Research Engineer

Zyphra is an artificial intelligence company based in Palo Alto, California.

The Role:

As a Research Engineer, you will be a core contributor to Zyphra’s AI Architecture Research Team. This will involve designing and rigorously testing novel model architectures and training methodologies, focusing on improving core modelling capabilities (in loss per flop or loss per parameter) and on solving fundamental bottlenecks in contemporary models. You will also interface extremely closely with our pretraining team, who will be integrating your insights into our next generation of models.

What We’re Looking For:

• Strong research taste and intuition

• The ability to work through a research project from conception to execution to write-up

• Strong implementation and prototyping skillset

• A researcher who can take an idea from conception to experimentation extremely quickly

• The ability to work well and cooperate with others in a high-paced research setting

• Curiosity, interest, and joy in understanding intelligence.

Qualifications:

• Previous research experience in designing novel architectures such as state-space models, diffusion models, MoEs, and others

• Previous experience with long-term memory, RAG/retrieval systems, dynamic/adaptive computation, and alternative approaches to credit assignment

• Experience with reinforcement learning, control theory, and signal processing

• Generally, a joy in inventing and seriously assessing ‘crazy’ ideas, and the ability to have a unique perspective on things

• Understanding of modern training pipelines and the hardware requirements to design efficient architectures for GPU hardware

• Strong grasp of proper experimental methodology for running rigorous ablations and other hypothesis testing

• High proficiency with PyTorch and Python.

• Strong ability to jump into large pre-existing codebases and rapidly get up to speed and become productive

• Previously published machine learning research in well-respected venues

• Postgraduate degree in a scientific subject (Computer Science, EE/EECS, Math, Physics)

Why Work at Zyphra:

• We strongly value new and crazy ideas and are very willing to bet big on new ideas

• We move as quickly as we can; we aim to minimize the bar to impact as low as possible

• We all enjoy what we do and love discussing AI

Benefits and Perks:

• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and FSA plans

• Competitive compensation and 401(k)

• Relocation and immigration support on a case-by-case basis

• On-site meals prepared by a dedicated culinary team; Thursday Happy Hours

• In-person team in Palo Alto, CA, with a collaborative, high-energy environment