PhD Researcher,HCI & Visualization Research Job Toronto area,Ontario Canada,IT/Tech

Position Overview

Graduate internships will explore new areas of technology and help Autodesk (as well as the academic community) understand how emerging technologies can be leveraged to improve creation and design processes. Within the Future AI Experiences and HCI & Visualization research groups, you and your mentor(s) will arrive at a mutually agreed upon research project in the area of human-computer interaction or data visualization.

Over the course of the internship, you will drive that project forward with guidance from your mentor(s), including implementation, experimental validation, data analysis, etc. Specific areas of interest for research projects include:
Human-AI Collaboration, Agentic Co-Creation, User Interfaces for Generative AI or Machine Learning Systems, Information Visualization, Software Learning, Future of Work, Generative Design Tools, Interactive Fabrication, Augmented Reality, and Virtual Reality.

Based in Canada or USA.

Responsibilities

Support the research and design efforts by developing software prototypes and explore concepts

Conduct literature reviews

Gather requirements and issues to explore and design

Develop algorithms

Build prototypes to test and explore concepts

Conduct experiments to test research ideas and hypotheses

Measure human performance and cognition limitations related to interaction with technology

Conduct usability studies, ethnographic studies, heuristic evaluations, task analyses, structured interviews and surveys

Evaluate research findings and prototypes to make recommendations for impacting business and products.

Explore new prototyping frameworks and technologies

Author a full research paper

Produce an accompanying research video

Present the results of your research externally and internally

Minimum Qualifications

Currently enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Science or related field, with a specialization in Human-Computer Interaction, and at least one academic term to complete post internship

Demonstrated expertise in the area of interactive technologies, with peer-reviewed publications on the topic in international venues

Strong communication skills and teamwork experience

Very strong technical skills in building software prototypes

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with modern generative AI tools and frameworks (e.g., GPT, Llama, Stable Diffusion, ComfyUI)

Experience with web development and frameworks (e.g., React/Next.js, Node.js/Flask, etc.).

Experience interfacing with unique hardware modules

Experience developing software in a Windows or MacOS environment

Experience developing software for AR or VR equipment (e.g., Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro)

Experience with programming 3D graphics, Unity, Unreal Engine

Experimental design and data analysis

Rapid prototyping

Ability to work effectively as a member of a team; ability to work with minimum supervision, self-driven

Ability to deal with requirements from multiple sources and find solutions and deal with conflicts and compromises in a diplomatic manner

Ability to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with other teams

Ability to write clear, concise, correct technical material

About the Canada Intern Program

The 2027 Research Internship Program is a 16-week paid program running from May 24th to Sept 10 2027. You’ll contribute to meaningful projects, learn from industry leaders, and take part in tech talks and development opportunities. Internships align with Autodesk’s Flexible Workplace approach, supporting office, remote, and hybrid work based on business and team needs.

Learn More

About Autodesk

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PhD Researcher, HCI & Visualization Research