PhD Candidate – Foundation models for automated driving (m/f/d)

It’s time to reshape automotive mobility for everyone!At CARIAD, we have the mission to create and deliver leading digital technology for the Volkswagen Group. We’re uniting over 6,000 global experts to build powerful software architectures that enable completely new customer experiences. Iconic models like the Volkswagen ID. Buzz, Audi Q6 e-tron, and Porsche Macan 4 Electric are already equipped with CARIAD technology.Join us at CARIAD and become part of an exciting journey to shape the future of mobility!YOUR TEAMThe aim of our PhD Program is to promote innovative topics that are relevant to CARIAD. We cooperate with top universities and bring new research projects to life. Our PhD candidates get the opportunity to create new innovations in their projects for CARIAD and the respective scientific field. All PhD projects are accompanied by a supervising professor and a dedicated CARIAD mentor. Our PhD candidates further benefit from development programs and a strong academic exchange within the internal PhD network.Our pre-development department develops an AI-based software stack for automated driving. We scout, leverage, and develop innovative techniques for improving the entire stack along perception, prediction, and planning. After drafting concepts, prototyping and improving them, we deploy novel solutions onto closed-loop vehicles to gain first-hand experience and transfer them to the series departments to bring them into production. We make sure that the PhD work is embedded into our team’s daily business while at the same time giving ample freedom that is necessary for research work.WHAT YOU WILL DO Develop novel deep learning-based solutions for the future of automated drivingLeverage the power of foundation models such as visual-language models to solve complex urban automated drivingBuilt upon the state-of-the-art AI-based architectures to extend end-to-end automated driving with your ideasWork in a team of ambitious and highly motivated experts to come up with innovative concepts and solutionsGrow small ideas into code and demonstrate their effectiveness in prototype vehiclesPublication of the results in the form of papers at high-quality conferences and journals WHO YOU ARE Master’s degree in Computer Science, Robotics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Cybernetics, Mathematics or equivalentIn depth knowledge in robotics and deep learning with very good academic performanceExcellent programming knowledge and experience in Python and/or C++. Experience with common machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, Keras, Caffe etc. is an advantageVery good English skills in both oral and written form. Initial experience in scientific writing is an advantageProven hands-on experience in real-world projects e.g. from student projects, previous working experience or internshipsHigh level of commitment, initiative and teamwork. Independent, goal-oriented and systematic way of working make you the ideal candidateExperience with cloud-based programming and CI/CD frameworks is an advantageNICE TO KNOW Duration: 3 yearsWorking with high-ranked UniversityPossibility to supervise studentsRemote work optionsTemporary work from abroad in selected countries30 days paid leaveIf you have further questions about the candidate journey at CARIAD, please contact us: