Human Interactive Driving Intern, Platform Research
Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is focused on improving the quality of human life through innovative technologies. They are seeking a summer research intern to work on generative AI and human-factors research in the Human Interactive Driving group, where the intern will create and validate driving simulations and contribute to research publications. Responsibilities Procedural track generation using generative AI, involving the design and implementation of new or extended generative methods to create novel driving environments Dynamic content creation for our CARLA-based driving simulator, integrating AI-driven or algorithmic content into interactive simulation systems such as CARLA, Unreal, or similar platforms Driver skill assessment, contributing to the development and validation of models that characterize driver behavior, measure performance, and support human-centered evaluation Skills Currently at-least second year pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Science, Robotics, Human-Robot Interaction, or related fields Experience in generative AI, whether LLMs with non-language tokens or diffusion models Game development experience: Unreal, Unity, Godot, etc. and/or simulation development experience: CARLA, Sumo, Gazebo, AirSim, etc Strong software engineering skills (C++/Python preferred) and analysis/debugging robotic systems Experience working in a shared codebase with multiple collaborators and reviewing others' code Strong written and oral communication skills Experience in working in multi-disciplinary teams. You will be working cross-functionally with UX/UI designers, human-factors researchers, and cognitive scientists Must have a high level of self-initiative to prioritize and manage workload and meet project deadlines in a dynamic environment Prior experience in ROS / ROS2 Prior experience with human subjects or human-centric research Prior experience in scientific Python, R, or similar statistical analysis tools Benefits Medical, dental, and vision insurance Paid time off benefits (including holiday pay and sick time) Company Overview Toyota Research Institute is an R&D enterprise with an initial focus on artificial intelligence and robotics. It was founded in 2016, and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA, with a workforce of 201-500 employees. Its website is Company H1B Sponsorship Toyota Research Institute has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 10 in 2025, 7 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.