Robotics Intern Human-Robot Interaction

Cambridge, MA - USA

Hourly Salary: $ 40 - 58

Posted on: 30+ days ago

Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

At Toyota Research Institute (TRI) were on a mission to improve the quality of human life. Were developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility weve built a world-class team in Automated Driving Energy & Materials Human-Centered AI Human-Interactive Driving Large Behavior Models and Robotics.

This is a summer 2026 paid 12-week internship opportunity. Please note that this internship will be an in-office role.

The Team

Our goal is to revolutionize the field of robotic manipulation enabling long-horizon dexterous behaviors to be efficiently taught learned and improved over time in diverse real-world environments.

Our team has deep cross-functional expertise across simulation perception controls and machine learning and we measure our success in terms of fundamental capabilities development as well as research impact via open-source software and publications. Our north star is fundamental technological advancement in building robots that can flexibly perform a wide variety of tasks in diverse environments with minimal human supervision. Come join us and lets make general-purpose robots a reality.

We operate a fleet of robots and robot-embodied teaching and deployment is a key part of our strategy. Some of our ongoing work is highlighted here. ( Internship

We are looking for an intern researcher to join our team in the Cambridge MA office! In collaboration with the wider Robotics division you will focus on understanding how general population (non-roboticist) users teach different robot embodiments to perform real-world tasks to their preferences through multimodal modes of communication (e.g. visual auditory tactile etc). You will plan and implement a human-robot interaction study including the implementation of various teaching modes for users to engage with.

You may incorporate a longitudinal element to the project exploring how user expectations may adapt over multiple interactions with robot behaviors. Findings from the user study may yield peer-reviewed conference papers or journal articles. Lastly you will have the opportunity to present your study findings to your colleagues and the larger TRI organization.

We welcome you to join a positive friendly and enthusiastic team of researchers where your research will contribute to helping people gain independence access and mobility.

Qualifications

Pursuing an MS or PhD degree in Human-Robot Interaction Human-Computer Interaction Human Factors Robotics Computer Science or a related field or equivalent practical experience.
2 years of experience as an academic Human-Robot Interaction researcher
Strong software engineering skills (C / Python preferred) and experience analyzing/debugging autonomous robotic systems.
Experience with deploying and/or field-servicing prototype technologies.
Experience conducting user studies involving real robot hardware.
Experience with writing peer-reviewed conference papers or journal articles as lead author.
Desire to contribute back to the robotics community with publications and open source code.
Passion for seeing robotics help humans and have a real-world large-scale impact.

Bonus Qualifications

Familiarity with original ROS/ROS 2 or similar middleware and with robotic simulators including Drake Mujoco Bullet etc
Experience with behavior cloning and related imitation learning methods.
Experience with interactive machine learning techniques that adapt robot policies given human feedback/corrections.
Experience with qualitative and quantitative user research including developing user study materials IRB applications facilitation and interviewing management of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and statistical analysis.
Experience with UX design principles and high-fidelity prototyping.
System integration experience around complex open-ended and multi-functional projects.

The pay range for this position at the commencement of employment is expected to be between $40 and $58/hour for Massachusetts-based roles. Base pay offered will depend on multiple individualized factors including but not limited to business or organizational needs market location job-related knowledge skills and experience. TRI offers a generous benefits package including medical dental and vision insurance 401(k) eligibility paid time off benefits (including vacation sick time and parental leave) and an annual cash bonus structure. Additional details regarding these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

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TRI is fueled by a diverse and inclusive community of people with unique backgrounds education and life experiences. We are dedicated to fostering an innovative and collaborative environment by living the values that are an essential part of our culture. We believe diversity makes us stronger and are proud to provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all without regard to an applicants race color creed gender gender identity or expression sexual orientation national origin age physical or mental disability medical condition religion marital status genetic information veteran status or any other status protected under federal state or local laws.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process such as reviewing applications analyzing resumes or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed please contact us.

Required Experience:

Intern