AI Research Scientist

Zebra-Technologies; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days vacation

Private medical and dental cover

Pension with matched contributions

Cycle to work scheme

Employee Assistance Program

Annual bonus potential

Job summary

Zebra Technologies in London seeks an AI Research Scientist specializing in SLAM, VIO and 3D Spatial Perception to join our CTO Group. You’ll prototype algorithms and optimize them to run on edge devices for AR and enterprise vision, collaborating with global teams.

The role combines research with practical on-device deployment, translating papers into real-time pipelines and advancing spatial AI across Zebra’s product roadmap.

Qualifications

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with a focus on CV/Spatial AI/Robotics.
• 2+ years of hands-on R&D in SLAM/Spatial tracking systems and VIO.
• Strong 6-DoF pose tracking, sensor fusion, and calibration knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Research, design, and implement robust VIO and monocular SLAM for edge hardware.
• Develop spatial localisation, ray triangulation, sensor fusion, and plane fitting.
• Translate papers into real-time algorithms and optimise for low latency on NPUs/DSPs/GPUs.
• Collaborate with global teams to integrate models into product roadmaps.

Skills

SLAM research

Spatial AI

C++/Python

Education

Master's or PhD in CS/Robotics/EE

Tools

PyTorch

OpenCV

ROS/GTSAM/Ceres

Ceres Solver

GTSAM

Job description

Overview:At Zebra, we are a community of innovators who come together to create new ways of working. United by curiosity and a culture of caring, we develop smart solutions that anticipate our customer’s and partner’s needs and solve their challenges.Being part of Zebra Nation means you are seen, heard, valued, and respected. Drawing from our unique perspectives, we collaborate to deliver on our purpose. Here you are part of a team pushing boundaries today to redefine the work of tomorrow for organizations, their employees, and those they serve.You’ll have opportunities to learn and lead in a forward-thinking environment, defining your path to a fulfilling career while channeling your skills toward causes you care about—locally and globally.Come make an impact every day at Zebra.What We're Looking For:We are looking for an AI Research Scientist specialising in SLAM, Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO), and 3D Spatial Perception to join our central CTO Group. In this horizontal, high-impact organisation, you will collaborate with cross-functional business units across the globe and work closely with our London-based research hub of ~15 AI specialists.In this role, you will be bridging the gap between innovation and on-device execution -prototyping new algorithms, training spatial models, and optimising them to run directly on resource-constrained mobile edge devices to power next-generation Augmented Reality (AR), enterprise vision, and edge intelligence.You will be based at our central London office (Endeavour House, Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2H 8JR) on a flexible hybrid model - collaborating in person 3 days a week, with 2 days working from home.Responsibilities:Research, design, and implement robust Visual-Inertial Odometry (VIO), 6-DoF camera pose estimation, and monocular SLAM pipelines tailored for resource-constrained edge hardware.Develop advanced algorithms for spatial localisation, multi-view ray triangulation, sensor fusion (IMU + Camera), and plane-fitting (e.g., RANSAC, PnP) to achieve sub-centimetre overlay accuracy and eliminate tracking drift.Translate research papers into real-time algorithms, optimising neural networks and spatial pipelines for low-latency execution on mobile NPUs, DSPs, and GPUs.Build spatial foundations that deliver seamless on-device AR experiences, barcode/shelf product recognition, OCR, and multi-modal edge AI capabilities without relying on cloud connectivity.Partner with global hardware, software, and product engineering teams to integrate your models into commercial product roadmaps.Qualifications:Master’s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, or a related quantitative field with a specialised focus on Computer Vision, Spatial AI, or Robotics.At least 2 years of hands-on experience in research and development of SLAM / Spatial tracking systems.Deep theoretical understanding and hands-on implementation of SLAM (Simultaneous Localisation and Mapping) and VIO (Visual-Inertial Odometry).Strong foundation in 6-DoF pose tracking, sensor fusion (IMU + Vision), and camera calibration (intrinsic/extrinsic parameters).3D geometric computer vision: ray-plane intersections, epipolar geometry, bundle adjustment, and monocular depth estimation.High proficiency in C++ and/or Python, along with standard ML and Computer Vision frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, OpenCV, ROS/GTSAM/Ceres Solver).Benefits:25 days of vacationUp to 32 hours paid time off per year to volunteer with a charity of your choiceReward & Recognition scheme - earn points to spend onlineTraining and personal development in soft skills and hard skills, access to our internal learning portal and internal career opportunities within Zebra departmentsAnnual bonuses based on financial resultsYearly salary increases according to individual performanceEmployee referral bonus for bringing New Talent to ZebraPension Scheme with a matched contribution up to 7%Private medical and dental coverAccess to an innovative online learning platformCycle to work schemeEmployee Assistance ProgramIncentive Compensation:In addition to base pay, Zebra offers this role the opportunity to earn a performance-based annual cash incentive, at a target equal to 10% of base pay, in accordance with the terms of the applicable incentive plan.Job Posting Statement:To protect candidates from falling victim to online fraudulent activity involving fake job postings and employment offers, please be aware our recruiters will always connect with you via @zebra.com email accounts. Applications are only accepted through our applicant tracking system and only accept personal identifying information through that system. Our Talent Acquisition team will not ask for you to provide personal identifying information via e-mail or outside of the system. If you are a victim of identity theft contact your local police department.AI Technology Statement:Zebra Technologies leverages AI technology to evaluate job applications using objective, job-relevant criteria. This approach enhances efficiency and promotes fairness in the hiring process. However, every decision regarding interviews and hiring is made by our dedicated team, because we believe people make the best decisions about people. For more on how we use technology in hiring and how we process applicant data, see our Zebra Privacy Policy .