Research Engineer / Scientist (3D Tech Lead)

8+ years of experience in 3D reconstruction, 3D modeling, computer vision, graphics, or closely related fields.

A strong track record of impactful contributions to the field, demonstrated through academic publications, influential open-source work, or widely deployed industry products.

Deep expertise in modern 3D modeling and reconstruction methods, including representation design, optimization strategies, and learning-based approaches.

Proven experience leading or mentoring a small team, lab, or project group, with responsibility for technical direction and delivery.

Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++, with experience building both research prototypes and production-quality systems.

Hands-on experience with machine learning frameworks and large-scale experimentation or training pipelines.

In accordance with California law, we disclose the following:

Pay Range

$250-$350k base salary (good-faith estimate for San Francisco Bay Area upon hire; actual offer based on experience, skills, and qualifications)

Total Compensation

Base salary plus equity awards and annual performance bonus

Salary History

We’re looking for a Tech Lead for 3D Modeling & Reconstruction to set technical direction and drive execution for our core 3D modeling efforts. This role is ideal for someone with a strong research science (RS) or research engineering (RE) background who has made meaningful contributions to the field of 3D reconstruction and/or modeling—through academic publications, widely used open-source projects, or production systems deployed at scale.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll combine deep technical expertise with the ability to guide a high-impact team, shaping both the research roadmap and the production systems that bring modern 3D modeling methods into real-world products. You’ll work closely with research, engineering, and product partners to translate cutting-edge ideas into reliable, scalable capabilities.

Set the technical vision and roadmap for 3D modeling and reconstruction, balancing research exploration with product-driven milestones.

Lead the design and implementation of state-of-the-art 3D modeling systems, spanning geometry, appearance, and scene-level representations.

Drive innovation in modern 3D modeling approaches, including learning-based and optimization-based methods, with an eye toward robustness, scalability, and real-world data.

World Labs is an AI research and development company focused on creating

spatially intelligent systems

that can model, reason, and act in the real world. We believe the next generation of AI will not live only in text or pixels, but in

three-dimensional, dynamic environments

—and we are building the core models to make that possible.

Our team brings together expertise across machine learning, robotics, computer vision, simulation, and systems engineering. We operate with the urgency of a startup and the ambition of a research lab, tackling long-horizon problems that demand creativity, rigor, and resilience.