Staff Research Scientist, Culture & Systems Dynamics
Toyota Research InstituteLos Altos, California
Full Time
Posted November 6, 2025
$208k - $312k
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Job Description
A research scientist role focused on leading interdisciplinary research on culture, systems dynamics, and intervention design within complex adaptive environments, utilizing ethnography, causal reasoning, and computational modeling to enhance system-level health and collective wellbeing.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead cross-disciplinary research on culture, systems dynamics, and intervention design in complex adaptive environments
- Develop and evaluate interventions to improve system-level health factors such as trust, safety, inclusion, and resilience
- Apply ethnography, causal reasoning, and computational modeling to identify leverage points for positive cultural change
Requirements
- Lead cross-disciplinary research on culture, systems dynamics, and intervention design in complex adaptive environments.
- Develop and evaluate interventions that strengthen system-level health factors such as trust, safety, inclusion, and resilience, particularly where success is defined by the absence of breakdowns or by subtle shifts in collective behavior.
- Apply ethnography, causal reasoning, and computational modeling to identify leverage points for positive change and to quantify the cultural factors that sustain high-functioning systems over time.
- Translate social-scientific insight into scalable AI systems that augment human potential.
- Have a strong background in social and behavioral science, complex systems theory, AI machine learning, and Human-Computer Interaction.
- Possess a minimum of 5 years of experience in research related to social systems, culture, or complex adaptive environments.
- Demonstrate the ability to lead research initiatives and collaborate across disciplines.
- Possess a PhD or equivalent in a relevant field such as social sciences, behavioral sciences, complex systems, AI, or related areas.
- Be able to develop and evaluate interventions aimed at improving system-level health factors such as trust, safety, inclusion, and resilience.
- Have experience applying ethnography, causal reasoning, and computational modeling techniques.
- Be capable of identifying leverage points for positive change within complex social systems.
- Be able to quantify cultural factors that contribute to high-functioning systems over time.
- Possess excellent communication skills to translate research insights into practical AI systems.
- Be willing to work in California-based roles, with an understanding that the position's pay range is between $208,000 and $312,000 annually, depending on experience and other factors.
Benefits & Perks
Salary range between 208,000 and 312,000 USD per year (California-based roles)
Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
401(k) retirement plan eligibility
Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, and parental leave
Annual cash bonus
Ready to Apply?
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