About the role#
The Toyota Research Institute is seeking a Ph.D. student for a 12-week internship within the Adaptive Behavior Systems team. You will work to push the boundaries of causal reasoning in large language models. The project involves studying how generative models reason causally and developing methods to test and improve these capabilities. You will engage in strategy discussions regarding how your research connects to business impact at Toyota.
What you'll do#
- Perform original research with the goal of publishing in a top-tier venue.
- Take full ownership of your project from initial ideation to the validation of developed methods.
- Collaborate cross-functionally with machine learning, behavioral, and social scientists to research technology that uses generative AI to understand human behavior.
What you'll need#
- Current enrollment in a Ph.D. program for AI, machine learning, computer science, data science, statistics, or a related field.
- A publication record or demonstrated research experience in causal inference, such as structural causal models, identification, or counterfactual reasoning.
- Hands-on experience with LLM evaluation, mechanistic interpretability, or methods for improving LLM reasoning like prompt optimization, post-training, or architectural changes.
- Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch.
- Interest in human-centered research, including qualitative or quantitative methods like user studies and experiments.
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills.
Location & details#
- Location: Los Altos, California.
- Term: Winter 2027.
- Commitment: 12-week, full-time, paid internship.
- Modality: Hybrid, in-office.
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
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