Senior Researcher

Toyota•Mountain View, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

Toyota InfoTech Labs (ITL) is seeking a Senior Researcher in Mountain View, California, to develop next-generation artificial intelligence technologies for connected, cooperative, and intelligent mobility systems. The role focuses on research at the intersection of large language models, World Models, multi-agent systems, and connected vehicle technologies, with the goal of creating scalable AI capabilities for perception, prediction, planning, and decision-making across cloud, edge, and embedded platforms. Reporting to the Manager of InfoTech Labs Research, the Senior Researcher will turn advanced research concepts into practical innovations for intelligent mobility. The position combines research and prototype development with collaboration across teams, validation using simulations and transportation data, publication of technical findings, and generation of intellectual property. Toyota does not provide employment-based visa or other work-authorization sponsorship for this role; applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without Toyota sponsorship now or in the future. The role requires willingness to work overtime and after hours and to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Requirements

PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Robotics, or a related engineering discipline.
At least 3 years of post-PhD research experience focused on artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, autonomous systems, or closely related technical domains.
Demonstrated expertise in machine learning, deep learning, or artificial intelligence, including hands-on application of advanced algorithms to complex research problems.
Experience in at least two of the following areas: World Models and predictive modeling; multi-agent systems and agentic AI; reinforcement learning and decision making; or knowledge distillation and model compression.
Strong programming experience using Python and modern machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow or PyTorch.
Demonstrated record of publishing research in top-tier conferences or journals such as NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, or AAAI.
Willingness to work overtime and after hours, and to travel internationally and domestically as needed.
Must have the right to work in the United States without Toyota immigration-related employment support or sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

Experience with vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications, connected vehicle technologies, or intelligent mobility systems.
Hands-on experience with simulation platforms such as CARLA, Gazebo, SUMO, or ROS.
Experience working with mobility and autonomous driving datasets such as nuScenes, Waymo, or OpenDV.
Research experience with foundation models, including large language models, vision-language models, and other large-scale AI architectures.
Deep expertise in fine-tuning, evaluating, and applying advanced AI models to transportation and mobility challenges.

Responsibilities

Develop networked World Models that improve cooperative understanding, prediction, and decision-making across connected mobility ecosystems.
Design and evaluate distributed and collaborative World Model architectures for intelligent interaction among connected agents and systems.
Optimize AI models for real-time deployment across cloud, edge, and embedded computing environments while balancing performance and resource constraints.
Research and develop World Model-based model predictive control approaches for mobility planning and control.
Implement, test, and validate advanced algorithms using large-scale simulations and real-world transportation datasets.
Create proof-of-concept solutions demonstrating innovative applications for connected and intelligent transportation systems.
Publish technical findings in leading conferences and journals.
Generate intellectual property through invention disclosures, patents, and other innovative contributions.

Benefits

Professional growth and development programs.
Tuition reimbursement.
Team Member Vehicle Purchase Discount.
Toyota Team Member Lease Vehicle Program (if applicable).
Comprehensive health care and wellness plans for the employee's entire family.
Toyota 401(k) Savings Plan with company match and an annual retirement contribution, whether or not the employee contributes (if applicable).
Paid holidays and paid time off.
Referral services related to prenatal services, adoption, childcare, schools, and more.
Tax Advantaged Accounts, including Health Savings Account, Health Care FSA, and Dependent Care FSA.
Relocation assistance (if applicable).