Director, AI Research

Requirements

Proven track record in leading high-risk, high-reward research and applied research projects. Experience managing high-performing R&D teams, communicating at an executive level, and recruiting world-class talent.
Broad knowledge and experience in 3D machine perception, encompassing state-of-the-art ML and AI techniques, as well as foundational knowledge in 3D computer vision, state estimation, mathematics, statistics, and compute and sensor architecture.
Strong ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with a diverse range of individuals and functions, from deep research domain experts and generalist software engineers to product management.
Capability to bridge communication and engagement from contributing to world-class scientific publications to developing real-time prototype systems. Experience working with incubation and product partners.
Ph.D. in Computer Vision, Robotics, State Estimation, 3D Reconstruction, Object Tracking, or a related field.
Experience leading research teams in academia or industry.
Experience holding a faculty, industry, or government researcher position in a role with primary emphasis on robotics, machine perception or AI research.
Demonstrated track record of significant contributions to the field, evidenced by first-author and last-author publications at peer-reviewed Robotics, Computer Vision (CV), and AI conferences such as ICRA, IROS, RSS, SIGGRAPH, NeurIPS, CVPR, ECCV, and ICCV.
Experience serving as a site lead for a world-class research team, showcasing the ability to manage top-tier researchers and drive groundbreaking projects as well as developing and maintaining the local team culture.

Responsibilities

Drive the team's goals and technical direction, tackling new and ambitious research challenges in always-on, 3D machine perception for egocentric devices, hardware/software co-design, and contextual AI.
Partner with organizational leaders to enhance team and organizational performance, ensuring alignment with broader org and company objectives.
Oversee day-to-day decision-making, balancing both the scientific/engineering aspects and the progression of research towards incubation for long-term product impact.
Identify and drive opportunities for transitioning research into product development, collaborating closely with partners.
Effectively communicate strategy, project objectives, and rationale to a broad audience, including scientific, engineering, and executive teams. Manage partner engagement and cultivate future opportunities.
Foster a research culture marked by respect, integrity, inclusion, innovation, and productivity. Maintain active engagement with the global academic community and collaborate with internal product and incubation teams to ensure successful technology integration into Meta’s products.

FAQs

What is the primary focus of the Director, AI Research position at Reality Labs Research?

The primary focus is to advance the next wave of egocentric 3D machine perception capabilities, crucial for enabling contextual AI and powering future AR devices.

What are the main responsibilities of the Director, AI Research?

The main responsibilities include driving the team's goals and technical direction, overseeing day-to-day decision-making, identifying opportunities for research-to-product transitions, and fostering a collaborative research culture.

What qualifications are required for this position?

Candidates must have a Ph.D. in Computer Vision, Robotics, State Estimation, 3D Reconstruction, Object Tracking, or a related field, along with a proven track record in leading high-risk research teams and experience in 3D machine perception.

Is prior management experience in R&D teams necessary for this role?

Yes, experience managing high-performing R&D teams and recruiting world-class talent is essential for this position.

What is the preferred experience for candidates applying for this role?

Preferred experience includes holding a faculty, industry, or government researcher position focused on robotics, machine perception, or AI research, as well as a strong publication record in major conferences.

How does the role contribute to Meta's strategic goals?

This role contributes by aligning the team's research efforts with broader organizational objectives, translating research into impactful product development, and fostering innovation in AI technologies.

What is the team culture like at Reality Labs Research?

The team culture is characterized by respect, integrity, inclusion, innovation, and productivity, with active engagement in the global academic community.

Where is the Director, AI Research position located?

The position is based in London, UK.

Are there opportunities for collaboration with other teams within Meta?

Yes, effective collaboration with internal product and incubation teams is expected to ensure successful technology integration into Meta’s products.

What are the compensation details for this position?

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. The posted details reflect base compensation and do not include bonuses, equity, or sales incentives.