At Toyota Research Institute (TRI), we’re on a mission to improve the quality of human life. We’re developing new tools, collaborations, and capabilities to amplify the human experience. To lead a transformative shift in mobility, we’ve built a world-class team in the areas of Energy and Materials, Human-Centered AI, Human Interactive Driving, and Robotics.

The Challenge

Toyota has the stated goal of reaching carbon neutrality globally by 2050. Achieving net-zero carbon emissions is one of the most important challenges facing our world. While vehicle electrification is an important pathway toward decarbonizing transportation, many interacting sectors affect the adoption rate of electric vehicles. There are challenges beyond vehicles, such as understanding people’s mobility needs and limitations, creating a carbon-free electrical grid, securing resilient supply chains of critical materials for batteries and fuel cells, developing cleaner structural materials, deploying convenient charging and alternative fuel infrastructure.

Faced with these challenges, how can Toyota truly get to net zero by 2050 and meet near-term decarbonization milestones? What comprehensive strategies will we need? How should we work with diverse stakeholders? What are the most impactful things we can do today while we plan for future technologies and hedge uncertainties? These are questions we need to continually answer over the coming years and decades.

The Opportunity

We are looking for someone who can work across the interdependent and critical areas of technology, economics, policy, and society in order to help evaluate and continuously evolve Toyota’s medium- and long-term carbon neutral strategy.

As Research Scientist for Energy Systems and Business Analysis, you will:

- Provide timely and responsive analysis for Toyota leadership on key issues at the intersection of energy, climate, and transportation.

- Scope, build, conduct, and/or manage systems modeling for decarbonization pathways, considering techno-economic and policy factors, while coordinating with other researchers in the Toyota group.

- Represent Toyota at industry and academic consortia to guide research priorities and facilitate strategic partnerships.

- Develop in-house case analyses for carbon neutral technology adoption, and collaborate with Toyota partners (Toyota Ventures, Toyota Financial Services, etc.).

- Compile and maintain benchmark data, including industry-wide decarbonization efforts such as competitors’ committed goals, technical developments and metrics, public announcements, and government mandates and incentives; communicate with internal and external collaborators.

The Team

Join a creative team of scientists and engineers dedicated to enabling a sustainable future. You will be part of the Carbon Neutral Strategy (CNS) team in the Energy and Materials (E&M) division which is fostering a transition to more sustainable mobility. Other research in the division applies AI, data-driven methods, and automation to materials science and manufacturing, spanning the atomic- to device-length scales. The CNS team operates at the intersection of technology, business, policy, and society, using energy systems modeling and machine learning to inform decarbonization strategy across the Toyota ecosystem. While we are physically based in the United States, our scope is global. We collaborate with TRI colleagues with backgrounds in robotics, behavioral science, and computer science, with Toyota colleagues spearheading business development and policy analysis, and with researchers at leading universities and national labs. We grow working alongside other inspiring people and learn new skills together.

Qualifications

PhD degree focused on energy technology and policy, systems engineering, energy economics, energy business analysis, or a related field with 3+ years of experience.
Have a strong research background, including peer-reviewed publications.
Have effective written and verbal communication skills.
Have demonstrated experience working on cross-disciplinary problems with collaborators.
Thrive in a culture that values diversity, collaboration, humility, and learning.

Bonus Qualifications

Systems modeling for energy and climate (e.g., EIA National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), IEA World Energy Model (WEM), EPA Integrated Planning Model (IPM), technoeconomic analysis, capacity expansion, least-cost dispatch, geospatial network modeling, lifecycle analyses, emissions, total cost of ownership, etc.).
Data-driven analysis of energy and climate.
Energy policy, finance, and management consulting experience.
Machine learning or AI experience.
Programming experience (e.g., Python, Julia, R, MATLAB).
Ability to travel, both domestically and internationally, 2+ times a year.

Please add a link to Google Scholar and include a full list of publications when submitting your CV to this position.

The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $180,000 and $270,000/year for California-based roles; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Note that TRI offers a generous benefits package (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave) and an annual cash bonus structure. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.

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TRI is fueled by a diverse and inclusive community of people with unique backgrounds, education and life experiences. We are dedicated to fostering an innovative and collaborative environment by living the values that are an essential part of our culture. We believe diversity makes us stronger and are proud to provide Equal Employment Opportunity for all, without regard to an applicant’s race, color, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, religion, marital status, genetic information, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state or local laws.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment.

Senior Research Scientist

Energy Systems and Business Analysis

Toyota Research Institute

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