Principal Research Scientist

ENGINEERING - SPECIAL PROJECTS

What We Do

The Special Projects team at Epic is responsible for executing high-impact projects that push the envelope to define the future of real-time graphics and gaming technology (The Matrix Awakens, Lumen in the Land of Nanite). In collaboration with the Unreal Engine team, we strive to put our technology and knowledge into the hands of users, empowering developers and content creators with the most powerful suite of real-time tools in the world.

What You'll Do

The Epic Games Research & Development team seeks an experienced, hands-on research scientist. The ideal candidate will bring a passion for applied ML/AI related to graphics, computer vision, and character interaction. Epic Games creates and deploys advanced computer vision, computer graphics, and machine learning technologies to transform the production and consumption of digital media. These include physics-based simulation, ML-based character animation, neural and inverse rendering, and automated generative animation techniques, among others. At Epic R&D, we research, develop, and deploy such technologies for Epic’s Unreal Engine and other Epic Products.

In this role, you will

• Investigate, develop novel ideas, and expand the boundaries of the state-of-the-art in research. Research contributions include publishing and presenting academic papers at top conferences and journals
• Contribute deep expertise and actionable knowledge in collaboration with other researchers and engineers at Epic Games. Tech transfer will typically involve working with Research Engineers and Software Engineers to provide expert technical guidance and implementation
• Guide and mentor junior researchers and students in the internship program
• Research and prototype novel capture and reconstruction systems learning for next-generation high-fidelity interactive characters
• Collaborate with the R&D team to design and capture datasets to advance the state-of-the-art in data-driven digital human models
• Work with development engineers and product engineers to deploy and productize novel technology in Epic products
• Engage with the scientific community, publish at top-tier locations, and contribute domain knowledge and advice to support strategically relevant R&D efforts

What we're looking for

• PhD degree in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, Language Technologies, Mathematics, Engineering, or a related discipline
• Proven research impact demonstrated through well-cited publications in top-tier conferences or journals
• Strong analytical and reasoning skills with an emphasis on innovative and practical solutions
• Excellent programming skills with a preference for experience with Python and C++
• Experience working in common ML frameworks such as PyTorch or Tensorflow and rapid prototyping in Python
• In-depth knowledge in one or more of the following areas: real-time graphics, computer vision, machine learning, large-language models, animation, speech recognition, speech synthesis, linguistics, performance capture, and 3D reconstruction

EPIC JOB + EPIC BENEFITS = EPIC LIFE

Our intent is to cover all things that are medically necessary and improve the quality of life. We pay 100% of the premiums for both you and your dependents. Our coverage includes Medical, Dental, a Vision HRA, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance & a 401k with competitive match. We also offer a robust mental well-being program through Modern Health, which provides free therapy and coaching for employees & dependents. Throughout the year we celebrate our employees with events and company-wide paid breaks. We offer unlimited PTO and sick time and recognize individuals for 7 years of employment with a paid sabbatical.