AI Researcher Jobs in California
AI Researcher jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in machine learning, foundation model development, and applied AI across the technology, defense, and life sciences sectors, with openings at every level from entry-level research associate through principal and staff researcher. The deepest hiring activity sits in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where companies like Google, Meta, and Qualcomm maintain large research operations with ongoing headcount. The most in-demand specializations are large language model research, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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AI Research Scientist, Robotics - Meta Superintelligence Labs Responsibilities:
- Perform fundamental and applied research to push the scientific and technological frontiers of embodied artificial intelligence
- Invent/improve novel data-driven paradigms for robotics, leveraging a variety of modalities (images, video, text, audio, tactile, etc)
- Investigate paradigms that can deliver a spectrum of embodied behaviors - from simulated characters to real robots, and from short-horizon, low-level to long-horizon, high-level intelligence
- Develop algorithms based on state-of-the-art machine learning and neural network methodologies
- Define, build and benchmark new capabilities needed for the next generation of AI
- Conduct research towards long-term research goals while identifying intermediate milestones
- Lead, plan, and execute novel research based on long-term objectives of the organization
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
- PhD degree in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Language, a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- 2+ years of industry experience in relevant robotics related research areas, such as: robot learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, action-conditioned world models, task and motion planning, sim-to-real transfer robotic control, manipulation, navigation, or generally embodied AI
- Experience with any of the following research areas: robotics, motion planning, embodied AI, human-robot interaction, sim-to-real transfer, learning from demonstration, reinforcement learning, dexterous manipulation, digital agents, vision language models, computer vision, egocentric perception, and/or LLMs
- Must obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Proven track record of achieving significant results as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as publications at leading workshops, journals or conferences in Machine Learning (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR), Robotics (ICRA, IROS, RSS, CoRL), Computer Vision (CVPR, ICCV, ECCV)
- 5+ years of industry experience in relevant robotics related research areas, such as: robot learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, action-conditioned world models, task and motion planning, sim-to-real transfer robotic control, manipulation, navigation, or generally embodied AI
- Experience solving complex problems and comparing alternative solutions, tradeoffs, and different perspectives to determine a path forward
- Demonstrated research and software engineering experience via an internship, work experience, coding competitions, or widely used contributions in open source repositories (e.g. GitHub)
- Experience with robotics frameworks like ROS, along with experience working with robot simulations and real-world hardware
- Experience building systems based on machine learning and/or deep learning methods
- Experience with deep learning frameworks (such as pytorch, tensorflow) and Python
- Experience with manipulating and analyzing complex, large scale, high-dimensionality data from varying sources
- Experience working and communicating cross functionally in a team environment
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 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.
$184,000/year to $257,000/year + bonus + equity + 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.
AI Research Scientist, Robotics - Meta Superintelligence Labs Responsibilities:
- Perform fundamental and applied research to push the scientific and technological frontiers of embodied artificial intelligence
- Invent/improve novel data-driven paradigms for robotics, leveraging a variety of modalities (images, video, text, audio, tactile, etc)
- Investigate paradigms that can deliver a spectrum of embodied behaviors - from simulated characters to real robots, and from short-horizon, low-level to long-horizon, high-level intelligence
- Develop algorithms based on state-of-the-art machine learning and neural network methodologies
- Define, build and benchmark new capabilities needed for the next generation of AI
- Conduct research towards long-term research goals while identifying intermediate milestones
- Lead, plan, and execute novel research based on long-term objectives of the organization
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
- PhD degree in the field of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Language, a related field, or equivalent practical experience
- 2+ years of industry experience in relevant robotics related research areas, such as: robot learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, action-conditioned world models, task and motion planning, sim-to-real transfer robotic control, manipulation, navigation, or generally embodied AI
- Experience with any of the following research areas: robotics, motion planning, embodied AI, human-robot interaction, sim-to-real transfer, learning from demonstration, reinforcement learning, dexterous manipulation, digital agents, vision language models, computer vision, egocentric perception, and/or LLMs
- Must obtain work authorization in the country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Proven track record of achieving significant results as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as publications at leading workshops, journals or conferences in Machine Learning (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR), Robotics (ICRA, IROS, RSS, CoRL), Computer Vision (CVPR, ICCV, ECCV)
- 5+ years of industry experience in relevant robotics related research areas, such as: robot learning, reinforcement learning, imitation learning, action-conditioned world models, task and motion planning, sim-to-real transfer robotic control, manipulation, navigation, or generally embodied AI
- Experience solving complex problems and comparing alternative solutions, tradeoffs, and different perspectives to determine a path forward
- Demonstrated research and software engineering experience via an internship, work experience, coding competitions, or widely used contributions in open source repositories (e.g. GitHub)
- Experience with robotics frameworks like ROS, along with experience working with robot simulations and real-world hardware
- Experience building systems based on machine learning and/or deep learning methods
- Experience with deep learning frameworks (such as pytorch, tensorflow) and Python
- Experience with manipulating and analyzing complex, large scale, high-dimensionality data from varying sources
- Experience working and communicating cross functionally in a team environment
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 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.
$184,000/year to $257,000/year + bonus + equity + 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.
See All 183+ AI Researcher Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find AI Researcher JobsAI Researcher Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
AI Researcher Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- ByteDance26
- TikTok15
- Google14
- Meta10
- Bosch7
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software30
- Science & Research13
- Electronics & Hardware4
- Automotive3
- Manufacturing3
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in AI researcher jobs across California.
- PhD or master's degree in computer science, machine learning, or a closely related field
- Demonstrated publication record in peer-reviewed AI or machine learning conferences
- Proficiency in Python and deep learning frameworks such as PyTorch or JAX
- Experience designing and running large-scale experiments on distributed computing infrastructure
- Ability to translate research findings into production-ready models or engineering handoffs
- Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration and publication
AI Researcher Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a ai researcher in California?
Most ai researcher roles in California require at minimum a master's degree, and the majority of positions at leading California technology and defense firms expect a PhD in computer science, statistics, or a closely related field. California has no state-issued license or registration specific to this role. Candidates typically build their profile through graduate research, publications at top venues like NeurIPS or ICML, and internships at California-based research labs or technology companies before moving into full-time positions.
How much do AI researchers make in California?
AI researchers in California earn a median of about $159,100 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $88,920 for the lowest 10% to over $275,320 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire ai researchers in California?
Employers hiring ai researchers in California right now include ByteDance, TikTok, and Google, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. California's concentration of major technology headquarters, semiconductor companies, and defense contractors means openings appear across a wider range of industries than most states.
Which California cities have the most ai researcher jobs?
San Jose, San Francisco, and Mountain View have the most ai researcher openings in California. The Bay Area dominates because of the density of major technology headquarters and research labs in San Francisco, Mountain View, and Menlo Park, while Los Angeles draws hiring from entertainment AI and aerospace firms, and San Diego's activity is driven largely by Qualcomm and a growing cluster of defense and biotech employers.
Are there remote ai researcher jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 34% of ai researcher openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting how much of the core work involves writing code, running experiments, and producing papers rather than being physically on site. Fully remote positions are most common at companies whose research teams are already distributed, while roles that require access to proprietary hardware clusters or on-site collaboration tend to require at least partial presence.
How can I get hired as a ai researcher in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is a research internship or PhD residency at a California-based technology or defense lab, which many large employers use as their primary pipeline for converting junior talent into full-time hires. Companies like Google, Meta, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory run structured research internship programs open to graduate students without prior industry experience. Candidates who lack a PhD can strengthen their profile through published or preprint work, open-source contributions to recognized projects, and applying for research engineer or applied scientist roles, which often sit adjacent to pure research positions and require less prior publication history.
Where can I find and apply to ai researcher jobs in California?
You can find and apply to ai researcher jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings across technology, defense, life sciences, and other sectors. Search the available roles, find the ones that fit your background and location preferences, and apply directly through the listings.
See All 183+ AI Researcher Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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