Research Intern: Vehicle Dynamics and Simulation for Marine Robotics - Honda Research Institute USA

Research Intern: Vehicle Dynamics and Simulation for Marine Robotics

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Research Intern: Vehicle Dynamics and Simulation for Marine Robotics

Job Number: P25INT-67
​Honda Research Institute USA (HRI-US) is seeking a self-motivated research intern to develop the marine vehicle capability of our Unreal Engine 5 simulator. You will set up and tune vessel hydrodynamics and multi-engine propulsion in UE5 and package them as reusable simulator plugins. The goal is to build a simulator that reflects real on-water vessel behavior closely enough to generate synthetic data and run closed-loop experiments ahead of field testing.
San Jose, CA

 

Key Responsibilities

 
  • ​Develop the marine-specific vehicle platform and water environment in the UE5 simulator — the foundation the hydrodynamics and propulsion work build on. 
  • Implement and tune hydrodynamics in the UE5 environment — buoyancy, wave and current forcing, and wind disturbance — so vessel motion responds realistically to conditions. 
  • Implement a multi-engine (twin-engine) propulsion model, including thrust allocation and differential-thrust maneuvering. 
  • Integrate the above as modular simulator plugins exposed through ROS 2 interfaces for scenario generation. 
  • Validate simulated vessel motion against reference behavior; document assumptions and limitations.

 

Minimum Qualifications

 
  • M.S. candidate in robotics, mechanical/aerospace engineering, or a related field. 
  • Working experience with Unreal Engine 5 (C++ and/or Blueprints). 
  • Solid grounding in rigid-body dynamics and physics-based simulation. 
  • Proficiency in C++ and Python. 
  • Experience with ROS 2.

 

Bonus Qualifications​

  • ​Ph.D. candidate in a related field. 
  • Background in marine/vehicle dynamics, hydrodynamics, or naval architecture. 
  • Experience developing custom plugins for a UE5-based simulator. 
  • Experience with closed-loop, physics-based vehicle simulation under environmental disturbances (wind, waves, currents). 
  • Experience modeling propulsion or thrust allocation. 
  • Solid understanding of classical motion planning & control, including Model Predictive Control (MPC). 
  • Prior experience taking simulation models toward real-world validation.

 

Years of Work Experience Required   0
Desired Start Date  1/11/2027
Internship Duration  3 Months
Position Keywords  Marine robotics, simulation, hydrodynamics, vehicle dynamics, Unreal Engine 5, ROS 2, propulsion

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- Subject line including the job number(s) you are applying for 
- Recent CV 
- A cover letter highlighting relevant background (Optional)

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