Research Assistant

Toyota Research Institute; Cambridge (MA); Presencial; USD 45.000 - 70.000; Jornada completa

Ventajas ofrecidas por este puesto de trabajo

Healthcare benefits

Flexible Spending Account

Disability and life insurance

401k

Descripción de la vacante

Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is seeking a Research Assistant to support execution and analysis of human-robot interaction studies, focusing on human behavior and improving interactions between people and robotic systems. You will conduct in-person studies in office and field environments, collect data, and collaborate with researchers to generate actionable insights.

The role requires a strong academic research background, hands-on experience with in-person studies, and the ability to analyze

Formación

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in human factors, human‑robot interaction, cognitive science, psychology, robotics, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Hands‑on experience conducting and facilitating in-person user studies with human participants.
• Experience working in an academic research lab.
• Experience managing and analyzing quantitative data using Python or similar tools.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy, patience, and professionalism when working with diverse participants, particularly older adults.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently or collaboratively.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with constructive feedback capabilities.
• Time management and prioritization; proactive in contributing to research objectives.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑disciplinary teams.

Responsabilidades

• Prepare and coordinate user studies, including working with recruiters, developing study protocols, and organizing research materials.
• Conduct in-person user studies in office and field environments, including participant interactions, data collection, and detailed note‑taking.
• Support hands‑on research activities, including human‑robot interaction studies, robot operation, and study setup.
• Administer questionnaires, surveys, and interviews to collect participant feedback and research data.
• Analyze and interpret study data to identify insights, develop recommendations, and prepare research reports.
• Conduct literature reviews and competitive analyses to support research objectives.
• Organize, maintain, and archive participant information, study data, and research documentation.

Conocimientos

Hands-on studies

Data analysis

Interpersonal skills

Independent work

Educación

Bachelor’s or Master’s in relevant field

Herramientas

Python

Descripción del empleo

Mon-Thu, 40 hours per week onsite (4x10 schedule) (EST)

12 month contract

HireArt is helping our client find a Research Assistant to support the execution and analysis of human-robot interaction research studies, with a focus on understanding human behavior and improving interactions between people and robotic systems.

In this role, you'll help prepare, conduct, and analyze in-person user studies in office and field environments. You'll work directly with study participants, assist with hands‑on robotic research activities, collect and interpret data, and collaborate with researchers to generate meaningful insights and recommendations.

The ideal candidate has a strong academic research background, ideally including an honors or master's thesis, and hands‑on experience conducting in‑person studies with human participants. You're comfortable facilitating research sessions, interacting with diverse participants, and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data. You're also organized, empathetic, detail‑oriented, and confident working independently or collaboratively in a research environment.

As a Research Assistant, you'll:

• Prepare and coordinate user studies, including working with recruiters, developing study protocols, and organizing research materials.
• Conduct in-person user studies in office and field environments, including participant interactions, data collection, and detailed note‑taking.
• Support hands‑on research activities, including human‑robot interaction studies, robot operation, and study setup.
• Administer questionnaires, surveys, and interviews to collect participant feedback and research data.
• Analyze and interpret study data to identify insights, develop recommendations, and prepare research reports.
• Conduct literature reviews and competitive analyses to support research objectives.
• Organize, maintain, and archive participant information, study data, and research documentation.

Requirements

• A bachelor's or master's degree in human factors, human‑robot interaction, cognitive science, psychology, robotics, or a related field emphasizing human performance and behavior, or equivalent work experience
• Hands‑on experience conducting and facilitating in-person user studies with human participants
• Experience working in an academic research lab
• Experience managing and analyzing quantitative data using Python or similar tools
• Strong interpersonal skills, including empathy, patience, and professionalism when working with diverse participants, particularly older adults
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently or collaboratively
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to give and receive constructive feedback
• Effective time management and prioritization skillsProactive approach to identifying opportunities to contribute to research objectives
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-disciplinary teams

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience working with robotic platforms or vehicles
• Experience developing categories from qualitative data and performing qualitative coding
• Experience designing surveys, including survey logic and randomization
• Experience creating research stimuli, such as descriptive scenarios, animations, videos, or physical mockups
• Completion of an honors or master's thesis involving human participant research
• Employer (HireArt) subsidized healthcare benefits (eligibility begins on the first of the month following 60 days of service)
• Flexible Spending Account for healthcare-related costs
• HireArt covers all costs for short- and long-term disability and life insurance
• 401k package

Commitment

This is a full-time, 12-month contract position (with the possibility of extension) staffed via HireArt. It will be onsite and available to candidates local to the Cambridge/Boston, MA area.

HireArt provides Equal Employment Opportunity without regard to the 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.

Company description

At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re working to build a future where everyone has the freedom to move, engage, and explore with a focus on reducing vehicle collisions, injuries, and fatalities. Join us in our mission to improve the quality of human life through advances in artificial intelligence, automated driving, robotics and materials science. We’re dedicated to building a world of “mobility for all” where everyone, regardless of age or ability, can live in harmony with technology to enjoy a better life.

Through innovations in AI, we’ll...

• Develop vehicles incapable of causing a crash, regardless of the actions of the driver.
• Develop technology for vehicles and robots to help people enjoy new levels of independence, access, and mobility.
• Bring advanced mobility technology to market faster.
• Discover new materials that will make drive batteries and hydrogen fuel cells smaller, lighter, less expensive and more powerful.

Our work is guided by a dedication to safety – in how we research, develop, and validate the performance of vehicle technology to benefit society. As a subsidiary of Toyota, TRI is fueled by a diverse and inclusive community of people who carry invaluable leadership, experience, and ideas from industry-leading companies. Over half of our technical team carries PhD degrees. We’re continually searching for the world’s best talent ‒ people who are ready to define the new world of mobility with us!

We strive to build a company that helps our people thrive, achieve work life balance, and bring their best selves to work. At TRI, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds ‒ a fun start up environment with brilliant people who enjoy solving tough problems and the financial backing to successfully achieve our goals. If you’re passionate about working with smart people to make cars safer, enable the elderly to age in place, or design alternative fuel sources, TRI is the place for you. ‒ Start your impossible with us. https://www.tri.global/