Research Scientist Intern, Applied Perception Science (PhD)

We are seeking a Research Scientist Intern with expertise in human visual perception, AR display technologies, and computational modeling. This role sits at the intersection of vision science and engineering, with access to hardware, sensors, and resources to pursue fundamental and applied research at scale. You'll tackle questions about how humans perceive the visual world during naturalistic behavior via psychophysical, statistical, and computational methods in order to inform perceptually-aligned system architectures and algorithms.Our internships are twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) weeks long and we have various start dates throughout the year.

Research Scientist Intern, Applied Perception Science (PhD) Responsibilities:

• Build and analyze datasets of visual input during naturalistic behavior
• Design and conduct psychophysical experiments
• Develop computational and statistical models of visual perception
• Leverage AI workflows across the entire research, development, and prototyping stack
• Translate research findings into guidance for product architecture and design
• Experience presenting research findings to technical and non-technical audiences
• Collaborate cross-functionally with researchers and engineers

Minimum Qualifications:

• Currently pursuing a PhD in Vision Science, Perceptual Psychology, Computational Neuroscience, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Engineering, or related field
• Experience with psychophysical, computational, or statistical approaches to perception
• Experience designing and conducting human behavioral experiments
• Experience creating rapid prototype scientific software and work with hardware
• Must obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
• Intent to return to degree program after completion of the internship/co-op

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience developing novel research approaches
• Demonstrated knowledge in mathematical statistics and ML fundamentals
• Experience creating large-scale behavioral and/or visual datasets
• Experience with systems integration across sensors and wearable devices
• Knowledge of graphics, image processing, and animation pipelines
• Experience with eye tracking or motion capture
• Publications at top venues (NeurIPS, CVPR, SIGGRAPH, VSS, Journal of Vision), grants, fellowships, or patents
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
• Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
• Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies

About Meta:

Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.

Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.

Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.

$7,313/month to $12,134/month + benefits

Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.