Job Description

Get to Know the Team

At Grab, fostering innovation and improving lives is at the heart of everything we do. You will be focused on creating impactful AI and robotics systems to serve millions of users across mobility, delivery, and fintech in Southeast Asia. The team values technical rigor, shared expertise, and inclusivity, working together to bring bold ideas into reality while maintaining responsible AI practices.

Get to Know the Role

The Chief AI Scientist role is a senior-level, hands-on individual contributor that combines deep technical expertise and strategic leadership. You will translate foundational AI and robotics research into real-world applications with one of Southeast Asia’s largest technology companies.

In collaboration with the CTO and senior leaders, you will drive technology strategy, influence talent pipelines, and optimize organizational design to attract and structure world-class AI/ML expertise. Additionally, you will mentor existing AI/ML talent, champion continuous learning, and foster seamless AI integration across Grab’s verticals.

The Critical Tasks You Will Perform:

• Define AI & Robotics Strategy: 

  • Architect Grab’s multi-year AI and robotics roadmap, integrating advancements across machine learning, generative AI, reinforcement learning, causal inference to improve personalization, reliability, safety, driver productivity, and customer experience.

  • Partner with product, engineering, and business leaders to translate strategic objectives into measurable initiatives.

• Lead Innovative R&D: 

  • Push boundaries in AI research areas such as LLMs, causal inference, and reinforcement learning, developing scalable solutions like autonomous systems and marketplace optimization.

  • Prototype and refine AI systems with a focus on reliability, latency, scalability, and fairness.

  • Balance bold long-term bets with phased delivery milestones for high-impact solutions.

• Collaborate Across Disciplines: 

  • Align AI initiatives across software, hardware, and product teams while optimizing cloud AI and robotics systems for seamless integration.

  • Frame fuzzy business questions into tractable research programs; import or invent state-of-the-art methods tailored to Grab’s scale.

• Mentor and Develop Talent: 

  • Serve as Grab’s technical mentor for scientists and engineers, fostering a culture of ownership, experimentation, and rigor.

  • Attract, coach, and develop elite talent across ML, robotics, embedded systems, and data-platform disciplines.

• Shape Policy and Ecosystem Partnerships: 

  • Represent Grab at conferences, academic forums, and policy roundtables; shape regional AI/robotics regulation and public narratives on responsible innovation.

  • Forge partnerships with leading universities, research labs, and industry consortia to accelerate joint research and talent pipelines.

Job Requirements