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Human Behavior Researcher Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Apple

Human Factors Researcher

Cupertino, CA

$184K - $324K/yr

... behavior, and product experience.","responsibilities":"Leading research and defining research strategy that explore how emerging technologies shape product interaction and human experience across ...

Apple

Senior Human Factors Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

You will work at the intersection of human behavior science, systems thinking, and product strategy ... Description This team identifies human factors risks and proposes crucial research throughout all ...

Simile AI, Inc

Product Marketing Manager

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$181K/yr

We simulate human behavior to keep people at the center of the decisions that shape the world. With ... You'll work across product, research, and go-to-market to define what we build and how we bring it ...

Meta

UX Researcher, Quantitative

Menlo Park, CA

$164K/yr

Our UX Research team is designing for the broad spectrum of human needs, which requires us to deeply understand the behaviors of the people behind them. Our researchers tackle some of the most ...

Apple

Human Factors Researcher

Cupertino, CA · On-site

... behavior, and product experience. Minimum Qualifications Expertise in quantitative and qualitative human centered research methods Experience applying human factors, ergonomics, or anthropometry to ...

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Human Behavior Researcher information

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$30.1K

$124.4K

$192.4K

How much do human behavior researcher jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 24, 2026, the average yearly pay for human behavior researcher in California is $124,388.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $79,400.00 and $159,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

How to become a human behavior researcher?

To become a human behavior researcher, typically a bachelor's degree in psychology, sociology, or a related field is required, followed by a master's or doctoral degree for advanced roles. Developing strong research skills, familiarity with statistical software, and experience with experimental design are essential for success in this field.

What does a human behavior researcher do?

A human behavior researcher studies how people think, feel, and act through methods like experiments, surveys, and observations. They analyze data to understand patterns and factors influencing behavior, often working in academic, clinical, or corporate settings and using tools like statistical software. Their work helps inform policies, improve products, or develop interventions related to human actions.

What jobs can you get with a human behavior researcher degree?

A human behavior researcher degree can lead to roles such as behavioral analyst, market researcher, user experience researcher, or organizational consultant. These positions often require skills in data analysis, psychology, and research methodologies, and may involve working in academic, corporate, or healthcare settings.

What are popular job titles related to Human Behavior Researcher jobs in California?

For Human Behavior Researcher jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

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The top searched job categories for Human Behavior Researcher jobs in California are:

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Cities in California with the most Human Behavior Researcher job openings:

Human Behavior Researcher jobs near you

AI Research Scientist, Adaptive Behavior Systems

Toyota Research Institute

Los Altos, CA • On-site

$176K - $253K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 22 days ago

Job description

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 advancing the state of the art in AI, robotics, driving, and material sciences.
The Team
TRI's Adaptive Behavior Systems Department within our Human-Centered AI (HCAI) Division aims to develop AI systems that can support behavior change, such as reducing carbon emissions. To do this, we are developing novel models of human behavior that integrate behavioral science, Human-Computer Interaction, and advanced machine learning.
The Opportunity
We are looking for an AI Research Scientist or Senior AI Scientist with expertise in large-scale foundational model training, fine-tuning, evaluation, and benchmarking. This role operates at the forefront of generative machine learning and human behavior modeling. Ideal candidates will bring a strong research track record, hands-on experimentation skills, and experience developing and deploying foundational models. This role sits at the intersection of social science and generative AI, building models that represent human beliefs, preferences, and cognition as they change over time. For an example of our early research in this vein, please see https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.20252.
Responsibilities
  • Conduct machine learning research that integrates behavioral science concepts to push the boundaries of knowledge and the state of the art in Human-Centered AI.
  • Develop and evaluate generative AI and machine learning methods for modeling and understanding human behavior.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with researchers in multiple fields, as well as university partners.
  • Stay up to date on the state-of-the-art in machine learning theories, methods and tooling.
  • Collaborate with scientists in the Adaptive Behavioral Systems Department to shape our research program and to communicate research to Toyota stakeholders.
  • Publish research findings in academic journals and/or conferences.
  • Contribute to technology transfer of research insights and prototypes throughout Toyota.

Qualifications
  • PhD in computer science, machine learning, or a closely related field with 1-7 years of experience in machine learning research or related projects in an industry setting, particularly in areas related to LLM training or large-scale ML. Industry experience is a plus.
  • A strong publication record in ML, NLP, deep learning, or related fields.
  • Awareness of current machine learning research and the ability to critically evaluate emerging techniques and literature.
  • Experience with LLM/MLLM pretraining, fine-tuning (e.g., SFT, RLHF) and agentic systems.
  • Proficiency in Python and modern deep learning frameworks such as Pytorch or Tensorflow
  • Ability to work collaboratively across disciplines and functions.
  • Ability to balance multiple projects, including short-term and those that may span several years.
  • Strong project management skills and desire to work on cutting-edge open-ended research projects.
  • Demonstrated ability to independently identify research opportunities, formulate well-scoped problems, and lead research projects end-to-end.
  • Demonstrated ability to work autonomously while soliciting feedback.
  • Strong interpersonal skills. Great teammate.

Bonus Qualifications
  • Experience with one or more of the following areas: diffusion models, uncertainty modeling, reinforcement learning, and physiological signal processing.
  • Previous experience in human modeling (both cognitive and behavioral) with generative AI.
  • Experience with human-centered research (e.g. computational behavioral and social science, human-computer interaction, neuro-science).

Please add a link to Google Scholar to include a full list of publications when submitting your CV for this position.
The pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $176,000 and $253,500/year for California-based roles. Base pay offered will depend on multiple individualized factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's experience, skills, job-related knowledge, and market location. TRI offers a generous benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) eligibility, paid time off benefits (including vacation, sick time, and parental leave), and an annual cash bonus structure. Additional details regarding these benefit plans will be provided if an employee receives an offer of employment.
Please reference this Candidate Privacy Notice to inform you of the categories of personal information that we collect from individuals who inquire about and/or apply to work for Toyota Research Institute, Inc. or its subsidiaries, including Toyota A.I. Ventures GP, L.P., and the purposes for which we use such personal information.
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.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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