Internship - Radar/Sensor Reasoning Models

Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 67,000 - 89,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation stipend

Travel coverage

Charlie Card for local commuting

Health insurance after 90-day waiting

Job summary

Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs (MERL) is seeking an intern to explore radar/sensor reasoning models. You will research how to understand, explain, and act on multi-sensor data using text-, visual-, and multimodal reasoning.

The role emphasizes bridging perception with higher-level reasoning and includes work with MERL testbeds and potential publications. The internship lasts 3 months with a flexible start date from May 2027, and offers a relocation stipend, travel coverage, and a monthly

Qualifications

• Experience with text, visual, and multimodal reasoning.
• Experience aligning LLMs/VLMs to sensor outputs (e.g., radar, point clouds).
• Solid understanding of transformer-based and diffusion-based models.
• Hands-on with open multi-sensor datasets and open radar datasets.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/JAX).
• Publication record in CVPR/ICCV/ECCV/NeurIPS/ICML (or equivalent).
• Knowledge of sensor fundamentals (RF, infrared, LiDAR, event camera).
• Familiarity with MERL radar research (TempoRadar, SIRA, MMVR, RETR, RAPTR, REXO).

Responsibilities

• Conduct fundamental research on sensor reasoning models across multimodal data.
• Develop algorithms and experiments using MERL testbeds.
• Prepare results for patents and publication.
• Collaborate with MERL researchers to advance perception and reasoning capabilities.

Skills

Sensor data reasoning

LLMs & VLMs for sensor perception

Perception foundations

Datasets & evaluation

Python & DL frameworks

Publications in top venues

Radar fundamentals knowledge

MERL radar research familiarity

Tools

Python

PyTorch

JAX

GPU clusters

Job description

Internship - Radar/Sensor Reasoning Models

The Computation Sensing team at MERL is seeking a highly motivated intern to conduct fundamental research on sensor reasoning models—algorithms that can understand, explain, and act on multi-sensor data (e.g., radar, infrared, LiDAR, event camera) through text-, visual-, and multimodal reasoning. Ideal candidates will be comfortable bridging modern perception (detection/segmentation/tracking) with higher-level reasoning capabilities. Experience with text, visual, and multimodal reasoning is highly preferred. The intern will work closely with MERL researchers to develop novel algorithms, design experiments using MERL’s in-house testbeds, and prepare results for patents and publication. The internship is expected to last 3 months, with a flexible start date from May 2027.

Required Specific Experience

• Reasoning with sensor data: Demonstrated work in text-, visual-, and multimodal reasoning (e.g., VQA over sensor streams, temporal/spatio-temporal reasoning, chain-of-thought, instruction following).
• LLMs & VLMs for sensor perception: Experience aligning or conditioning LLMs/VLMs on sensor outputs (e.g., point clouds, radar heatmaps, BEV features).
• Perception foundations: Solid understanding of state-of-the-art transformer-based and diffusion-based frameworks
• Datasets & evaluation: Hands-on experience with open large-scale multi-sensor datasets (e.g., OctoNet, CUHK-X) and open radar datasets (e.g., MMVR, HuPR, HIBER, RT-Pose, K-Radar). Ability to design reasoning-centric benchmarks.
• Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/JAX), plus experience with GPU cluster job scheduling and scalable data pipelines.
• Proven publication record in top-tier venues such as CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML (or equivalent).
• Knowledge of sensor (RF, infrared, LiDAR, event camera) fundamentals; for radar, familiarity with FMCW, MIMO, Doppler signatures, radar point clouds/heatmaps, and raw ADC waveforms.
• Familiarity with MERL’s recent radar perception research, e.g., TempoRadar, SIRA, MMVR, RETR, RAPTR, REXO.

The pay range for this internship position will be 6-8K per month.

Mitsubishi Electric Research Labs, Inc. "MERL" provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, MERL complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

MERL expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of MERL’s employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.

Working at MERL requires full authorization to work in the U.S and access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment is conditioned on continued full authorization to work in the U.S and the availability of government authorization for the release of these items, which might include without limitation, obtaining an export license or other documentation. MERL may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to MERL facilities and information systems, as MERL deems appropriate, to ensure practical compliance with applicable employment law and government access control restrictions.

In addition to base pay, interns receive a relocation stipend, covered travel to and from MERL, and a monthly Charlie Card for local commuting. Interns are invited to participate in weekly social gatherings and professional development opportunities, including research talks by both internal and external speakers. Interns who meet the 90-day waiting period are also eligible for health insurance coverage. MERL provides immigration support for qualified candidates as needed. Employment is considered “at-will,” and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary or any other compensation program at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, departmental or Company performance, and market conditions.