AI Researcher (Rendering)

Tavus•San Francisco, CA

9d•Hybrid

About The Position

About Us Tavus is a research lab pioneering human computing. We’re building AI Humans: a new interface that closes the gap between people and machines, free from the friction of today’s systems. Our real-time human simulation models let machines see, hear, respond, and even look real—enabling meaningful, face-to-face conversations. AI Humans combine the emotional intelligence of humans with the reach and reliability of machines, making them capable, trusted agents available 24/7, in every language, on our terms. Imagine a therapist anyone can afford. A personal trainer that adapts to your schedule. A fleet of medical assistants that can give every patient the attention they need. With Tavus, individuals, enterprises, and developers can all build AI Humans to connect, understand, and act with empathy at scale. We’re a Series A company backed by world-class investors including Sequoia Capital, Y Combinator, and Scale Venture Partners . Be part of shaping a future where humans and machines truly understand each other. The Role We’re looking for a Senior Researcher to join our core AI team. Our ideal partner-in-crime works well in startup environments, is comfortable prioritizing for themselves, and is always down to take calculated risks. We’re moving fast and not looking for people to come along for the ride - we’re looking for people to pave the path.

Requirements

Be (at a minimum) a recent or soon-to-be PhD graduate, or someone with 2–3 years of hands-on experience applying diffusion models in practice.
Have strong foundations in generative modeling, ideally with a focus on image or video synthesis, and a demonstrated ability to innovate rapidly through prototyping.
Have deep experience with diffusion models (DDPMs, LDMs, etc.) for either image or video domains.
Be fluent in PyTorch, and comfortable working with GPU-based inference.
Show evidence of original research, with publications in top-tier or solid second-tier venues (e.g., CVPR, NeurIPS, BMVC).
Be excited about building lifelike, expressive avatars for real-time applications.

Nice To Haves

Skills in 3D graphics, Gaussian splatting, or large-scale training setups
Other, additional experience with generative models and rendering
PhD or equivalent experience preferred
Experience leading research teams
Knowledge of best practices in Software Development

Responsibilities

Lead research efforts on generative video models (ex: Neural Avatar, Talking-Head, Lip-sync, and other low level computer vision topics)
Work with the Applied ML team to help productionize our research
Stay relevant with the latest advancements (and help us create the latest advancements!)

Benefits

This position has a flexible work schedule, unlimited PTO, competitive healthcare, and gear stipends, as well as plenty of fun.
At the end of the day, we want Tavus to be a place for you to learn, directly drive impact, and work with a team you love.

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