Human Interactive Driving Intern – World Models at Toyota Research Institute

Los Altos, California, United States

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

InternshipExperience Level

InternshipJob Type

UnknownVisa

Automotive, AI Research, RoboticsIndustries

Requirements

Currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Computer Science, Robotics, Machine Learning, or a related field
Strong background in machine learning, particularly in areas such as deep learning, generative models, reinforcement learning, or probabilistic modeling
Demonstrated experience with one or more of the following: World models (e.g., latent dynamics, diffusion-based models), Model-based RL or decision-making, 3D perception or sensor fusion, and Large-scale simulation for robotics or autonomous systems
Prior publication(s) in top-tier conferences (NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, CVPR, ICRA, CoRL, etc.)
Proficiency with Python and PyTorch
Familiarity with AWS services (S3, EC2, and SageMaker) and open-source driving datasets (nuScenes, Waymo, Argoverse, etc.) is a plus

Responsibilities

Conduct original research in one or more areas: world modeling, multi-agent interaction, reinforcement learning, perception, or simulation-to-reality transfer
Collaborate closely with full-time researchers on the design, training, and evaluation of learning-based driving systems
Contribute to building and experimenting with task-aware, multi-modal, and uncertainty-aware models
Develop and evaluate prototypes in closed-loop simulation environments and, time permitting, on high-performance autonomous driving hardware
Present research findings through internal talks and work towards a top-tier academic publication
Integrate and work with large-scale datasets (open-source and internal)

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Machine LearningAutonomous DrivingWorld ModelsModel-Based RL3D PerceptionGenerative ModelingCausal ReasoningEmbodied IntelligenceSimulation

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

Is this internship paid, and what about compensation?

Yes, this is a paid 12-week internship with competitive compensation.

Is this internship remote or in-office?

This is a hybrid in-office role based at the company's headquarters.

What qualifications and skills are required for this internship?

Candidates must be currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Computer Science, Robotics, Machine Learning, or a related field, with a strong background in machine learning. Relevant publications and good collaboration skills are highly encouraged.

What is the team like at Toyota Research Institute?

You'll join a multidisciplinary research team focused on developing a world foundation model for driving, tackling challenges like multi-agent interaction and causal reasoning, in a collaborative, high-impact environment.

What makes a strong candidate for this internship?

Strong candidates will have relevant publications in areas like world modeling, multi-agent interaction, reinforcement learning, perception, or simulation-to-reality transfer, along with good collaboration skills.

Toyota Research Institute

Research in mobility, safety, and automation

About Toyota Research Institute

Toyota Research Institute focuses on improving mobility through research and development in the automotive and technology sectors. The company works on enhancing safety, automated driving, robotics, materials science, and machine learning. Their products include advanced safety features and automated driving systems that aim to make driving safer and more efficient. Unlike many competitors, TRI emphasizes a research-driven approach, collaborating with various partners and licensing their innovations to enhance Toyota's offerings and maintain a competitive edge. The goal of TRI is to advance mobility solutions that improve quality of life and support the transition to zero-emissions transportation.

Los Altos, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2016Year Founded

$100MTotal Funding

SEEDCompany Stage

Robotics & Automation, Automotive & Transportation, AI & Machine LearningIndustries

201-500Employees

Benefits

Highly competitive benefits package

Robust programs to support the wellbeing, happiness, and health of our people and their families.

401(k) plan including matching and annual profit sharing along with total vacation and holidays totaling 38 days per year.

Subsidized commuter benefits and generous employee and vehicle allowances

2 paid days per year to participate in volunteer activities.

Maternity Leave program with 10 paid weeks plus baby bonding leave and Milk Stork for traveling moms

Baby Bonding Leave–an additional 16 paid weeks–to all new parents, including those who choose to adopt.

Back-up child and adult / elder care programs to help everyone thrive

WellBeats Virtual Fitness Trainer.

Risks

Public skepticism may undermine AI-assisted driving safety initiatives.

Boston Dynamics' high costs could impact TRI's humanoid robot project returns.

Complexity of real-world environments may delay TRI's robot skill deployment.

Differentiation

TRI focuses on AI to enhance human life and mobility.

Partnerships with Boston Dynamics and Stanford showcase TRI's collaborative innovation.

TRI's Driving Sensei concept integrates AI to improve driver skills and engagement.

Upsides

Generative AI allows TRI's robots to learn complex tasks without new coding.

TRI's AI-driven material synthesis could revolutionize EV battery development.

Autonomous tandem drifting collaboration with Stanford pushes vehicle dynamics boundaries.

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