Research Scientist, Latent State Inference for World Models
Toyota Research InstituteLos Altos, California
Full Time
Posted August 4, 2025
$176k - $264k
Apply Now
Application opens on company website
Job Description
A Research Scientist role focused on inferring latent state representations from sensor data to develop and evaluate world models for autonomous vehicles, enabling high-fidelity predictive modeling and robust policy assessment in dynamic driving environments.
Key Responsibilities
- Infer latent state representations from sensor data to support world models.
- Develop high-fidelity predictive models using structured and raw perception data.
- Evaluate and ensure the semantic richness and temporal coherence of inferred latent states.
- Support policy evaluation for autonomous vehicles in simulated or learned environments.
- Collaborate with researchers to integrate perception, world modeling, and reinforcement learning techniques.
Requirements
- Experience in inferring latent state representations from sensor data for world models in autonomous vehicles or related fields.
- Ability to work on high-fidelity predictive modeling and reliable policy assessment in simulated or learned environments.
- Experience working closely with researchers developing world models and policy evaluation to ensure latent states are semantically rich, temporally coherent, and suitable for long-horizon prediction and counterfactual analysis.
- Proficiency in raw perception and structured representations related to sensor data processing.
- Demonstrated expertise in developing or applying methods for inferring latent states that support multi-agent reasoning in dynamic driving environments.
- Strong background in perception, world modeling, and model-based reinforcement learning as applied to autonomous driving or similar domains.
- Educational background in a relevant field such as Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or related disciplines (implying at least a Bachelor's degree; specific degree requirements are not explicitly stated but are typically expected).
- Proven track record of research or practical experience in developing scalable, human-like driving intelligence or similar AI systems (implied by the research focus).
- Ability to contribute to the development of data-driven world models that generalize across tasks, sensor modalities, and public road scenarios.
- Excellent communication skills to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of researchers and engineers.
- Submission of a brief cover letter and a link to Google Scholar or similar to include a full list of publications when applying (implying a requirement for a strong research background).
Benefits & Perks
Salary range between $176,000 and $264,000 per year
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
401(k) eligibility
Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, and parental leave
Annual cash bonus
Ready to Apply?
Join Toyota Research Institute and make an impact in renewable energy
Stay Updated on Sustainability Jobs
Get the latest renewable energy jobs and career tips delivered to your inbox.
Job Alerts
Get notified about new sustainability jobs
More jobs at Toyota Research Institute
Robotics Intern - Robotics and Human Aware Interaction and Learning
Toyota Research Institute
Cambridge
Internship
Feb 25
Human-Centered AI Intern, Computational Social Science
Toyota Research Institute
Los Altos
Internship
Feb 20
Human-Centered AI Intern, CAD Design Reasoning Machine Learning
Toyota Research Institute
Los Altos
Internship
Feb 20
$0k-0k/hr