AI Research Intern (BS/MS)

Who we are

This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across AI, hardware, software, operations, manufacturing, and real estate. We don’t just build machines in a lab. We deploy them into real environments, operate them, learn from them, and improve them until they work at scale.

We are researchers, roboticists, engineers, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.

About the role

We are seeking an AI Research Intern to join our founding team and bridge the gap between high-level AI research and real-world physical actuation for our next-generation autonomous transport platforms. In this role, you will contribute to core research initiatives on Perception, World Models and Action models. You will help translate cutting-edge theoretical breakthroughs into scalable, real-world deployment on physical autonomous systems, driving how our platforms perceive, simulate, and navigate complex environments.

What you’ll do

• Integrate and adapt emerging AI research into internal model pipelines, validating performance on real-world datasets and simulation.
• Prototype and evaluate RL, trajectory planning, and distillation algorithms based on state-of-the-art literature.
• Train and fine-tune multimodal models that map real-time sensor inputs and behavioral goals to vehicle actuation.
• Experiment with world model architectures using multi-sensor log data to improve simulation fidelity and trajectory querying.
• Analyze edge cases and failure modes in novel driving environments to iterate on model performance and stability.
• Run rigorous simulation experiments alongside research and validation teams to identify performance bottlenecks and track model improvements.

What we're looking for

• Education: Currently enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's degree program in Computer Science, EECS, Robotics, AI, or a closely related field.
• Core Expertise: Coursework, project experience, or research background focused on at least one of the following domains:
• Generative World Models / Video Generation / Diffusion Models
• Vision-Language-Action (VLA) models or embodied AI
• Reinforcement Learning (RL), trajectory optimization, or decision-making systems
• Large-scale multimodal Transformer architectures applied to robotics or spatio-temporal data
• Framework Fluency: Advanced hands-on proficiency with PyTorch or JAX for training and fine-tuning large-scale neural networks.
• Programming: Proficiency in Python and working knowledge of C++.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior research, project, or internship experience in autonomous driving, mobile robotics, or spatial AI.

What else you need to know

This role is based in our Mountain View or San Francisco office. Atoms is a company driven by invention and continuous change, we are constantly reimagining our industries, building new products, and refining how we operate. We do our best work together. That’s why all of our office-based teams work onsite, five days a week.

The hourly pay range for this internship role is $70/hr per hour.

Actual compensation will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on experience, skills, and qualifications.

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