Research Engineer / Scientist (3D Tech Lead)

World Labs•San Francisco, CA

33d

About The Position

World Labs is a frontier AI research and product company advancing spatial intelligence, the next frontier beyond large language models. Co-founded by Dr. Fei-Fei Li, Justin Johnson and Ben Mildenhall, the company is pioneering world models that perceive, generate, reason, and interact with virtual and physical worlds. The company’s flagship product, Marble, transforms text, images, and video into fully navigable 3D worlds, unlocking applications across gaming, film, architecture, robotics, and immersive digital experiences. Backed by leading investors and with over $1B raised, World Labs is assembling a world-class team at the intersection of AI research and real-world deployment. We’re looking for a Tech Lead for 3D Modeling & Reconstruction to set technical direction and drive execution for our core 3D modeling efforts. This role is ideal for someone with a strong research science (RS) or research engineering (RE) background who has made meaningful contributions to the field of 3D reconstruction and/or modeling—through academic publications, widely used open-source projects, or production systems deployed at scale. This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll combine deep technical expertise with the ability to guide a high-impact team, shaping both the research roadmap and the production systems that bring modern 3D modeling methods into real-world products. You’ll work closely with research, engineering, and product partners to translate cutting-edge ideas into reliable, scalable capabilities.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in 3D reconstruction, 3D modeling, computer vision, graphics, or closely related fields.
A strong track record of impactful contributions to the field, demonstrated through academic publications, influential open-source work, or widely deployed industry products.
Deep expertise in modern 3D modeling and reconstruction methods, including representation design, optimization strategies, and learning-based approaches.
Proven experience leading or mentoring a small team, lab, or project group, with responsibility for technical direction and delivery.
Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++, with experience building both research prototypes and production-quality systems.
Hands-on experience with machine learning frameworks and large-scale experimentation or training pipelines.
Solid understanding of how 3D modeling systems interface with data pipelines, rendering, and downstream applications.
Comfort operating in fast-moving, ambiguous environments, making high-leverage technical decisions with incomplete information.
High ownership mindset and a product-aware perspective: you care not just about novelty, but about reliability, performance, and impact.
Enjoy collaborating with senior peers across research and engineering, and raising the technical bar through example, mentorship, and clear technical communication.

Nice To Haves

Fearless Innovator: We need people who thrive on challenges and aren't afraid to tackle the impossible.
Resilient Builder: Impacting Large World Models isn't a sprint; it's a marathon with hurdles. We're looking for builders who can weather the storms of groundbreaking research and come out stronger.
Mission-Driven Mindset: Everything we do is in service of creating the best spatially intelligent AI systems, and using them to empower people.
Collaborative Spirit: We're building something bigger than any one person. We need team players who can harness the power of collective intelligence.

Responsibilities

Set the technical vision and roadmap for 3D modeling and reconstruction, balancing research exploration with product-driven milestones.
Lead the design and implementation of state-of-the-art 3D modeling systems, spanning geometry, appearance, and scene-level representations.
Drive innovation in modern 3D modeling approaches, including learning-based and optimization-based methods, with an eye toward robustness, scalability, and real-world data.
Guide architectural decisions around 3D representations, training pipelines, and inference systems, ensuring they integrate cleanly with broader 3D data and rendering platforms.
Lead and mentor a small team of research scientists and/or research engineers: providing technical guidance, setting high standards, and fostering a culture of rigor and ownership.
Own end-to-end execution of key initiatives, from early research prototypes through production deployment and iteration.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional partners to align 3D modeling capabilities with product needs, timelines, and quality bars.
Represent the team and its work internally and externally, including contributing to publications, technical talks, or open-source efforts where appropriate.
Continuously evaluate emerging research and industry trends in 3D modeling and reconstruction, and translate the most promising ideas into actionable plans.