

• Currently pursuing an MS or PhD or equivalent experience in Computer Science, Human Computer Interaction (HCI), or a related field
• Proficiency in C# and Unity
• Demonstrated strong experience in building XR applications in Unity
• Familiarity with 3D graphics and rendering, including 3D geometry and linear algebra fundamentals
• Able to work independently and use critical thinking to solve complex problems
• Passionate about innovation in XR and its ability to empower people

Bonus Qualifications

• Prior research experience in XR, HCI, or other related areas
• Experience developing for the Apple Vision Pro
• Experience with machine learning and generative models
• Comfortable creating or modifying your own 2D and 3D assets

Please add a link to Google Scholar and include a full list of publications when submitting your CV to this position.
The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $45 and $65/hour for California-based roles; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Note that TRI offers a generous benefits package including vacation and sick time. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.
Please reference this Candidate Privacy Notice to inform you of the categories of personal information that we collect from individuals who inquire about and/or apply to work for Toyota Research Institute, Inc. or its subsidiaries, including Toyota A.I. Ventures GP, L.P., and the purposes for which we use such personal information.
TRI is fueled by a diverse and inclusive community of people with unique backgrounds, education and life experiences. We are dedicated to fostering an innovative and collaborative environment by living the values that are an essential part of our culture. We believe diversity makes us stronger and are proud to provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all, without regard to an applicant’s race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, religion, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state or local laws.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.