Human-Centered AI Research Intern, Human Language Models

Toyota Research Institute•Los Altos, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is seeking a PhD research intern for its Adaptive Behavior Systems team within the Human-Centered AI Division. The team brings together researchers in machine learning, behavioral sciences, and human-computer interaction to develop technologies that prioritize human-centered outcomes. The intern will work on LLM-based human modeling and simulation, studying how language-based generative machine learning models represent human intentions and behavior. The project will develop methods for evaluating how well these models capture individual differences and diverse human perspectives, focusing on a specific sub-area of the broader research program. The intern will also discuss how the research connects to business impact at Toyota. This is a paid, 12-week Summer 2027 internship and a hybrid, in-office role. The intended outcome is research that informs internal strategy and may be publishable in an academic journal or conference.

Requirements

Be a PhD student in AI/ML, computer science, computational social science, or a related field.
Have research experience with LLMs and a publication record in relevant topics, such as LLM evaluation and benchmarking, personalization and user modeling, LLM post-training and alignment, or computational human modeling.
Have experience with Python programming and deep-learning frameworks such as PyTorch.
Have an interest in human-centered research, such as behavioral science or computational social science.
Have excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Include a Google Scholar link providing a full list of publications when submitting a CV.

Responsibilities

Scope a research project aligned with TRI’s core research efforts.
Lead the technical plan, including problem formulation, model development, and evaluation design, with regular feedback from the mentor and teammates.
Execute the project using TRI resources.
Present the project’s approach and findings in research meetings with the Adaptive Behavior Systems Department, the Human-Centered AI Division, TRI, and stakeholders from Toyota business groups.