Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Autodesk is seeking a Director of AI Research to lead critical post-training and trust-enabling capabilities for their next generation of AI systems. This role involves overseeing multiple research and applied science teams and requires deep technical credibility and strong people management to influence Autodesk’s AI strategy and research-to-product pipeline.

Responsibilities

• 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 effectively into Autodesk platforms
• 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
• 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

Skills

• PhD or equivalent experience in AI, ML, NLP, or a related field
• 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)
• 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

Benefits

• Annual cash bonuses
• Commissions for sales roles
• Stock grants
• Comprehensive benefits package

Company Overview

• Autodesk develops 3D design software for use in the architecture, engineering, construction, and media industries. It was founded in 1982, and is headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, with a workforce of 10001+ employees. Its website is http://www.autodesk.com.

Company H1B Sponsorship

• Autodesk has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships, with 233 in 2025, 243 in 2024, 269 in 2023, 359 in 2022, 298 in 2021, 260 in 2020. Please note that this does not guarantee sponsorship for this specific role.

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