Research Scientist Intern, Applied Vision (PhD)

Meta • Redmond, WA

1d

About The Position

The Display Systems Research (DSR) group at Meta Reality Labs is seeking a research scientist intern to join our vision science program, focusing on color perception in augmented reality (AR) displays. This role will help pioneer foundational research into how color is perceived in see-through displays with novel architectures, addressing critical gaps in existing color science and enabling display technologies in next-generation AR devices. Recent work from the team that this internship will leverage includes comprehensive characterization of human color discrimination thresholds (Hong et al., eLife, 2025). You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers to design and conduct psychophysical experiments, develop new models of color appearance, and build testbeds for evaluating color performance in AR hardware. Your work will directly inform the design, calibration, and optimization of AR display architectures, ensuring that Meta’s products deliver industry-leading visual experiences. Our internships are sixteen (16) to twenty-four (24) weeks long and we have various start dates throughout the year.

Requirements

• In the process of obtaining a PhD degree in Vision Science, Computer Graphics, or related field
• Experience designing, conducting, and analyzing the results of psychophysical experiments related to visual perception, computer graphics, and/or display systems
• Experience with scientific programming languages (e.g., Python and Matlab) including their use to script psychophysical experiments
• Must obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated expertise in color perception, psychophysics, or vision science, with a strong publication record in top venues
• Experience designing and running human subject experiments
• Experience working with benchtop stereoscopic displays, head-mounted displays, or other hardware to study the visual system
• Familiarity with color science standards (e.g., CIE XYZ, CIECAM) and their limitations
• Experience with Unity/C#, particularly including the development of psychophysical experiments
• Experience with C++ (or similar) programming languages, as demonstrated by software engineering experience via an internship, work experience, coding competitions, or PhD papers
• Proven track record of achieving significant results as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as first-authored publications at leading workshops or conferences such as Journal of Vision, SIGGRAPH, UIST, Current Biology, and PNAS
• Experience working and communicating cross functionally in a team environment
• Candidates must intend to return to their degree program following completion of the internship

Responsibilities

• Work on topics in color perception (image quality, spatiotemporal color perception, color reproduction, color accuracy, tone mapping, etc.) to support research in AR head-mounted display technologies
• Conceive and develop simulations and models of visual perception to help guide emerging AR display technologies
• Design and conduct psychophysical experiments to quantify color perception in AR displays, including studies that account for individual differences in color perception, novel display architectures, and suprathreshold color preferences
• Conduct psychophysical user studies on both benchtop testbeds and head-mounted prototypes to help guide emerging AR display technologies
• Collaborate and communicate with scientists and engineers across a variety of disciplines to design vision science studies in an applied context

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree