Researcher 1

Nissan Motor Iberica SA; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 98,000 - 199,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Vehicle purchase program

Employee lease program

Job summary

Nissan is seeking a Researcher I to join the Autonomous Systems team in Silicon Valley. You will help develop perception algorithms for safe autonomous vehicle behavior, blending machine learning, robotics, and computer vision.

The role involves projects on road user detection, road structure estimation, and perception system evaluation in simulated and real driving environments. Strong ML and software skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Strong foundation in machine learning, robotics, optimization, or related disciplines.
• Experience designing, training, and evaluating ML models with thesis work or internships.
• Strong programming skills in Python and C++ and ability to communicate results clearly.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute perception research projects focused on road user detection and scene understanding.
• Train, evaluate, and optimize ML models using datasets and deep learning techniques.
• Conduct testing in simulation environments and real-world vehicle testing scenarios.
• Develop maintainable research software and experimental frameworks with Python and C++.
• Collaborate across autonomous systems, software, and vehicle development teams.

Skills

Machine learning

Python

C++

Robotics

Computer vision

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s degree

Tools

Python

C++

Job description

Location(s): Silicon Valley

Job Schedule: Full-time, Hybrid/On-site

Education Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree

Sponsorship: No

Strong Candidate Identified: Yes

We are currently seeking a Researcher I to join our Autonomous Systems team. In this role, you will help develop and evaluate next-generation perception algorithms that enable safe, predictable, and human-like autonomous vehicle behavior. Working at the intersection of machine learning, robotics, and computer vision, you will contribute to cutting‑edge research focused on road user detection, road structure estimation, and perception system performance in both simulated and real‑world driving environments. If you're excited about solving complex technical challenges and helping shape the future of autonomous driving, we'd love to hear from you.

A Day in the Life

• Design and execute perception research projects focused on road user detection, scene understanding, and road structure estimation.
• Train, evaluate, and optimize machine learning models using appropriate datasets and modern deep learning techniques.
• Conduct rigorous testing and validation in simulation environments and real-world vehicle testing scenarios.
• Analyze model performance, investigate failure modes, and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Develop maintainable research software and experimental frameworks using Python and C++.
• Collaborate with researchers and engineers across autonomous systems, software, and vehicle development teams.
• Present technical findings, research results, and recommendations to project stakeholders.
• Contribute to technical publications, patents, conference papers, and other innovation initiatives.
• Document experimental results and provide regular updates to support project planning and execution.

Who we're looking for

We're looking for a curious and motivated researcher who enjoys transforming emerging technologies into practical solutions. The ideal candidate combines strong machine learning and software development fundamentals with a passion for autonomous systems and a willingness to learn through experimentation.

Required

• Bachelors Degree with a minimum of 5 years relevant experience or Master's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Robotics, or a related technical field with 0-2 years of relevant experience.
• Strong foundation in machine learning, robotics, optimization, controls, computer vision, autonomous systems, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated research experience through thesis work, academic projects, internships, or equivalent activities involving literature review, experimental design, implementation, and technical evaluation.
• Strong programming skills in Python and C++.
• Experience designing, training, and evaluating machine learning models.
• Ability to communicate technical findings and research results effectively.

Desired

• Experience with deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Experience working with perception systems for autonomous vehicles, robotics, or intelligent transportation systems.
• Knowledge of sensor fusion, scene understanding, object detection, tracking, or road structure estimation.
• Experience evaluating machine learning models in simulation and real-world environments.
• Experience authoring technical papers, patents, conference publications, or research reports.
• Familiarity with autonomous driving technology stacks and modern perception architectures.

What you’ll look forward to at Nissan

• Career Growth and Continuous Learning Opportunities: Benefit from diverse career paths, cross-departmental moves, and innovative learning platforms. Enhance your skills through seminars, leadership training, and tuition reimbursement programs, all while playing a vital role in shaping the future of transportation. From day one, you'll have the support to tackle challenges and contribute to impactful solutions across our organization.
• Rewards: Be supported with a Comprehensive Benefits Package, including medical, mental health, parental leave, retirement savings & unique Nissan perks, including discounts on lease vehicles as part of our Employee Lease Program and a Vehicle Purchase Program (VPP). For more information, access our Nissan Benefits Overview Guide.

Nissan is committed to a drug‑free workplace. All employment is contingent upon the successful completion of drug and background screenings in accordance with Nissan policies and in compliance with federal, state, and local laws, including the California Fair Chance Act and the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance. Nissan will consider qualified candidates with arrest or conviction records for employment in a manner consistent with these laws. It is Nissan’s policy to provide Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of race, gender, military status, disability, or any other status protected by law.

Candidates for this position must be legally authorized to work in the United States and will be required to provide proof of employment eligibility at the time of hire; Nissan uses E-Verify to validate employment eligibility.

NISSAN FOR EVERYONE People are our most valuable assets, and Nissan seeks to maximize the power of each individual member of our team. When everyone belongs, the power of NISSAN is undeniable. Nissan aims to improve business results through a workplace and business that meets the needs of our employees and customer base. Nissan is committed to creating a culture where everyone belongs and employees, customers, and partners feel respected, valued, and heard. We have Business Synergy Teams (BSTs) across the Americas that are open to all employees and seek to connect employees through common interests and foster a company culture where all employees feel supported and included. Nissan also values inclusion in our business as we respect and recognize the diversity of our customer base and the communities where we do business. We are committed to procuring innovative goods and services, retailing our products, and communicating from a position that will help us continue to offer our customers competitively designed, market‑driven products. Join us as we carry our commitment to our employees and customers into the future.

Santa Clara, California, United States of America

Salary Range: $97,745.00 - $198,753.00

Salary Range Estimate: Annual Salary: (Minimum to Maximum of Salary Range noted here). This compensation range represents the minimum and maximum base salary rates at Nissan for jobs assigned to this particular grade level. Please note that it is uncommon for an employee to be placed at either end of the range. Rather, an employee’s actual base salary generally may fall somewhere in between and reflect the employee’s unique skills, work experience, education, work location, and market norms. Additionally, pay may be based on comparisons to the base salary rates of other employees with similar backgrounds working in comparable roles. Nissan is more than a car company. We are an innovation company. We take the most innovative thinking in the industry and combine it with performance, value, efficiency, safety and style. The result: Cars that thrill you every time you get behind the wheel. With over 150 million vehicles produced globally, Nissan continues with the goal to enrich the lives of our employees and customers alike.