Research Scientist, Physical AI - Foundation Models - PhD New College Grad 2026
Nvidia
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Santa Clara, CA · Posted September 23, 2026
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Where Santa Clara, CA ranks
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November 2026
- #1Best cities for sales pay after cost of living$175k · of 45
- #1Best cities for product pay after cost of living$224k · of 14
- #2Best cities for operations pay after cost of living$173k · of 41
- #2Best cities for marketing pay after cost of living$192k · of 16
- #2Best all-round cities for remote workers in the West Coast85 / 100 · of 39
- #3Best cities for finance pay after cost of living$156k · of 35
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Pay compared with the market
This listing does not state pay. Across 74 open research scientist listings that state pay, the middle half runs $172,500 to $299,000 and the median is $228,500.
Listed pay is what employers advertise, not what people are paid.
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among medical scientists, except epidemiologists is little observed so far. Measured exposure for medical scientists, except epidemiologists: 4% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
Skills this job asks for
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About the job
Are you passionate about pushing the boundaries of AI at the intersection of the digital and physical worlds? Join our groundbreaking research team as we revolutionize the future of physical AI through groundbreaking generative models. We are now hiring Research Scientists to join our Cosmos team! As a Research Scientist specializing in Generative AI for Physical AI, you'll be at the forefront of developing next-generation algorithms that bridge the gap between virtual and physical realms. You'll work with state-of-the-art technology and have access to massive computational resources to bring your ideas to life. What you'll be doing: Pioneer revolutionary generative AI algorithms for physical AI applications, with a focus on advanced video generative models and video-language models Architect and implement sophisticated data processing pipelines that produce premium-quality training data for Generative AI and Physical AI systems Design and develop cutting-edge physics simulation algorithms that enhance Physical AI training Scale and optimize large-scale training systems to efficiently harness the power of 20,000+ GPUs for training foundation models Author influential research papers to share your groundbreaking discoveries with the global AI community Drive innovation through close collaboration with research teams, diverse internal product groups, and external researchers Build lasting impact by facilitating technology transfer and contributing to open-source initiatives What we need to see: PhD in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience). Deep expertise in PyTorch and related libraries for Generative AI and Physical AI development Strong foundation in diffusion, vision language and reasoning models and their applications Proven experience with reinforcement learning algorithms and implementations Robust knowledge of physics simulation and its integration with AI systems Demonstrated proficiency in 3D generative models and their applications Ways to stand out from the crowd: Publications or contributions to major AI conferences (ICLR, NeurIPS, ICML, CVPR, ECCV, SIGGRAPH, ICCV, etc.) Experience with large-scale distributed training systems Background in robotics or physical systems Open-source contributions to prominent AI projects History of successful research-to-product transitions You'll be part of a team that's defining the future of Physical AI, with access to world-class computing resources and the opportunity to work on problems that matter. Your research won't just live in papers – it will be implemented in real-world systems that push the boundaries of what's possible in AI. Join us in shaping the future of AI where digital intelligence meets physical reality. NVIDIA is widely considered to be one of the technology world’s most desirable employers. We have some of the most forward-thinking and hardworking people in the world working for us. Are you a creative and autonomous research scientist with a genuine passion for advancing the state of AI? If so, we want to hear from you! Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and the pay of employees in similar positions. The base salary range is 168,000 USD - 264,500 USD. You will also be eligible for equity and benefits . Applications for this job will be accepted at least until September 27, 2026. This posting is for an existing vacancy. NVIDIA uses AI tools in its recruiting processes. NVIDIA is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment and proud to be an equal opportunity employer. As we highly value diversity in our current and future employees, we do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status or any other characteristic protected by law.