About the role#
As a Ph.D. Research Intern on the Human Interactive Driving team, you will conduct original research at the intersection of machine learning and autonomous driving. You will join a team focused on building a world foundation model for driving, creating a unified representation of driving knowledge from large-scale data. This role involves tackling challenges in multi-agent interaction, causal reasoning, and embodied intelligence.
What you'll do#
- Conduct original research in world modeling, multi-agent interaction, reinforcement learning, perception, or simulation-to-reality transfer.
- Collaborate with full-time researchers to design, train, and evaluate learning-based driving systems.
- Build and experiment with task-aware, multi-modal, and uncertainty-aware models.
- Develop and evaluate prototypes in closed-loop simulation environments.
- Share research findings through internal talks and work toward academic publication in top-tier venues.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in a Ph.D. program in Computer Science, Robotics, Machine Learning, or a related field.
- A strong background in machine learning, specifically in deep learning, generative models, reinforcement learning, or probabilistic modeling.
- Experience with world models, model-based RL, 3D perception, or large-scale simulation for robotics.
- Prior publications in conferences such as NeurIPS, ICLR, ICML, CVPR, ICRA, or CoRL.
- Proficiency with Python and PyTorch.
Location & details#
- Location: Los Altos, California.
- Term: Fall 2026.
- Modality: Hybrid, in-office.
- Status: Paid, full-time internship.
About Toyota Research Institute
Toyota Research Institute is a research organization founded in 2016. Based in Los Altos, California, it operates as a subsidiary of Toyota. The company focuses on artificial intelligence, robotics, automated driving, and material sciences. Its staff of approximately 485 employees works to develop technology for vehicles and robots while researching new materials for batteries and fuel cells.
How to get in at Toyota Research Institute
Applying early is a significant advantage for internships at Toyota Research Institute, as recruiters often review candidates before the applicant pool grows too large. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published, helping you get your materials in among the first. This timing often makes the difference in getting your resume noticed. You can also improve your response rates by reaching out to the recruiters behind these roles directly. Intern Insider surfaces the specific contacts responsible for hiring at the company, allowing you to ask relevant questions or request a referral. This direct approach often bypasses the standard queue and puts you in touch with the people who actually make the hiring decisions.
