Research Engineer / Scientist (3D Tech Lead)

ABOUT WORLD LABS World Labs https://www.worldlabs.ai/ is a frontier AI research and product company advancing spatial intelligence, the next frontier beyond large language models. Co-founded by Dr. Fei-Fei Li https://profiles.stanford.edu/fei-fei-li, Justin Johnson https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-johnson-41b43664/ and Ben Mildenhall https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-mildenhall-86b4739b/, the company is pioneering world models that perceive, generate, reason, and interact with virtual and physical worlds. The company’s flagship product, Marble https://marble.worldlabs.ai/, transforms text, images, and video into fully navigable 3D worlds, unlocking applications across gaming, film, architecture, robotics, and immersive digital experiences. Backed by leading investors and with over $1B raised, World Labs is assembling a world-class team at the intersection of AI research and real-world deployment. ROLE OVERVIEW We’re looking for a Tech Lead for 3D Modeling & Reconstruction to set technical direction and drive execution for our core 3D modeling efforts. This role is ideal for someone with a strong research science (RS) or research engineering (RE) background who has made meaningful contributions to the field of 3D reconstruction and/or modeling—through academic publications, widely used open-source projects, or production systems deployed at scale. This is a hands-on leadership role. You’ll combine deep technical expertise with the ability to guide a high-impact team, shaping both the research roadmap and the production systems that bring modern 3D modeling methods into real-world products. You’ll work closely with research, engineering, and product partners to translate cutting-edge ideas into reliable, scalable capabilities. WHAT YOU WILL DO - Set the technical vision and roadmap for 3D modeling and reconstruction, balancing research exploration with product-driven milestones. - Lead the design and implementation of state-of-the-art 3D modeling systems, spanning geometry, appearance, and scene-level representations. - Drive innovation in modern 3D modeling approaches, including learning-based and optimization-based methods, with an eye toward robustness, scalability, and real-world data. - Guide architectural decisions around 3D representations, training pipelines, and inference systems, ensuring they integrate cleanly with broader 3D data and rendering platforms. - Lead and mentor a small team of research scientists and/or research engineers: providing technical guidance, setting high standards, and fostering a culture of rigor and ownership. - Own end-to-end execution of key initiatives, from early research prototypes through production deployment and iteration. - Collaborate closely with cross-functional partners to align 3D modeling capabilities with product needs, timelines, and quality bars. - Represent the team and its work internally and externally, including contributing to publications, technical talks, or open-source efforts where appropriate. - Continuously evaluate emerging research and industry trends in 3D modeling and reconstruction, and translate the most promising ideas into actionable plans. KEY QUALIFICATIONS - 8+ years of experience in 3D reconstruction, 3D modeling, computer vision, graphics, or closely related fields. - A strong track record of impactful contributions to the field, demonstrated through academic publications, influential open-source work, or widely deployed industry products. - Deep expertise in modern 3D modeling and reconstruction methods, including representation design, optimization strategies, and learning-based approaches. - Proven experience leading or mentoring a small team, lab, or project group, with responsibility for technical direction and delivery. - Strong programming skills in Python and/or C++, with experience building both research prototypes and production-quality systems. - Hands-on experience with machine learning frameworks and large-scale experimentation or training pipelines. - Solid understanding of how 3D modeling systems interface with data pipelines, rendering, and downstream applications. - Comfort operating in fast-moving, ambiguous environments, making high-leverage technical decisions with incomplete information. - High ownership mindset and a product-aware perspective: you care not just about novelty, but about reliability, performance, and impact. - Enjoy collaborating with senior peers across research and engineering, and raising the technical bar through example, mentorship, and clear technical communication.   WHO YOU ARE - Fearless Innovator: We need people who thrive on challenges and aren't afraid to tackle the impossible. - Resilient Builder: Impacting Large World Models isn't a sprint; it's a marathon with hurdles. We're looking for builders who can weather the storms of groundbreaking research and come out stronger. - Mission-Driven Mindset: Everythi