Research Scientist - World-Action Foundation Model, Robotics

Applied Intuition; Sunnyvale (CA); Hybrid; USD 126,000 - 423,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k retirement benefits with employer

Equity

Job summary

Applied Intuition is seeking multiple Research Scientists to advance next-generation autonomy and robotics through cutting-edge 3D vision and foundation-model research. You will join a group of experts recognized for top conference contributions and drive practical deployments across self-driving and robotic platforms.

The role emphasizes independent exploration, collaboration with engineers, and publishing impactful findings while contributing to fast-paced, customer-focused product development.

Qualifications

• Strong research record in 3D vision, reconstruction and generation for robotics and autonomous systems with publications in top-tier venues.
• MSc or PhD in machine learning and computer vision with autonomy and robotics applications or related fields.
• Passion for next-generation, scalable autonomy and robotics for real-world systems.
• Strong research skills and the ability to work independently and collaboratively on projects.
• Technical experience in Python, PyTorch, CV, robotics systems, and distributed ML model training.

Responsibilities

• Conduct research on pretraining world-action foundation model with various world modalities including vision and physics for robot action and simulation world generation.
• Explore topics like vision-physics modality association, Gaussian splatting, world foundation model, and spatial reasoning.
• Collaborate with researchers to publish in top-tier conferences and work with engineers to deploy algorithms in autonomy and simulation products.
• Test and deploy algorithms with engineering teams to integrate into products and customer workflows.
• Work with interns and researchers to advance the state of the art in autonomous systems.

Skills

Python

PyTorch

3D vision

Robotics

Distributed ML

Education

MSc in machine learning and computer vision

PhD in ML and robotics applications

Tools

Git

Job description

About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition, Inc. is powering the future of physical AI. Founded in 2017 and now valued at $15 billion, the Silicon Valley company is creating the digital infrastructure needed to bring intelligence to every moving machine on the planet. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining and agriculture industries in three core areas: tools and infrastructure, operating systems, and autonomy. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers, as well as the United States military and its allies, trust the company’s solutions to deliver physical intelligence. Applied Intuition is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with offices in Washington, D.C.; San Diego; Ft. Walton Beach, Florida; Ann Arbor, Michigan; London; Stuttgart; Munich; Stockholm; Bangalore; Seoul; and Tokyo. Learn more at applied.co.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments.

About the role and team

We are looking for multiple passionate Research Scientists to join the Research Group at Applied Intuition. The mission of the group is to create cutting-edge technology enabling next-generation physical AI, with emphasis on the two most challenging applications reshaping our everyday life: end-to-end autonomous driving and robotic generalist. We have a group composed of leading experts from top institutions and companies, recognized for their exceptional academic and industry contributions—including eight Best Paper awards at premier conferences and journals such as CVPR and ICRA. Learn more at appliedintuition.com/research.

Supported by industry-leading tools and infra, researchers can access millions of miles of data from large fleets, and deploy methods they develop into various autonomous and robotic systems including self-driving cars/trucks, autonomous mining/construction machines, humanoid robots and dexterous hands. In addition to your research contributions, you will contribute to and learn from best practices in the autonomy and robotics industries within our fast-paced and customer-focused culture. Improvements deployed to our system immediately help our customers with their programs and deliver value to our business.

We are open to all years of experience as long as the necessary requirements are met, including those with potential Tech Lead and Manager capacity.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Conduct research on pretraining world-action foundation model with various world modalities including vision and physics associated with ego actions, serving the purpose for both robot action and simulation world generation.

• Diving into relevant topics such as vision-physics modality association, feed-forward Gaussian splatting, world foundation model, human data incorporation, language modality, and spatial reasoning, deformable object modeling and simulation.

• related topics including 3D/world-action foundation model, multi-modal pretraining, feed-forward Gaussian splatting, world foundation model with applications to autonomous driving, and fundamental topics on 3D vision and generation with broader applications

• Work closely with other Research Scientists and interns on research publications for submission to top-tier conferences

• Collaborate with Research Engineers and engineering teams to test and deploy algorithms to our autonomy and simulation products

We’re looking for someone who has:

• Strong research record in the fields of 3D vision, reconstruction and generation for robotics and autonomous systems, with publications in top-tier conferences or journals in the fields of computer vision, machine learning, and robotics

• MSc or PhD in machine learning and computer vision with autonomy and robotics applications or closely-related fields

• Passion for next-generation, scalable autonomy and robotics for real-world systems

• Strong research skills and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively on projects

• Technical experience in: Python, Pytorch, computer vision, robotics systems, and distributed machine learning model training

Nice to have:

Hands-on experience in at least one of the following fields:

• 3D foundation model and pretraining

• Multi-modal foundation model

• Feed-forward Gaussian splatting and reconstruction

• World foundation model and generation

• 3D/multi-view end-to-end models for autonomous driving or robotics

• Human data processing and incorporation

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $126,000 - $423,000 USD annually.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.