Staff Machine Learning Research Scientist

At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built world-class teams in Human-Centered AI, Energy & Materials, Human Interactive Driving, Large Behavioral Models, and Robotics.

TRI’s Harmonious Communities Department within our Human-Centered AI (HCAI) Division has an immediate opening for a Staff AI Research Scientist interested in our core topic domain of social well-being and the future of work. We are looking for someone with expertise in and enthusiasm for machine learning research (e.g., model architecting, simulations, complex datasets).

We are particularly keen to talk with people who have interest or experience in using real-world, human-level data to model prefactuals and counterfactuals (e.g., multi-agent-based modeling, reinforcement learning, causal inference + ML, RDM + AI, Graph Neural Networks). We are launching a new project space, and want a colleague who can help define and build this trajectory.

Our mission is to use research to foster Toyota’s global mission of “wellbeing and happiness for all,” and this challenge motivates everything we do. We are a coordinated team of behavioral scientists, ML researchers, and human-computer interaction experts. The person who accepts this opportunity must have a strong interest in collaborating across all of these domains. Additionally, this role will work with teams across Toyota to design and pilot technologies that help us to better understand the social dynamics within and around our workplaces. Candidates should be self-starting and interested in making contributions within a multidisciplinary team project.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with specialists in multiple fields, as well as university partners, to research and develop technology that models emergent properties in social systems
• Stay current on the state-of-the-art in Machine Learning theories, practice, and software
• Collaborate with scientists in the Harmonious Communities Department to shape and craft our research program and to communicate research to Toyota collaborators and stakeholders
• Publish findings in academic journals and/or conferences (e.g., KDD, ICWSM, WWW, ACL, EMNLP, NAACL, AAMAS, CSCW)
• Contribute to technology transfer of research throughout Toyota

• 7+ years of experience with PhD in computer science, machine learning, computational social science, or related field, with a broad knowledge of machine learning approaches and theory. We encourage candidates to apply even if they don’t meet every qualification. We value diverse experience and are open to learning more about how your unique skills could contribute to the team.
• Experience with simulation / prefactual / counterfactual approaches (multi-agent-based modeling, GNNs, Robust Decision Modeling + AI, etc.)
• Experience with architecting ML systems across diverse data sources (text, time-series data, tabular data, etc.), including familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, GPC, or Azure), virtualization (Docker), and orchestration (Kubeflow, Metaflow).
• Proficiency in ML frameworks (e.g. scikit-learn, PyTorch, TensorFlow, Keras), and tools for big data analysis (e.g. Databricks, Sagemaker, SQL, Spark).
• Ability to communicate complex concepts clearly across different audiences
• Strong interpersonal skills, enthusiastic collaborator, and great teammate
• Heavy interest in research to facilitate social wellbeing

• Experience with time series modeling and data analysis
• Ability to balance multiple projects, including short-term, targeted analyses and novel, innovative projects that may span several years
• Familiarity with human-centered research (e.g. behavioral data science, computational social science, human-computer interaction), including qualitative and/or quantitative methods such as experiments and user studies

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $228,800 and $343,200/year for California-based roles; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Note that TRI offers a generous benefits package (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave) and an annual cash bonus structure. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

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