Research Scientist, Physical AI - Foundation Models - PhD New College Grad 2026

NVIDIA is hiring a Research Scientist, Physical AI - Foundation Models - PhD New College Grad 2026 in Santa Clara, United States. It pays $168k-$265k a year and Level rates it ; you can apply on NVIDIA.

Level's read on this job

On Level's scale, this research scientist role is Builds AI ●●●●: the job is building AI systems.
The posting mentions PyTorch among its tools and skills.
NVIDIA has 2,800+ other open roles on Level.

AI in this role

PyTorch

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 other objective job-related factors. The expected base salary range for this position 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 November 3, 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.

How we rate this

Research Scientist, Physical AI - Foundation Models - PhD New College Grad 2026 at NVIDIA rates 98 out of 100 for how much of the daily work is AI. That makes it Builds AI (AI Level 4 of 4). The level is about AI in the job, not seniority.

Classification

Builds AI. The job is building AI systems.

●●●● Builds AI80 to 100
●●●○ Works on AI60 to 79
●●○○ Uses AI40 to 59
●○○○ Little AI0 to 39

Levels come from how often the tools, models and workflows of the role are named in the posting itself. Read the description and count the AI tools, models and workflows it names.

Key facts

Research Scientist, Physical AI - Foundation Models - PhD New College Grad 2026 is an open job at NVIDIA.
Level rates this role AI Level 4 of 4: Builds AI.
The listed salary is $168k-$265k a year.
The role is based in US, CA, Santa Clara.
The job was posted on April 10, 2026.
Applications are handled by NVIDIA. Apply on NVIDIA

Prepare for this job

Built from this posting and from similar jobs on Level.

Skills and AI tools this role asks for

PyTorch

Also common in research scientist jobs at this level

Machine learning Python LLM Deep learning C++Computer vision

Pay

This job starts at: $168k
Typical research scientist job: $190k

This posting starts 12% below the typical research scientist job. See research scientist jobs

Questions you could be asked

What's a project where you used PyTorch hands-on?
How would you decide a model or AI system is ready to ship?
Tell me about a time a model underperformed in production. How did you find out, and what did you change?

Adapt your resume

List these exact terms on your resume: PyTorch. An applicant tracking system matches the wording, not the idea.
Attach one line of real, concrete experience to at least one of them. A tool named with nothing behind it rarely survives a human read.
Lead with what you built, trained or shipped. This role is judged on the AI system itself, not the tools around it.

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