Job Specifications
At Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America (MBRDNA), we are committed to delivering world-class automotive technologies that push the boundaries of what is possible. Our teams of highly skilled engineers and designers use cutting-edge software and technology, to enhance the driving experience and reduce environmental impact.
We are seeking a highly motivated student for a research internship to explore and advance Vision-Language Models (VLMs) in the autonomous driving domain. You will work closely with our team of experts to adapt and apply state-of-the-art VLMs to tasks such as scene understanding, semantic reasoning, visual question answering, and multi-modal intent prediction. Your work will directly inform our perception and planning pipelines, influencing how our autonomous systems interpret their environment and communicate about it to users and other stakeholders.
Job Responsibilities
Investigate and apply advanced Vision-Language Modeling techniques to autonomous driving challenges, including large-scale transformer-based architectures and multi-modal pre-training.
Develop and refine vision-language models for tasks such as:
Captioning and summarizing complex driving scenes.
Visual question answering about objects, actions, and intentions in traffic scenarios.
Aligning textual navigation instructions with visual perception for route planning.
Collaborate with other team members to integrate novel VLM-based solutions into existing autonomous driving frameworks.
Evaluate and benchmark model performance on internal and public datasets, identifying gaps and proposing improvements.
Document findings through internal research reports and contribute to publications in top-tier conferences if suitable results are achieved.
Minimum Qualifications
MS degree in Major in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field, with a strong focus on machine learning, computer vision, and/or natural language processing etc.)
Major in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related field, with a strong focus on machine learning, computer vision, and/or natural language processing.
5+ years of relevant work experience.
Demonstrated experience in developing and training deep learning models, particularly in areas involving multi-modal inputs such as images, video, and text.
Solid understanding of state-of-the-art vision and language models (e.g., CLIP, BLIP, VLM adaptations of ViT, LLM-integrated frameworks).
Strong programming skills in Python and familiarity with deep learning libraries (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow).
Preferred Qualifications
Currently pursuing or recently graduated from a PhD program in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a closely related discipline.
Publication record in reputable AI/ML/CV/NLP conferences or journals.
Experience with Autonomous Driving algorithms and systems.
Benefits/Perks
PTO
Sick Time
Additional Information
The current hourly rate for this position is as follows and may be modified in the future: $28 (Undergraduate Students)/$32 (Graduate Students)
Why should you apply?
Here at MBRDNA, you create digital ecosystems around cars, you design a language between humans and machines, you make a car even more intelligent - you make the new reality for cars. MBRDNA was honored as one of the "Best Places to Work" by BuiltIn in January 2024, a testament to our commitment to creating an exceptional work environment. At each of our offices, we foster a culture of collaboration and continuous learning, ensuring every team member can thrive and innovate.
Benefits for Full-Time * Employees Include:
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
401(k) with employer match
Up to 18 company-paid holidays
Paid time off (flexible time off for salaried employees), sick time, and parental leave
Tuition assistance program
Wellness/Fitness reimbursement programs
Internships & Contractors excluded from Full-Time Employee benefits
MBRDNA is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and strongly supports diversity in the workforce. MBRDNA only accepts resumes from approved agencies who have a valid Agency Agreement on file. Please do not forward resumes to our applicant tracking system, MBRDNA employees, or send to any MBRDNA location. MBRDNA is not responsible for any fees or claims related to receipt of unsolicited resumes.
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development North America, Inc.
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About the Company
Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America (MBRDNA) is continuously striving to innovate premium mobility. It is a place for exceptional people with outstanding ideas and the absolute willingness to bring them to life. We are not about cars only - we are also about the latest and greatest software, cutting-edge technology, and groundbreaking innovation: Embedded in a worldwide network MBRDNA is headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, with key areas of Autonomous Driving, Advanced Interaction Design, Digital User...
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