Device Prototyping Designer - Graduate - Pico Start - (PhD)

About Team: The Innovation Team is part of the Industrial Design organization, with a primary focus on incubating new ideas and product concepts.

The team takes a holistic view of the product experience and explores how emerging technologies can be leveraged to create meaningful, delightful, and genuinely useful user experiences.

We are looking for talented individuals to join our team in 2026.

As a graduate, you will get opportunities to pursue bold ideas, tackle complex challenges, and unlock limitless growth.

Launch your career where inspiration is infinite at ByteDance.

Successful candidates must be able to commit to an onboarding date by end of year 2026.

Please state your availability and graduation date clearly in your resume.

Responsibilities: What You Will Do - Navigate Ambiguity: Take loose prompts and abstract ideas and turn them into concrete technical strategies.

You are comfortable building without a spec sheet.

- Rapid Experience Prototyping: Move fast.

One day you might be duct-taping a Raspberry Pi to a foam model to test an interaction; the next, you are refining a polished Python script for an executive demo.

- Edge AI Implementation: Give objects a "brain." Implement and optimize Large Language Models (LLMs), Computer Vision, and multimodal AI directly on embedded hardware (Jetson, ESP32, Mobile). - Hardware Integration: Build the "nervous system" of our concepts-selecting sensors, actuators, displays, and microcontrollers and integrating them into 3D-printed enclosures.

- Technical Storytelling: Demonstrate your prototypes to stakeholders, explaining not just the how (the code), but the why (the user experience). Minimum Requirements - PhD in the fields of in HCI, Robotics, Creative Technology, CS, EE, or a related technical field.

- Proficiency in at least one core language (Python or C++) with the ability to write software that controls physical hardware.

- Experience with basic physical prototyping, including soldering, breadboarding, and the use of microcontrollers (Arduino, ESP32, or Raspberry Pi). - Familiarity with at least one digital fabrication method (3D Printing or Laser Cutting). - Applications must include a link to a portfolio or GitHub demonstrating the ability to write working software, build physical hardware, and clearly document the thinking, testing, and iteration process.

Preferred Qualifications: - Academic or project experience deploying models to the "edge" using TensorFlow Lite, ONNX, or PyTorch, or experience building applications with LLM APIs (GPT/Llama/Hugging Face). - Experience in 3D modeling for production (Fusion 360, OnShape) or creating interactive environments (Unity, TouchDesigner) would be plus.