About the Role
We are seeking an exceptional Lead Researcher to lead and scale a world-class AI research organization focused on advancing the state of the art in machine learning, large language models, and applied AI systems. This role is both
strategic and hands-on
, responsible for defining long-term research vision while actively contributing to breakthrough innovations that directly impact product and business outcomes.
As Head of Research, you will build, mentor, and manage a high-caliber team of researchers and research engineers, partner closely with executive leadership, and translate cutting-edge research into scalable, real-world systems.
Key Responsibilities
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Define and own the
research vision and roadmap
, aligned with company strategy and long-term goals
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Lead and grow a team of
AI Researchers, Applied Scientists, and Research Engineers
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Drive innovation across areas such as:
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Large Language Models (LLMs)
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Reasoning and planning systems
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Representation learning
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Robustness, safety, and evaluation
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Multimodal and agent-based systems
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Balance
long-horizon exploratory research
with
near-term applied research
that powers products
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Ensure research excellence through strong scientific rigor, reproducibility, and evaluation standards
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Collaborate with Product, Engineering, and Leadership to transition research into production
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Represent the company externally through publications, conferences, and industry engagement
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Establish best practices for research processes, tooling, and infrastructure
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Mentor senior researchers and develop future research leaders
Required Qualifications
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PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or a closely related field (or equivalent research experience)
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0-7 years of experience in AI/ML research, with at least several years in a
research role
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Proven track record of
high-impact research contributions
(top-tier conferences, journals, or widely adopted systems)
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Deep expertise in modern ML techniques, especially
LLMs, deep learning, and foundation models
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Experience leading and scaling research teams in industry or advanced research labs
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Strong understanding of the tradeoffs between research innovation and production constraints
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Ability to communicate complex technical ideas clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Preferred Qualifications
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Experience leading research at a top AI lab, FAANG company, or well-known AI startup
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Publications at leading venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP)
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Experience with model training at scale, including distributed systems and ML infrastructure
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Background in deploying research models into real-world products
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Prior experience influencing company-level technical strategy
What We Offer
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Base salary up to $500,000
, plus competitive equity
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Opportunity to shape the future direction of cutting-edge AI research
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Access to significant compute and research resources
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Collaboration with elite engineers, researchers, and product leaders
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A culture that values deep thinking, experimentation, and long-term impact