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Job Details
Job Requisition ID #
Position Overview
Autodesk is seeking a Director of AI Research to lead critical post-training and trustenabling capabilities for our next generation of AI systems. This role oversees multiple research and applied science teams spanning model post-training and adaptation, responsible AI and robustness, and dataset creation and annotation for AI Research.
This is a scientific leadership role for a seasoned AI researcher and people manager requiring both deep technical credibility and strong people management, with direct influence on Autodesk’s AI strategy and research-to-product pipeline.
You will partner closely with engineering, product, legal, and design to ensure Autodesk’s AI systems are powerful, reliable, and trustworthy.
The Director will manage and grow multiple research and applied science teams, define technical vision and roadmaps, and ensure that Autodesk’s AI systems are robust, compliant, high-quality, and production-ready, while still pushing the frontier of multimodal and generative AI for Design & Make.
Autodesk's AI Lab is active in the wider research community, targeting publications at CVPR, NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, SIGGRAPH, and other top-tier conferences. We collaborate with top academic & industry labs, combining the best of an academic environment with product-guided research.
We are a global team, located in London, San Francisco, Toronto, and remotely.
This role will report to the Senior Director of AI Research in the AI Lab.
Research & Technical Leadership
Set the technical vision and research agenda for post-training of foundation, multimodal, and domain-specific models, including alignment, fine-tuning, evaluation, and continuous improvement.
Lead research and applied development in Responsible AI, including robustness, bias and fairness analysis, safety, reliability, explainability, and governance for enterprise and regulated contexts.
Guide research into evaluation frameworks, datasets, benchmarks, and human-in-the-loop systems that connect model behavior to real-world design and workflow outcomes
Balance exploratory research with delivery-oriented applied work, ensuring that innovations transition eTectively into Autodesk platforms
Organizational & People Leadership
Build, lead, and mentor multi-disciplinary teams of research scientists, applied scientists, engineers, and data specialists
Foster a culture of technical rigor, collaboration, and inclusion, supporting career growth for senior ICs and emerging leaders
Provide clear goal-setting, feedback, and performance management across teams with diverse mandates and timelines
Partner closely with adjacent AI Lab leaders, product teams, and platform organizations to align priorities and execution
Cross-Functional & External Engagement
Work with product, legal, security, and compliance partners to ensure AI systems meet Autodesk’s enterprise trust and quality standards
Translate complex research outcomes into clear technical narratives and decision frameworks for executive stakeholders
Represent Autodesk AI Lab in external research communities, academic collaborations, and strategic partnerships
Contribute to IP strategy, publications, and long-term technical vision for AI in design and engineering
Minimum Qualifications
PhD or equivalent experience in AI, ML, NLP, or a related field.PhD or equivalent experience
10+ years of experience spanning advanced AI research and production systems
Proven experience leading multi-disciplinary research teams and managing senior technical talent
Strong background in language and/or multimodal AI, with experience delivering systems used in real-world, high-impact settings
Demonstrated success translating research into scalable, reliable, and trusted AI products
Strong cross-functional leadership skills, with experience aligning research, engineering, product, and business stakeholders
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences
History of external research engagement (publications, partnerships, or industry leadership)
Preferred Qualifications
Experience operating in regulated or high-stakes domains where correctness, explainability, and trust are critical
Experience in Architecture, Civil or Mechanical Engineering, Construction, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment or other Autodesk domains
CAD software proficiency
AI at Autodesk is not abstract—it directly shapes how the world is designed and built. This role ensures that Autodesk’s AI systems are not only powerful, but trustworthy, interpretable, and grounded in high-quality data. The Director of AI Research in this portfolio will play a pivotal role in making AI a dependable collaborator for designers, engineers, and creators worldwide.
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About Autodesk
Welcome to Autodesk! Amazing things are created every day with our software – from the greenest buildings and cleanest cars to the smartest factories and biggest hit movies. We help innovators turn their ideas into reality, transforming not only how things are made, but what can be made.
We take great pride in our culture here at Autodesk – it’s at the core of everything we do. Our culture guides the way we work and treat each other, informs how we connect with customers and partners, and defines how we show up in the world.
When you’re an Autodesker, you can do meaningful work that helps build a better world designed and made for all. Ready to shape the world and your future? Join us!
Salary transparency
Equal Employment Opportunity
At Autodesk, we're building a diverse workplace and an inclusive culture to give more people the chance to imagine, design, and make a better world. Autodesk is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic. We also consider for employment all qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with applicable law.
Diversity & Belonging
We take pride in cultivating a culture of belonging where everyone can thrive. Learn more here: https://www.autodesk.com/company/diversity-and-belonging
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