Research Scientist, Simulation Agents

The role

As a Research Scientist on the Behaviors team, you will develop realistic and controllable simulation agents and scenario generation algorithms for Waabi World. You will define the scenarios that test the self-driving system and generate training signal to improve it.

What you will do

• Own and pursue a research agenda to develop realistic and controllable simulation agents.
• Advance the state of the art in imitation learning, reinforcement learning, generative models, foundation models, planning and search for simulation agents.
• Collaborate with simulation, autonomy and safety teams to define research problems and ship solutions into production.
• Mentor junior scientists and interns and foster a culture of scientific rigor and rapid experimentation.
• Publish high-impact research at top-tier machine learning or robotics conferences.

Required qualifications

• Master's or PhD in machine learning, computer science, engineering, or a related field.
• Strong background in imitation learning and/or reinforcement learning.
• Publications in top-tier machine learning or robotics conferences or journals.
• Proficiency with modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, or Jax.

Nice to have

• Experience in self-driving, traffic simulation, or a related field.
• Proven ability to take research from prototype to production systems.
• Strong software engineering skills, including large-scale training or simulation experience.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and equity awards.
• Medical, dental and vision coverage (full-time employees only).
• Unlimited vacation.
• Flexible hours and work-from-home support.
• Daily drinks, snacks and catered meals when in office.
• Regular team building activities and social events on-site, off-site and virtually.

Before you apply

• The posting states that Waabi is an equal opportunity employer and makes accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities on request.

About the company

Waabi, founded by Raquel Urtasun, develops technology for autonomous transportation, including commercial autonomous trucks and robotaxis. It is backed by and partners with leaders in AI, automotive, logistics and deep tech.