AI Researcher
Promise
Location
Los Angeles
Employment Type
Full time
Location Type
On-site
Department
Technology
Compensation
- $90K – $120K • Offers Equity • Offers Bonus
Our openings span more than one career level. The provided salary depends on many factors, such as work experience and transferable skills, business needs and impact, and market demands.
About Promise
Promise is a pioneering film and TV studio at the forefront of the generative AI revolution. Our mission is to reimagine what's possible in entertainment by bringing together the world's most visionary storytellers and GenAI creators, empowered by cutting-edge tools and proprietary workflows. Through bold collaborations and a forward-thinking approach to sourcing IP, we are building a dynamic slate of original and licensed projects that push creative boundaries. Backed by premier VC firms, Promise is shaping a new era in GenAI-powered storytelling, where creativity knows no limits.
Role Overview
Promise is building MUSE, the next-generation platform where AI meets VFX to revolutionize how content is created. We're looking for a passionate and talented AI Researcher to join our innovative team and help us push the boundaries of what's possible.
We’re seeking an AI Researcher with a strong technical foundation and a creative mindset to help prototype, evaluate, and integrate emerging AI models and tools into the MUSE ecosystem. You’ll collaborate with pipeline, R&D, and Production teams to identify opportunities for automation, optimize model performance for real-world production data, and support internal experiments spanning video generation, 3D reconstruction, diffusion, Gaussian splatting, and multimodal workflows.
This is an applied research role — ideal for someone who’s fluent in AI fundamentals but thrives in a hands-on production environment where ideas move from prototype to production fast.
Key Responsibilities
Research, test, and document emerging AI and GenAI models relevant to VFX, animation, and virtual production.
Prototype pipelines that integrate models like Google Veo, Vertex AI, ComfyUI, Runway, Firefly, or custom LoRA/ControlNet implementations.
Contribute to experiments in 3D generation, motion transfer, pose estimation, segmentation, and video-to-video translation.
Support data curation and training/fine-tuning for proprietary datasets (images, depth maps, point clouds, splats, and USD-based assets).
Benchmark and evaluate model performance (fidelity, latency, quality, ethical compliance).
Collaborate with engineering and creative leads to transition validated experiments into production-ready features within the MUSE platform.
Stay on top of new research, papers, and open-source releases, summarizing findings and implications for our roadmap.
Document all findings clearly for cross-team visibility and reproducibility.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s or Master’s in Computer Science, AI/ML, Applied Mathematics, or a related field.
2–4 years of experience in AI research, ML engineering, or applied R&D.
Hands-on experience with Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, or JAX.
Familiarity with diffusion models, transformers, LoRA/ControlNet, and fine-tuning pipelines.
Understanding of computer vision concepts (segmentation, depth, optical flow, motion estimation).
Ability to read and interpret academic papers, replicate results, and report findings.
Excellent written documentation and communication skills..
Preferred Qualifications
Prior exposure to VFX, animation, or creative media production workflows.
Experience with Blender, Unreal Engine, Nuke, or similar DCC tools.
Experience with Google Cloud / Vertex AI, or other cloud ML environments.
Familiarity with USD (Universal Scene Description) and 3D data interchange formats.
Contributions to open-source AI projects or research publications.
Compensation
We offer a highly competitive compensation package commensurate with experience, including equity.
Benefits
We believe in supporting our team’s well-being and growth. Our comprehensive benefits package includes:
Health & Wellness: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance coverage, with employee premiums covered 100%.
Time Off: Generous paid time off (PTO) policy, including company holidays and sick leave.
Financial Security: 401(k) matching program to help you plan for your future.
Professional Development: Annual stipend for continuing education, conferences, and technical training.
Work Environment: A dynamic, creative, and inclusive hybrid work environment based out of our innovative studio.
Promise is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
Compensation Range: $90K - $120K