Researcher Statistical 3D Model of Quadrupeds; f​/m​/div

The Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) conducts research to advance intelligent systems that perceive, learn, and interact. Through fundamental research across computational, physical, and social dimensions, we shape artificial intelligence and robotics to advance knowledge and benefit society.

We are creating the world’s most realistic human and animal avatars for use in research, film, virtual reality, biology and medicine. Using unique 3D & 4D capture facilities, machine learning, computer vision and advanced graphics, we are modeling every nuance of how humans and animals look and move. We develop algorithms to estimate human shape and motion in images, videos and RGB‑D sequences.

Our approaches define the current state of the art, and we are constantly pushing these methods and systems in order to achieve a better accuracy. Our future work aims at generating automatic 3D pose, shape and texture of animals from images acquired in‑the‑wild.

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This project is aimed at bridging the gap between newly developed state of the art statistical model(s) for quadrupeds, and the physical word. We are collaborating with the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and National Research Council of Italy to develop anatomically accurate 3D model, which can be used for biological applications based on one of the biggest datasets of animal scans.

Your task will be to create a method for extracting mesh representations of shape and pose from image data by leveraging existing methods and/or developing novel approaches, as part of the larger goal of bringing our model(s) into active adoption. Specifically, this includes (but is not limited to):

• Strong background in computer vision, with particular experience in human and animal shape modeling
• Experience with 3D vision topics such as 3D mesh models, statistical shape modeling and articulated pose estimation
• Solid ML/AI foundation
• Strong programming skills in Python (CUDA is a plus)
• Hands‑on experience with 3D and image‑based computer vision
• Experience implementing 3D computer vision algorithms and training end‑to‑end machine learning models (from data collection and design to evaluation)
• Knowledge and practical experience with deep learning, including frameworks such as Py Torch
• MSc is required in addition a few years of job experience or PhD
• Good oral and written communication skills in English

In this working environment, you will be exposed to cutting‑edge technologies related to computer vision and multi‑sensor systems. The MPI for Intelligent Systems is one of the world's leading research institutions for machine learning, computer vision and robotics, and studying the concepts of intelligence and autonomous behavior in artificial systems at different length scales. The position is ideally suited for candidates looking to extend their scientific and cultural horizons particularly in the area of 3D Motion Capture.

You will be a part of a dynamic team of international scientists, engineers, and administrative staff.
This is position limited to 12 months and the expected starting date is as soon as possible with a possibility of extension.

The Max Planck Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. The Max Planck Society strives for gender equality and diversity. Furthermore, the Max Planck Society seeks to increase the number of women in its workforce in those areas where they are underrepresented and therefore explicitly encourages women to apply.

The position is available as of now and will be open until filled or no longer needed.

Any questions regarding the position should be forwarded to Keiko Kitagawa at kei and Dr. Senya Polikovsky at

Candidates should…