Associate Research Scientist, 3D Generative AI

Job Posting Title:

Associate Research Scientist, 3D Generative AI

Req ID:

10124363

Job Description:

About the Role & Team

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

At Walt Disney 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 an Associate Research Scientist within Disney Research Imagineering with a passion for generative AI and 3D technologies to help prototype, test, and refine intelligent systems that empower designers, storytellers, and engineers across Disney. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to high-impact projects at the intersection of spatial computing, machine learning, and immersive design. 

The Role

As an Associate Research Scientist, you will work with senior scientists, artists, and engineers to develop, implement, and evaluate AI models and 3D tools that support the creative process. Your role will focus on scientific evaluation, technical execution, model training, integration, and prototyping within a fast-paced R&D environment. 

You will report to the Associate Lab Director within Disney Research Imagineering. 

What You Will Do

• Assist in developing, training, and testing generative models for 3D content creation and spatial design tasks. 

• Evaluate state-of-the-art techniques for 3D content creation, to bring the best, most up-to-date recommendations to our business use cases 

• Conduct original research in generative AI, focusing on 3D model generation, scene synthesis, and simulation. 

• Implement AI pipelines and tools using modern machine learning frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow). 

• Support integration of AI models with game engines and 3D tools (e.g., Unreal, Unity). 

• Contribute to the development of interactive prototypes for internal user testing and demonstration. 

• Collaborate on dataset preparation, evaluation metrics, and model tuning processes. 

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

• Document research and projects for multiple audiences, to ensure knowledge sharing and reproducibility, and communicate research insights. 

• Stay up to date with the field of research for generative 3D modeling and animation. 

Required Qualifications & Skills

• 3+ years’ research experience in applied machine learning, computer vision, or graphics programming 

• Familiarity with generative models and 3D imagery technologies (e.g., GANs, 3D diffusion models, NeRFs) and their use in 3D or visual applications. 

• Proficient in Python and experience with deep learning libraries (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow). 

• Hands-on experience with 3D data (meshes, point clouds, voxel grids, implicit surfaces). 

• Familiarity with computer graphics fundamentals,