Biometrics and AI Research Scientist

Location: Pasadena, United States of America

Thales people architect identity management and data protection solutions at the heart of digital security. Business and governments rely on us to bring trust to the billons of digital interactions they have with people. Our technologies and services help banks exchange funds, people cross borders, energy become smarter and much more. More than 30,000 organizations already rely on us to verify the identities of people and things, grant access to digital services, analyze vast quantities of information and encrypt data to make the connected world more secure.

Biometrics and AI Research Scientist

Glendale/ Pasadena, CA- Hybrid

Regulatory Compliance Requirements

Must be a U.S. Person as defined in applicable law, or otherwise authorized or eligible for authorization, to access hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). 

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States for any employer at the time of hire. This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship or for assuming sponsorship of an employment visa now or in the future.

Position Summary

Thales is looking for a Biometrics and AI Research Scientist in our Pasadena, California-based biometric algorithms team who will lead and conduct applied research towards the implementation and improvement of the algorithms underlying our world-class biometric product line. Research areas include biometric image quality assessment, finger friction ridge, face, iris and scars/marks/tattoo recognition, biometric fusion, and presentation attack detection.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Develop state-of-the-art biometric algorithms and systems for image quality assessment, recognition, fusion, and presentation attack detection

• Evaluate and continuously improve these algorithms for biometric performance, speed, and demographic equitability

• Validate each improvement after system integration and for the targeted scenario

• Stay abreast of the latest scientific publications in biometrics and pertinent fields of computer vision (CV)

• Implement and evaluate published approaches to benchmark them against our own

• Propose new approaches for features that differentiate us from the competition 

• Write near-production level code and practice secure coding standards

• Collaborate closely with your team members while effectively using resources within the global organization

• Grow into the role of a Thales-wide subject matter expert in your fields of specialization

• Prepare submissions for internal and external technology evaluations

• Occasionally support pre/post-sales projects

• Secure IP by submitting patent applications

• Shape research roadmaps in negotiations with product managers and business owners

Minimum Qualifications

• A Master’s of Science with 2 years of experience in a relevant and technical discipline or a PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field

• First-authored publications in related conference or journal if you possess a PhD

• Prior experience in an analytical role using scientific rigor to create solutions

• Collaborative skills with the ability and willingness to strive in a diverse environment

• Prior completed-project experience in at least one of the fields: biometrics, 2D or 3D object detection & recognition, pose estimation, segmentation and texture analysis/synthesis

• Experience in classical and deep-learning-based machine learning for CV applications,

• Background in stochastic signal analysis and detection, as relevant to these fields

• A thorough understanding of the digital imaging processing

• At least 2 years of strong coding skills experience in C/C++ in a corporate setting

• Ability to effortlessly switch between the big-picture and detailed view of a problem

While not required, an ideal candidate could also have:

• Extensive knowledge of deep learning on image processing including convolutional neural network, transformer neural network, graph neural network

• Hands-on experience in designing, training, and deploying deep neural networks using PyTorch, Tensorflow, Onnixruntime or OpenVino.

• Experience in GPU programming using CUDA or OpenCL

• Experience in developing algorithms for fingerprint recognition

• Familiarity with concepts of cyber security

If you’re excited about working with Thales, but not meeting the requirements for this position, we encourage you to join our Talent Community!

Special Position Requirements

• Occasional domestic or international travel to conferences, trade shows or industry events – approximately 10%

Why Join Us?

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This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with [a] criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal law, state law, and local ordinances.

We are an equal opportunity employer, including disability and veteran status. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales, please contact us at [email protected].

The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between

Total Target Cash (TTC) 136,734.45 - 227,890.75 USD Annual

This reflects how companies in a similar industry and geographic region generally pay for similar jobs. This range helps the Company make pay decisions as one data point among many. Where a position falls within this range is also dependent on other factors including – but not limited to – the employee’s career path history, competencies, skills and performance, as well as the company’s annual salary budget, the customer’s program requirements, and the company’s internal equity. Thales may offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s status protected by local, state, or federal law.

(For Internal candidate, if you need more information, please reach out to your HR Shared Service, 1st Point) 

Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following:

•Elective Health, Dental, Vision, FSA/HSA, Voluntary Life and AD&D, Whole Group Life w/LTC, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Accident Insurance, Legal Plan, Identity Theft, and Pet Insurance

•Retirement Savings Plan after 30 days of employment with a company contribution and a match, and with no vesting period

•Company paid holidays and Paid Time Off

•Company provided Life Insurance, AD&D, Disability, Employee Assistance Plan, and Well-being Program