PhD Intern, Research - Embodied AI Agents

Position Overview

Autodesk Research is looking for a passionate, skilled research intern to help us to understand how people react to the built environment around them.  This internship will explore how to use embodied AI agents to simulate humans moving through a space based on perceptions, intended goals, and preferences.  The work may include data generation, collection, and processing, design and implementation of embodied agents and tools using agentic frameworks, implementation of new research methodologies, data visualization, and statistical analysis/machine learning.  You will join a multidisciplinary team of researchers with backgrounds in architecture, computer science, machine learning, visualization, and software engineering.

Responsibilities

• Design and prototype embodied agents using agentic frameworks, LLMs and VLMs

• Develop "perception" and other tools to support embodied agents, as required

• Develop agent personas or personalities that capture personal preference of space

• Document the work either as an academic research paper or internal technical report

• Present results to the team through reports, demos, and other communication channels

Minimum Qualifications

• Pursuing a PhD in Computer or Cognitive Science or related fields with relevant AI experience

• Strong proficiency with Python

• Experience with AI agent frameworks such as Letta (preferred), Lang Chain, Google ADK, etc

• Hands-on experience with large language models, vision-language models, and tools such as model-context protocol (MCP)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with image segmentation and classification tasks preferred but not required

• Knowledge of architecture and design preferred but not required

About the Canada Intern Program   

The 2026 Canada program runs for 16 weeks (May 4 – August 21). All internships are paid. As an intern, you will contribute to meaningful projects, be mentored by industry leaders, and participate in tech talks and other activities designed to support your personal and professional development. Our internships align with Autodesk’s Flexible Workplace approach, which is designed to meet the needs of our business while providing flexibility in support of office, remote and hybrid work preferences.

About Autodesk

Welcome to Autodesk! Amazing things are created every day with our software – from the greenest buildings and cleanest cars to the smartest factories and biggest hit movies. We help innovators turn their ideas into reality, transforming not only how things are made, but what can be made.

We take great pride in our culture here at Autodesk – it’s at the core of everything we do. Our culture guides the way we work and treat each other, informs how we connect with customers and partners, and defines how we show up in the world.

When you’re an Autodesker, you can do meaningful work that helps build a better world designed and made for all. Ready to shape the world and your future? Join us!

Salary is one part of Autodesk’s competitive compensation package. Offers are based on the candidate’s experience, educational level, and geographic location.

Diversity & Belonging
We take pride in cultivating a culture of belonging where everyone can thrive. Learn more here: https://www.autodesk.com/company/diversity-and-belonging