Research Scientist, Foundation Model (Video Generation)

Pika pika.art Open · verified Aug 15, 2026

On-site Palo Alto Full-time Mid-level Video Production

Mid-level Video Production role at Pika. Palo Alto · full-time · $185,000–$400,000 base.

SalaryStated by Pika

$185,000 – $400,000

Base salary for this role, in USD per year, as published in the posting.

Role brief

Growth Roles summary, based on the employer's posting.

What you'll do

You’ll lead large-scale pre-training and mid-training for multimodal foundation models
You’ll prototype architectures and algorithms for real-time, high-fidelity generation across modalities
You’ll shape data curation and training workflows for varied, sensory-rich datasets
You’ll move research advances into production with engineering and product partners
You’ll publish findings and explain research clearly to internal and external audiences

What you bring

At least five years researching large-scale multimodal foundation-model pre-training or mid-training
First-author publications in leading conferences or journals such as NeurIPS, ICML, or ICLR
Hands-on ability to design, train, and deploy large multimodal models
Practical command of diffusion, autoregressive, and cross-modal generative methods
Strong Python, PyTorch, or TensorFlow skills, plus experience optimizing model pipelines

Who this fits

You’ll suit a staff- or lead-level research path focused on real-time multimodal AI and creative technology. The role is based in Palo Alto and offers a flexible on-site/remote hybrid arrangement. You’ll work closely with engineering and product teams while communicating research internally and externally.

From the employer

About the Role

At Pika, we are pioneering the next generation of creative infrastructure built around real-time, multimodal generation and intelligent agentic platforms. We are seeking accomplished Research Scientists in Foundation Models with expertise in pre-training and mid-training large-scale multimodal foundation models to advance our mission of making agentic, real-time generative technology accessible and transformative for millions of creators. This is a staff and lead-level opportunity.

As a key member of our research team, you will design and implement core technologies, develop new methodologies for large-scale multimodal pre-training/mid-training (text, image, audio, and video), and drive innovative approaches for foundational model architecture. You will collaborate closely with engineering and product teams, shaping the future of real-time creative and agentic platforms at scale.

What You’ll Do

Lead research and development on pre-training and mid-training of multimodal foundation models at scale.
Design and prototype novel algorithms and architectures for high-fidelity, real-time multimodal synthesis and interaction across modalities.
Focus on scalable data pipeline curation and model training strategies for broad, diverse, and sensory-rich datasets.
Advance state-of-the-art techniques in diffusion, autoregressive, and other generative models for large-scale pre-training and fine-tuning.
Identify, create, and leverage large, high-quality cross-modal datasets.
Bring research advancements into production-ready systems in collaboration with engineering and product teams.
Publish work in top-tier conferences and journals, and clearly communicate research both internally and externally.
Stay at the forefront of foundational model and real-time multimodal AI research.

What We’re Looking For

5+ years of research experience in large-scale pre-training/mid-training of multimodal foundation models (LLMs, VLMs, Audio LMs, or similar), ideally at the staff or lead scientist level.
Track record as a first author on major publications in top conferences or journals (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR).
Extensive hands-on experience with large-scale multimodal model design, training, and deployment.
Deep understanding and implementation experience with generative architectures (diffusion, autoregressive, cross-modal, etc.).
Expertise in high-throughput, scalable dataset curation and model pipeline optimization for multimodal applications.
Strong programming and prototyping skills (Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, etc.) and experience deploying research into production systems.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, and a passion for building creative enabling technology.

What We Offer

Competitive salary and substantial equity in a high-growth startup
Full health benefits + 401k matching and more
Collaborative, mission-driven team environment with major growth opportunities
Flexible on-site/remote hybrid (HQ in Palo Alto, CA)

About Pika

Pika empowers creators by building state-of-the-art agentic and multimedia platforms. Our vision is to break down technical barriers to creativity, making real-time generative and intelligent orchestration accessible to all. Join us and help shape the next evolution of creative technology!

If you are a leading researcher excited to build and scale real-time multimodal foundation models, we want to hear from you.