AI Research Intern (PhD)
Required skills
- AI Research
- ML Research
- Robotics
- World Models
- Vision-Language-Action
- VLA
- Reinforcement Learning
- RL
- Trajectory Planning
- PyTorch
Nice to have
- C++
- Sensor Fusion
- LiDAR
- Radar
- Bird’s-Eye-View
- BEV
Role summary
Atoms is seeking a visionary AI/ML Research Intern with a PhD in a relevant quantitative field to join their founding team. This role focuses on bridging AI research and physical actuation for autonomous transport platforms. Responsibilities include researching RL and distillation techniques, integrating AI research, designing multimodal models, developing interactive world models, and ensuring model adaptability. The ideal candidate has a strong research track record in areas like World Models, VLA, RL, or Transformer architectures, and is proficient in PyTorch or JAX, and Python. Preferred qualifications include experience with sensor fusion, BEV representations, and distributed training. This onsite internship offers $70/hr and is based in Mountain View or San Francisco.
Who we are
Atoms is building the machines that power the next era of progress.
Over the last decade, software has transformed the digital world. But the physical world, where food is made, minerals are mined, goods are moved, and industries are run, remains far less intelligent, far less efficient, and far more constrained. We’re changing that.
Atoms builds Physical AI real-world robots for the industries that move civilization forward, starting with food, mining, and transport. Our systems are designed to understand, predict, and control the real world with precision, turning complex physical operations into something more reliable, more scalable, and more productive.
This work requires more than robotics. It requires deep integration across hardware, software, AI, 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 roboticists, engineers, operators, and builders. We believe the next great technology companies will not only transform information, but the physical systems that shape everyday life.
If you want to work on hard problems with real-world impact, join us.
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
What we're looking for
Preferred qualifications
Why join us
At Atoms, you’ll work on one of the defining challenges of our time bringing automation into the physical world to drive real, lasting impact. We exist to uncover valuable unknown truths and turn them into progress, which means constantly pushing beyond what’s known and building what doesn’t yet exist. The work is ambitious and often challenging, but it’s grounded in a shared sense of purpose and a team committed to seeing it through together. Our work only matters if it serves others, and we know that meaningful progress depends on the trust of the people we serve and the strength of our team so we invest in both, creating an environment where you can do your best work and grow.
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.
Atoms accepts applications on an ongoing basis.
Ready to join us as we serve those who serve others?
#LI-Onsite
