Thales
Biometrics and AI Research Scientist – Pasadena, CA (Hybrid)
Thales designs and delivers identity management and data protection solutions that secure a billions‑of‑interactions digital world. The company’s biometric algorithms team develops and enhances algorithms used by banks, border control agencies, and energy utilities to verify people and devices, analyze vast data sets, and encrypt information.
Position Summary Thales is hiring a
Biometrics and AI Research Scientist
to lead applied research and development of state‑of‑the‑art biometric technologies. The role focuses on image quality assessment, fingerprint and facial recognition, iris and scar detection, 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 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 computer vision
Implement and evaluate published approaches to benchmark them against internal solutions
Propose new approaches that differentiate Thales from competitors
Write near‑production level code and practice secure coding standards
Collaborate closely with teammates and use global resources effectively
Evolve into 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 with product managers and business owners
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s of Science with 3+ years industry experience in a relevant technical discipline or a PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
First‑authored publications in related conferences or journals if holding a PhD
Prior experience in an analytical role using scientific rigor to create solutions
Collaborative skills and willingness to thrive in a diverse environment
Completed‑project experience in at least one of the following fields: biometrics, 2D or 3D object detection & recognition, pose estimation, segmentation, or texture analysis/synthesis
Experience in classical and deep‑learning‑based machine learning for computer‑vision applications
Background in stochastic signal analysis and detection, as relevant to these fields
Thorough understanding of digital imaging processing
3+ years of strong coding skills in C/C++ in a corporate setting
Ability to switch between big‑picture and detailed views of problems
Ideal Candidate (Optional)
Extensive knowledge of deep learning on image processing, including convolutional neural networks, transformer neural networks, and graph neural networks
Hands‑on experience designing, training, and deploying deep neural networks using PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX Runtime, or OpenVINO
Experience in GPU programming using CUDA or OpenCL
Experience developing algorithms for fingerprint recognition
Familiarity with cyber‑security concepts
Special Position Requirements
Occasional domestic or international travel to conferences, trade shows or industry events – approximately 10%
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.
The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between USD 130,334.06 and 217,223.44.
Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full‑time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including:
Health, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, voluntary life and AD&D, whole group life with LTC, critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, legal plan, identity theft, and pet insurance
Retirement savings plan after 30 days of employment with company contribution and a match, no vesting period
Company paid holidays and paid time off
Company provided life insurance, AD&D, disability, employee assistance plan, and well‑being program
Applicants must have U.S. or dual citizenship (U.S. as one of the citizenships) and be able to obtain a post‑hire Public Trust Security Clearance from the Department of Homeland Security.
Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal, state, and local law.
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Position Summary Thales is hiring a
Biometrics and AI Research Scientist
to lead applied research and development of state‑of‑the‑art biometric technologies. The role focuses on image quality assessment, fingerprint and facial recognition, iris and scar detection, 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 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 computer vision
Implement and evaluate published approaches to benchmark them against internal solutions
Propose new approaches that differentiate Thales from competitors
Write near‑production level code and practice secure coding standards
Collaborate closely with teammates and use global resources effectively
Evolve into 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 with product managers and business owners
Minimum Qualifications
Master’s of Science with 3+ years industry experience in a relevant technical discipline or a PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
First‑authored publications in related conferences or journals if holding a PhD
Prior experience in an analytical role using scientific rigor to create solutions
Collaborative skills and willingness to thrive in a diverse environment
Completed‑project experience in at least one of the following fields: biometrics, 2D or 3D object detection & recognition, pose estimation, segmentation, or texture analysis/synthesis
Experience in classical and deep‑learning‑based machine learning for computer‑vision applications
Background in stochastic signal analysis and detection, as relevant to these fields
Thorough understanding of digital imaging processing
3+ years of strong coding skills in C/C++ in a corporate setting
Ability to switch between big‑picture and detailed views of problems
Ideal Candidate (Optional)
Extensive knowledge of deep learning on image processing, including convolutional neural networks, transformer neural networks, and graph neural networks
Hands‑on experience designing, training, and deploying deep neural networks using PyTorch, TensorFlow, ONNX Runtime, or OpenVINO
Experience in GPU programming using CUDA or OpenCL
Experience developing algorithms for fingerprint recognition
Familiarity with cyber‑security concepts
Special Position Requirements
Occasional domestic or international travel to conferences, trade shows or industry events – approximately 10%
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.
The reference Total Target Compensation (TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between USD 130,334.06 and 217,223.44.
Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full‑time employees working 30 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including:
Health, dental, vision, FSA/HSA, voluntary life and AD&D, whole group life with LTC, critical illness, hospital indemnity, accident insurance, legal plan, identity theft, and pet insurance
Retirement savings plan after 30 days of employment with company contribution and a match, no vesting period
Company paid holidays and paid time off
Company provided life insurance, AD&D, disability, employee assistance plan, and well‑being program
Applicants must have U.S. or dual citizenship (U.S. as one of the citizenships) and be able to obtain a post‑hire Public Trust Security Clearance from the Department of Homeland Security.
Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal, state, and local law.
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