Prototype Researcher

Runway

2d • $250,000 - $310,000 • Remote

About The Position

We are building AI to simulate the world through merging art and science. We believe that world models are at the frontier of progress in artificial intelligence. Language models alone won’t solve the world’s hardest problems – robotics, disease, scientific discovery. Real progress requires models that experience the world and learn from their mistakes, the same way that humans do. And this kind of trial and error can be massively accelerated when done in simulation, rather than in the real world. World models offer the most clear path to general-purpose simulation, changing how stories are told, how scientific progress is made and how the next frontiers of humanity are reached.
Our team consists of creative, open minded, caring and ambitious people who are determined to change the world. We aspire to continuously build impossible things and our ability to do so relies on building an incredible team. If you are driven to do the same, we'd love to hear from you.

About the role
Open to hiring remote across the US — we also have offices in New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
We are looking for a Prototype Researcher to join Runway Labs — our research and exploration team pushing the frontier of AI video and General World Models. You’ll imagine, design, and build experimental experiences that make emerging AI capabilities tangible and communicate a compelling vision for where the technology is heading.
This role combines creative thinking, hands-on prototyping, and storytelling. You should be able to develop an original idea, build a working prototype, and shape it into a clear, memorable demonstration. Your work will help people understand new AI systems through experiences they can see, use, and engage with.
Working closely with researchers, engineers, and designers, you’ll explore new interfaces and interaction paradigms for AI-generated video, world models, and agentic systems. The focus is on research explorations that express our vision, reveal new possibilities, and strengthen Runway’s position as a full-stack research organization.
We’re looking for a motivated self-starter with strong creative judgment, technical fluency, and a portfolio that shows both what you can build and how well you can communicate an idea.

Requirements

• A portfolio of original projects that demonstrates creative thinking, design craft, technical execution, and strong storytelling.
• The ability to take an idea from an early concept to a working prototype and a compelling presentation.
• Hands-on experience building interactive experiences with code, with the judgment to choose the right tools for each experiment.
• Strong visual and interaction design skills, with an eye for detail and an instinct for making complex ideas accessible.
• Genuine curiosity about AI video, world models, agentic systems, and emerging generative media.
• Comfort working in ambiguous research environments, defining your own direction, and learning new tools as the work evolves.
• The ability to explain the purpose and potential of your work clearly, through writing, visuals, demos, or film.

Responsibilities

• Develop original concepts that explore the possibilities of emerging AI systems, from interactive video and world models to agentic experiences.
• Design and build working prototypes that turn research capabilities into engaging, understandable experiences.
• Shape each project’s story: what it explores, why it matters, and what it suggests about the future.
• Package explorations into polished demos, films, and interactive experiences that communicate our research and vision.
• Collaborate with researchers and engineers to understand new capabilities and identify compelling ways to demonstrate them.
• Move quickly through experimentation, using prototypes to test ideas and refine both the experience and its narrative.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed