Cartesian Systems
Retail
AppliedML/CSPhDInternship(6+months)
Neural analysis suggests this role is
optimal for Mid+ candidates.
“Applied ML/CS PhD Internship (6+ months) at Cartesian Systems. Skills: Spatial intelligence, Machine learning, Perception, Signal processing. Explore research directions. Develop algorithms”
What You'll Achieve.
Ship changes to customers; Drive new research directions; Impact deployed product; Ship features to enterprise customers
Industry & Context.
Analyze failures; Propose fixes; Validate improvements
What They're Looking For.
Must Have
PhD program enrollment, Machine learning foundations, Perception foundations, Sensor fusion foundations, Signal processing foundations, Research track record, Excellent communication skills, Ability to work in small team, Ownership, Bias toward action, Bias toward real-world impact
Nice to Have
Startup experience, Early-stage company experience, Experience shipping products, Spatial AI experience, 3D vision experience, SLAM experience, Mapping experience, Geometric deep learning experience
What You'll Do.
Explore research directions
Validate improvements
Contribute to production pipelines
How You'll Work.
Team & Collaboration
Collaborate with engineering; Collaborate with product
Communication Scope
Communication skills
Full Job Description
About Cartesian Cartesian is building spatial intelligence for indoor environments to drive operational efficiency. We’re tackling one of the biggest challenges in the $35T global retail industry: in-store inventory visibility. Our platform delivers accurate indoor positioning and actionable product location insights, helping retailers streamline operations, optimize workflows, and reduce inefficiencies. By fusing wireless signals and mobile computer vision, we provide a uniquely scalable, infrastructure-free solution already deployed by international fashion brands. Founded by an MIT engineering professor and alumni behind award-winning, patented core technologies, Cartesian spun out in 2023. Originally backed by a U. S. National Science Foundation SBIR Award, we’ve bootstrapped to a live product now deployed in multiple countries and are scaling aggressively. About the Role We are looking for an Applied ML/CS PhD intern to join Cartesian at an exciting moment in our growth. This internship is a chance to contribute to core algorithms, dig deep into a deployed product, and ship changes that reach enterprise customers, while also driving new research directions in spatial AI. This is a hands-on role at the intersection of machine learning, perception, estimation, and signal processing, with direct impact on a deployed enterprise product. You’ll gain exposure to the full journey of research in production, working in a fast-paced, hands-on environment where your work makes a tangible impact. This internship is product- and impact-driven. Due to the IP-sensitive nature of the core models and algorithms, the internship is not expected to involve publications. Location: In-person at the Cartesian HQ in Kendall Square, Cambridge. Internship type: Full-time, PhD internship Duration and timing: 12–24 weeks, Summer 2026; flexible start dates What You’ll Do Explore new research directions in sensor fusion and spatial AI aligned with product needs Develop and improve algorithm
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