AI Researcher (Multimodal Audio/Video Generation) at Tavus (San Francisco, CA)AI Researcher (Multimodal Audio/Video Generation)

Tavus is a research lab pioneering human computing. We’re building AI Humans: a new interface that closes the gap between people and machines, free from the friction of today’s systems. Our real-time human simulation models let machines see, hear, respond, and even look real—enabling meaningful, face-to-face conversations. AI Humans combine the emotional intelligence of humans with the reach and reliability of machines, making them capable, trusted agents available 24/7, in every language, on our terms.

Imagine a therapist anyone can afford. A personal trainer that adapts to your schedule. A fleet of medical assistants that can give every patient the attention they need. With Tavus, individuals, enterprises, and developers can all build AI Humans to connect, understand, and act with empathy at scale.

We’re a Series A company backed by world-class investors including Sequoia Capital, Y Combinator, and Scale Venture Partners. Be part of shaping a future where humans and machines truly understand each other.

We’re hiring a Senior AI Researcher to lead research in audio-visual avatar generation. This role is for someone who thrives in ambiguity, has a track record of pushing generative models to new frontiers, and wants to define what human–AI interaction looks like in practice.

• Lead research efforts on audio-visual generation for avatars (Neural Avatars, Talking-Heads), with a focus on conversational settings.
• Design models that are coupled with conversation flow — capturing and generating verbal + non-verbal signals in sync.
• Drive innovation in diffusion models, long-video generation, and audio-visual modeling.
• Translate research into production by partnering with Applied ML and engineering.
• Mentor researchers, set research directions, and publish impactful work.

You’ll Bring:

• A PhD or equivalent research experience, plus 2–3+ years of hands-on experience applying generative models at scale.
• Expertise in diffusion models and awareness of the latest efficiency techniques.
• Experience in multimodal generation — spanning video, audio, and language.
• Proven innovation in long-video generation and/or audio generation.
• Excellent programming skills — fluent in PyTorch and GPU-optimized workflows.
• Track record of publications in top-tier venues (CVPR, NeurIPS, BMVC, ICASSP, etc.).
• Experience leading research activities or mentoring teams.

Nice-to-Haves:

• Skills in 3D graphics, Gaussian splatting, or large-scale training setups.
• Broad exposure to generative AI models beyond your specialty.
• Familiarity with software development best practices.

Location:

Preferred: San Francisco (hybrid) or London. Remote within U.S. or Europe considered for exceptional candidates.