Tech Lead Research Scientist/Engineer, Neural Graphics and World Models

TikTok
San Jose
Workplace: OnsiteFull timeFunction: Data Science & Machine LearningEducation: phdSkills: ["Research judgment","Experiment design","Technical risk analysis","Mentoring","Cross-functional collaboration"]

Lead AI-3D engine research on neural graphics and world models, developing and evaluating AI models and neural representations for persistent, controllable, physically coherent interactive worlds. Define data and evaluation strategies linking model behavior to quality and interactive performance, build research prototypes, and partner with engineering teams to deploy successful models into real-time engine workflows. Drive rigorous experiments, manage technical risks, and mentor team members with reproducible research artifacts.

Loading

Loading job details...

Preparing the role view and application actions.

FursaFursa
TikTok
TikTok
10 hours ago

Tech Lead Research Scientist/Engineer, Neural Graphics and World Models

✓ Verified Job

Canonical indexed version, validated from employer's careers page.

Source: Company careers pageValidated by: Fursa AI
Last checked: 10 hours agoStatus: Live

Job Summary

Lead AI-3D engine research on neural graphics and world models, developing and evaluating AI models and neural representations for persistent, controllable, physically coherent interactive worlds. Define data and evaluation strategies linking model behavior to quality and interactive performance, build research prototypes, and partner with engineering teams to deploy successful models into real-time engine workflows. Drive rigorous experiments, manage technical risks, and mentor team members with reproducible research artifacts.
Location: San Jose
Workplace: Onsite
Employment Type: Full time
Job Function: Data Science & Machine Learning
Seniority: Sr. Manager level

Key Responsibilities

  • •Lead research directions in one or more areas of neural graphics, world models, 3D modeling, animation, simulation, or rendering.
  • •Develop, train, adapt, and evaluate AI models and representations for interactive graphics and world-generation systems.
  • •Define data and evaluation strategies that connect model behavior to quality, controllability, coherence, and interactive performance.
  • •Build research prototypes and collaborate with engineering teams to integrate successful models into real-time engine workflows.
  • •Analyze results, identify technical risks, and translate research findings into next steps for model, data, and system development, while producing reproducible artifacts and mentoring team members.

Key Requirements

  • •PhD/MS (or equivalent research experience) in machine learning, computer graphics, robotics, applied mathematics, or a related technical field.
  • •5+ years of relevant research or industry experience in neural graphics, generative AI, computer graphics, world models, or a closely related domain.
  • •Strong, up-to-date machine learning expertise, including deep experience with model architecture, training, data strategy, evaluation, and scaling, plus hands-on training/adaptation of generative models (e.g., diffusion/flow-matching, diffusion transformers, autoregressive or multimodal transformers).
  • •Engineering fluency with ML frameworks such as PyTorch or JAX, including model development, representation learning, scaling, distributed training, and pre-/post-training tradeoffs.
  • •Deep expertise in at least one AI-for-graphics area such as 3D modeling/representations, animation/motion generation, simulation/neural rendering, or graphics/game-engine workflows.
Experience:Neural graphicsGenerative AIComputer graphicsWorld modelsRobotics
Education:PhD / Doctorate
Skills:Research judgmentExperiment designTechnical risk analysisMentoringCross-functional collaboration
Tech Stack:PyTorchJAXVariational autoencodersLatent tokenizersDiffusionFlow-matching modelsDiffusion transformersAutoregressive modelsMultimodal transformersDistributed trainingPre-trainingPost-trainingReinforcement learningPreference optimizationImitation learningModel-based controlMultimodal alignmentVideo prediction

Company Brief

TikTok
Short-form video platform that lets users create, share, and discover entertainment content through algorithmic recommendations. It also offers advertising and creator tools for brands, influencers, and businesses.
Industry: Digital Media
Company Size: Enterprise (1,001+ employees)
Growth: Scaleup
Headquarters: Singapore, Singapore
Founded: 2016
WebsiteLinkedIn