Team and Position Overview 

The Simulation, Optimization and Systems (SOS) Group at Autodesk Research is seeking a passionate and skilled Research Intern for Summer 2026 at our Toronto office in the MaRS Discovery District. As part of our media and entertainment research effort, this internship will explore new approaches using physics-informed AI for: character motion generation, MoCap data augmentation, and stylized motion control.  

You will have the opportunity to work at the intersection of kinematic/dynamic-based simulations of various fidelities, learning-based or optimization-based control algorithms, data-driven motion generation, and more traditional computer graphics approaches such as procedural animation and motion matching. You will work closely with your mentor(s) to first scope a focused research project tailored to your background, then execute it via developing algorithms, running simulation experiments, and documenting results with the potential for publication. 

Responsibilities  

• Develop and evaluate physics-informed AI algorithms for character motion generation, data augmentation, and/or stylized motion control. 

• Conduct literature reviews. 

• Identify fundamental and applied research questions and address them via pragmatic, iterative steps. 

• Collaborate with other researchers in SOS and media & entertainment research. 

• Document and present the results of your research internally and externally. 

• Contribute to research publication(s) and software prototypes. 

Minimum Qualifications  

• Currently pursuing a PhD or master’s degree in computer science, robotics, engineering, or a related field. 

• Experience with nonlinear dynamics and control (model-based or learning-based). 

• Proficiency in Python for simulation, optimization, or machine learning. 

• Demonstrated expertise in relevant research areas, supported by peer-reviewed publications or equivalent scholarly output. 

• Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively in an interdisciplinary research environment. 

• Strong technical skills in translating research ideas into software prototypes. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with computer graphics techniques such as inverse kinematics, motion matching, pose authoring, and inbetweening. 

• Experience with locomotion motion planning and model-predictive control, using models such as inverted pendulum models, centroidal mass dynamics, or articulated rigid-body dynamics. 

• Experience with reinforcement learning and/or imitation learning for locomotion or robotic manipulation. 

• Experience with system identification, including actuator modeling, parameter estimation, or other data assimilation methods. 

• Background or interests in biomechanics and tools such as OpenSim. 

• Familiarity with data driven methods for motion generation or motion control. 

• Familiarity with simulators such as Isaac Sim / Isaac Lab, MuJoCo, Pinocchio, or equivalent. 

• Familiarity with opensource libraries for motion control or reinforcement/imitation learning. 

About the Canada Intern Program

The 2026 Canada Internship program runs for 16 weeks (May 4th – August 21st). All internships are paid. As an intern, you will contribute to meaningful projects, be mentored by industry leaders, and participate in tech talks and other activities designed to support your personal and professional development. Our internships align with Autodesk’s Flexible Workplace approach, which is designed to meet the needs of our business while providing flexibility in support of office, remote and hybrid work preferences.