Senior Research Scientist

About the Role & Team:

“Any sufficiently complex technology is indistinguishable from magic.” - Arthur C. Clarke

At Imagineering, we are constantly exploring new ways to connect with our guests – to surprise them, make them smile, and open their minds to magic - not just in our parks and resorts, but everywhere around the world.

At Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development, this "magic" emerges from the application of world-class technology and everything from new Guest-facing experiences to new tools for Imagineers and Cast Members who power our parks and bring that magic to life. Our team of engineers, designers, artists, and scientists share a passion for solving impossible problems and building ground-breaking experiences.

At Disney Research Imagineering, we pursue and apply the science behind the magic: unlocking new opportunities for Imagineering in all aspects of project lifecycles, from early phase creative ideation to deployment.  

We are seeking a Senior Research Scientist to lead foundational and applied research at the intersection of generative AI and human-robot interaction (HRI). This role involves designing, developing, and deploying systems and methods to support creative, interactive robotic and animatronic use cases across Disney’s themed entertainment portfolio. As a key scientific contributor and thought leader, you will collaborate with cross-functional teams of researchers, engineers, and creatives. Your work will span exploratory investigations, peer-reviewed research, and the translation of experimental technologies into tools and functional robots. 

You will report to the Associate Lab Director and contribute to the robotics research strategy for Walt Disney Imagineering R&D. 

This is a Full-Time role.

What You Will Do:

• Conduct original research in HRI reinforcement learning, focusing on interaction, decision-making, agentic behavior, and world- and interlocutor responsiveness. 

• Develop RL learning policies and algorithms that enhance the blend of creative and physics-compliant robotic characters. 

• Prototype generative systems that support creative workflows for experience development 

• Evaluate SOTA generative AI models and techniques for feasibility, fidelity, and integration into creative pipelines. 

• Collaborate with internal and external research partners, including academic institutions, industry labs, and vendors. 

• Translate scientific insights into working prototypes that bridge creative design and real-world implementation. 

• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to the technical direction of robotics initiatives within the lab. 

Required Qualifications & Skills:

• 5+ years of post-doctoral research experience in HRI, CHI, reinforcement learning, machine learning, or robotics with published work in top-tier conferences/journals (e.g. HRI, CHI, SIGGRAPH, IROS, NeurIPS, etc.). 

• Demonstrated ability to bridge theoretical research with real-world implementation. 

• Deep expertise in human-robot interaction, with a focus on behavior, verbal and non-verbal communication, and world- and interlocutor-responsiveness. 

• Expertise in reinforcement learning for reasoning and interaction. 

• Expertise in generative models in both the vision and language space. 

• Proficiency in PyTorch, Python, C++. 

• Strong communication skills with the ability to present complex ideas to multidisciplinary teams. 

• A desire to work in a creative environment where technical and creative experts collaborate and challenge each other every day to achieve truly groundbreaking solutions  

Preferred Qualifications & Skills:

• Track record of technology transfer, patents, or deployed robotic control systems. 

• Contributions to open-source projects or prior work in research labs or innovation teams. 

• Familiarity with the hospitality, theme park, entertainment industries, or other directly guest/user-facing robot applications is a plus. 

Education:

• PhD required in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Computational Design, or a related field, with specialization in AI/ML or Robotics.

Additional Information:

• Disney offers a rewards package to help you live your best life. This includes health and savings benefits, educational opportunities, and special extras that only Disney can provide. Learn more about our benefits and perks at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/benefits. 

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The hiring range for this position in Glendale, CA is $188,400 - $252,600 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.