At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead this transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team in Automated Driving, Energy & Materials, Human-Centered AI, Human Interactive Driving, Large Behavior Models, and Robotics.
This is a summer 2026 paid 12-week internship opportunity. Please note that this internship will be an in-office role.
The Internship
This internship will be embedded within the Robotics User Experience team, with the mission to design intuitive physical and digital experiences for managing and interacting with robots in a factory context. This internship will be an opportunity to explore applying the principles of user experience design in some of the following areas:
Digital interfaces for managing a fleet of mobile robots within a factory setting. Tools for assisting factory team members in assuring the quality of manufactured parts. Physical and digital methods for interacting with robots (and for robots to interact with humans).Extending a platform for prototyping and testing robotics UX concepts.
The Team
The Robotics UX team is made up of UX designers, researchers, and engineers, and is based in TRI’s Los Altos, CA office. We research and design robot interfaces for the manufacturing environment, and contribute directly to the design of robot prototypes for both research and applied projects.
Qualifications
Recent grad or pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in HCI, Interaction Design, or a related field.
A portfolio that demonstrates the user-centered design process and includes prototypes of varying fidelity.
Able to work independently with some guidance from senior design staff; demonstrates a good understanding of best practices in design methodologies and tools.
A keen eye for visual design and the ability to produce pixel-perfect design specifications.
Experience in Figma, with a solid understanding of industry standards and features. Able to design a variety of UX artifacts, including personas, user journeys, prototypes, presentations, and UI mock-ups.
Hands-on experience with a design system, and a strong grasp of best practices to ensure consistency within the team and across projects.
Comfortable in a collaborative, interdisciplinary team environment with excellent visual, verbal, and written communication skills; comfortable receiving and incorporating constructive feedback.
Bonus Qualifications
Experience designing interfaces & interactions for a physical device, such as a robot.
Experience using Raspberry Pi, Arduino, or other microcontrollers for prototyping interactions.
The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $45 and $65/hour for California-based roles. Base pay offered will depend on multiple individualized factors, including, but not limited to, business or organizational needs, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. TRI offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, and paid time off benefits (including holiday pay and sick time). Additional details regarding these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.
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