Research Scientist Graduate- Computational Imaging- PICO- 2027 Start (PHD)

Bytedance; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 317,000; Full time

Job summary

PICO's imaging systems and human engineering team seeks a passionate imaging expert to develop next-generation imaging algorithms for VR/MR/AR products, focusing on camera capture and rendering with high image quality.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD or near completion in imaging/vision fields, with strong expertise in image processing, ML, and hands-on Python/MATLAB; collaboration across camera, optics, ISP, display, AI, software, hardware teams is essential.

Qualifications

• PhD or near completion in CS/EE/Imaging/Optical/Color Science or related field.
• Strong foundation in image processing, computer vision, computational photography or ML.
• Experience applying deep learning to image/video applications using PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or similar; familiarity with C/C++.
• Strong problem-solving and collaboration skills; willingness to conduct hardware experiments.

Responsibilities

• Explore and develop computational imaging, computational photography, and multimodal technologies for VR/MR/AR products.
• Research emerging approaches and translate ideas into prototypes using ML frameworks and AI-assisted development tools.
• Work hands-on with cameras, sensors, and AR/XR hardware to collect data, analyze system behavior, and debug imaging issues.
• Build proof-of-concept demos for image enhancement, intelligent capture, scene understanding, and multimodal features.
• Define evaluation methods and automated feedback loops to iteratively improve algorithms and features.
• Collaborate with teams across camera, optics, ISP, display, AI, software, hardware, silicon, and product development.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

C/C++

Deep learning

Image processing

Computer vision

CUDA / GPU

Hardware experiments

Education

PhD in Computer Science or Electrical/Computer Engineering or Imaging Science

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

CNNs

Transformers

Diffusion models

GANs

Job description

Responsibilities

About Team:

PICO's imaging systems & human engineering team is looking for a passionate and versatile imaging expert to work on next generation imaging algorithms that will deliver the top visual experience across PICO products, from camera to display. The ideal candidate specializes in imaging algorithm development with a deep understanding of camera and display optical and digital imaging chains, and will play a key role in delivering camera capture and rendering to display experience with the best image quality and efficiency. This role will also contribute to the definition and execution of technological and productization roadmap in imaging to shape the future of imaging technologies and their applications in VR/MR/AR products.

We are looking for talented individuals to join our team. As a graduate, you will get opportunities to pursue bold ideas, tackle complex challenges, and unlock limitless growth.

Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by the end of the year. Please state your availability and graduation date clearly in your resume.

The ideal candidate has a solid foundation in image processing, computational photography, computer vision, or machine learning, together with strong curiosity and the ability to quickly explore emerging technical areas. They should be able to identify relevant research, define clear technical goals and validation methods, and rapidly translate promising ideas into working prototypes through hands-on experimentation.

In this role, you will work with PICO's AR/XR hardware platforms to collect real-world data, develop imaging and multimodal features, and use AI-assisted and agentic engineering workflows to accelerate algorithm development and iteration.

• Explore and develop computational imaging, computational photography, and multimodal technologies for VR/MR/AR products.
• Research emerging approaches and rapidly translate promising ideas into prototypes using machine learning frameworks and AI-assisted development tools.
• Work hands-on with cameras, sensors, and AR/XR hardware platforms to collect data, analyze system behavior, and debug imaging issues.
• Build proof-of-concept demos for image enhancement, intelligent capture, scene understanding, and multimodal features.
• Define clear evaluation methods and automated feedback loops to iteratively improve algorithms and features.
• Collaborate with teams across camera, optics, ISP, display, AI, software, hardware, silicon, and product development.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Individuals who are completing or has recently completed PhD degree in Computer Science, Electrical or Computer Engineering, Imaging Science, Optical Engineering, Color Science, or a related field.
• Solid foundation in image processing, computer vision, computational photography, or machine learning, with familiarity in topics such as denoising, HDR, tone mapping, super-resolution, deblurring, 3A, camera calibration, or image quality assessment.
• Experience applying deep learning to image, video, vision, or multimodal applications using frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow and architectures such as CNNs, transformers, diffusion models, or GANs.
• Ability to quickly explore new areas, identify practical approaches, and build prototypes.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or a similar language, with familiarity in C or C++.
• Strong problem-solving and collaboration skills, with willingness to conduct hands-on hardware experiments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Research, internship, project, or publication experience in computational imaging, camera systems, multimodal AI, graphics, or XR.
• Experience with AI coding agents, automated evaluation, iterative feedback loops, or agent harness design.
• Hands-on experience with camera sensors, optics, ISP pipelines, embedded imaging systems, multimodal sensors, model optimization, real-time processing, or software-hardware co-design.
• Publications at leading venues such as CVPR, ICCV, ECCV, NeurIPS, ICLR, SIGGRAPH, or SIGGRAPH Asia are a plus.

Job Information

【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually)

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $128000 - $316800 annually.

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

• Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
• Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems;
• Exercising sound judgment.

About Pico

Founded in April 2015, Pico is a VR company committed to developing immersive and interactive VR experiences for people around the world. Pico also provides tailor‑made solutions for our enterprise clients in the fields of education and healthcare.

Why Join ByteDance

Inspiring creativity is at the core of ByteDance's mission. Our innovative products are built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and enrich life - a mission we work towards every day.

As ByteDancers, we strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our Company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.

Diversity & Inclusion

ByteDance is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At ByteDance, our mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. To achieve that goal, we are committed