research scientist - RL
Principal research scientist job in Santa Rosa, CA
Join a Leading Applied Research Lab Pushing the Boundaries of Reinforcement Learning
Are you passionate about advancing the frontiers of reinforcement learning (RL)? An innovative AI research lab is seeking talented and ambitious scientists to shape the next generation of RL techniques-especially where they intersect with large models and environment generation.
About the Role
As an AI Research Scientist focused on RL, you will:
Develop novel optimization-based methods for automated RL environment generation
Establish baselines for evaluating the quality and diversity of RL environments
Design infrastructure to create dynamic environments from historical datasets and agent evaluations
Drive your own research agenda, contributing directly to the progress of our platform and the broader AI community
What We're Looking For
PhD (or equivalent experience) in machine learning, computer science or a related field
Strong publication record and/or evidence of research impact (open source, deployed systems, etc.)
Deep expertise in reinforcement learning and machine learning fundamentals
Proficient in Python and at least one modern ML framework (such as PyTorch or JAX)
Bonus Points
Experience with post-training large language models (LLMs)
Demonstrated software engineering skills
Ability to communicate research findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
Research Scientist - Data
Principal research scientist job in Santa Rosa, CA
⚡ Research Scientist - Data focus
💊 Foundation Models, AI Research Institute
🌎 San Francisco Bay Area, USA
💸 $200,000 - $350,000 salary + bonus
Come join a revolutionary AI research lab in SF Bay Area that is poised to develop & publish high-impact breakthroughs in GenAI - across LLMs and Multimodal AI.
As part of the team, you'll work at the intersection of data, large-scale training, and foundation model innovation. You will collaborate with world-class researchers, data scientists, and engineers to solve critical challenges in creating robust, scalable, and reasoning-capable LLMs. Your research will shape the way data is curated, processed, and leveraged to train the next generation of intelligent systems.
Responsibilities:
Lead research on data-centric approaches for LLMs, including pretraining corpus design, data valuation, and speculative decoding strategies.
Develop pipelines to process challenging data sources into structured and reproducible training datasets.
Build and optimize agentic data pipelines, integrating retrieval, self-curation, and multi-agent feedback for high-quality training and evaluation data.
Collaborate with researchers on alignment and reasoning-focused training that leverage data-driven approaches for improving LLM capabilities.
Prototype and deploy evaluation frameworks to measure data quality, coverage, and downstream impact on LLM reasoning.
Publish findings at top-tier venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP) and represent the institute at international conferences.
Contribute to open-source tools, datasets, and benchmarks that advance the global foundation model research community.
Requirements:
Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related technical field (PhD strongly preferred)
Experience collecting and curating high-quality text data including multi-lingual data.
Hands-on experience with large-scale dataset curation and preprocessing for ML/LLM training.
Prior works synthesizing complex datasets. Code, math, and agentic data are higher priority
Experience with ML infrastructure for scalable training, evaluation, and debugging.
Experience at the intersection of data and post-training (RL/SFT)
Proven ability to independently drive research questions related to data quality, scaling, or reasoning.
Preferred Experience:
Experience with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), agentic data pipelines, or reasoning benchmarks.
Contributions to speculative decoding, self-curation, or reinforcement learning from synthetic data.
Background in knowledge graphs, semantic search, or indexing systems.
Strong publication record in leading AI conferences.
Prior contributions to open-source ML data tools or benchmarks.
Prior work on speculative decoding/contributions to LLM serving engines
Prior work on training LLM-as-a-judge
Deep expertise with tokenization/training tokenizers
Why apply:
Opportunity to build out a new division at the forefront of AI innovation
FAANG competitive salary & package
Work alongside superstars from FAANG labs & leading AI companies
Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
Relocation package available
🌎 San Francisco Bay Area, USA
📧 Interested in applying? Please click on the ‘Easy Apply' button or alternatively email me your resume at
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Research Scientist
Principal research scientist job in Santa Rosa, CA
We're working with a San Francisco client that's got a research team of 50~ professionals and looking to further expand it. They are specifically looking to flesh out their Research Group by hiring a Research Scientist on a hybrid basis.
They have seen $300M in a recent fund raise.
Skills targeted:
PhD in Physics/ Quantum Physics/ Theory/ Statistics/ Mathematics/ Computational Science or similarly related field.
2+ YoE working with AI Agents.
Good exposure to LLMs.
Ideally a background in Audio focused research. Alternatively Search, would also be highly advantageous.
TC package of $1-1,5M with sizeable base salary & equity package.
If that looks of interest, apply & Goliath will be in touch!
R&D Principal Scientist
Principal research scientist job in Vista, CA
This is a hybrid position, located in Vista, CA. Unfortunately, we are not able to provide visa sponsorship at this time.
About the Company
We are passionate about our mission to harness the amazing power of mushrooms for healthier lives.
M2 Ingredients is the leading vertically integrated organic functional mushroom solution provider in the Western Hemisphere. We grow our portfolio of functional mushrooms indoors in our controlled, state-of-the-art facility in Vista, CA. M2 Ingredients sells its functional ingredients to global brands in the supplement, beverage and food channels.
M2 Ingredients was founded in 2010 by Sandra Carter, a health and wellness expert with a PhD in preventative medicine, and Steve Farrar, a mycologist with over 30 years of experience in growing mushrooms. Both founders are active in the business.
Position Summary:
The R&D Principal Scientist will lead projects for testing method development & optimization for the M2 Ingredient business. The R&D Principal Scientist will be charged to lead projects related to the improvements of the M2 ingredient portfolio to improve the ingredients potency and bioavailability through strain selection, growth conditions, bioactive compound testing method development and ingredient processing. The R&D Principal Scientist will also participate in the operational readiness to ramp up and launch new ingredients on time, with a high level of quality and maximum customer availability. A successful R&D Principal Scientist is a creative and collaborative partner, is driven, organized, and detail oriented and is thoughtful and effective in problem solving and responding to the customer's needs.
Position Responsibilities
Collaborate with external labs to optimize and develop analytical methods to strengthen the M2 Ingredients product specifications.
Develop and validate through testing the Finish Product Specifications of each new ingredient as it relates to the functional and nutritional benefits of the product.
Support the FSQA team in investigation that involves testing method viability and accuracy.
Actively participate in new ingredient development, from discovery and initial feasibility assessment to product qualification, business evaluation and commercialization such as new strain development to create ingredient specification that are more competitive in the marketplace.
Contribute new ideas within the cross-functional team that drives the innovation pipeline at M2 Ingredients through scientific and technical insights.
Ensure projects meet deadlines, quality and regulatory standards from ideation to full scale production by engaging the cross functional team on the project timeline and keeping the team informed and accountable throughout the development phases.
Collaborate with CSO and Mycology team on creating patent filing submission dossiers and contribute to patent strategy.
Qualifications
M.Sc. in chemistry, biochemistry or other relevant science degrees.
5 + years of experience in the functional ingredients, dietary supplements or functional food industry in product development role including experience formulating, leading plant trials and production start-up.
Laboratory experience or experience interpreting results for the following analytical methods an asset: mass spectrometry, DNA sequencing, chromatography, antibody assays.
Experience managing external laboratories and contract research organization
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Proven ability to prioritize and organize workload to ensure timely delivery of tasks.
Passion for product testing, food science and safety and quality in the food industry.
Exceptional ability to identify and resolve problems efficiently and effectively by providing appropriate solutions.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
This full-time role will receive a competitive salary + benefits, including medical, dental, vision, PTO, 401k match. This position's anticipated annual pay range is $120,000 - $140,000 plus an annual bonus. Various factors are considered when determining an individual's compensation-including a candidate's professional background, education, certifications, experience, professional licenses, and location. Final offer amounts may vary from the amounts listed. We neither ask for nor consider the salary history of applicants.
We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
LOCATION
M2 Ingredients is located in Vista, CA (about 35 miles north of San Diego and 60 south of Orange County).
This position requires you to work full time, on-site in our Vista, CA location minimum of 3 days per week.
AI/ML Scientist
Principal research scientist job in San Mateo, CA
AI/ML Scientist - Build the Future of Physics AI- $250,000 to $275,000 Salary
You will be part researcher, part builder, part pioneer, someone who thrives at the intersection of machine learning and physics based simulation.
The platform is built on massively scalable, cloud native simulation technology that makes it possible to run thousands of high fidelity simulations quickly and easily. This foundation unlocks something big, enabling the generation of large scale datasets that power the next generation of ML models across industries.
You will be on the front lines of building and productizing new machine learning approaches for physics based problems, from CFD to thermal simulation. Your work will not just live in a paper, it will deliver measurable value to customers, shape new product capabilities, and push the boundaries of what is possible in Physics AI.
You know that rush when your work goes from experiment to production, when the models perform, the results hold up, and you can see the impact firsthand? That is what this role is about.
Ready to shape the future of Physics AI? Let's talk.
No up to date resume required.
Research Scientist
Principal research scientist job in Monterey, CA
Veteran-Owned Firm Seeking DSP Communications Research Scientist with TS/SSBI/SCI for a Role in Monterey, CA
My name is Stephen Hrutka. I lead a Veteran-Owned management consulting firm in Washington, DC. We specialize in Technical and Cleared Recruiting for the Department of Defense (DoD), the Intelligence Community (IC), and other advanced defense agencies.
At HRUCKUS, we support fellow Veteran-Owned businesses by helping them recruit for positions across organizations such as the VA, SBA, HHS, DARPA, and other leading-edge R&D-focused defense agencies.
We seek to fill a DSP Communications Research Scientist role in Monterey, CA.
The ideal candidate should possess a TS/SSBI/SCI clearance, hold an M.S. in a relevant field (Ph.D. preferred), and have at least 2 years of professional experience, with 5 years being highly desirable.
If you're interested, I'll gladly provide more details about the role and discuss your qualifications further.
Thanks,
Stephen M Hrutka
Principal Consultant
HRUCKUS LLC
Executive Summary: HRUCKUS seeks a DSP Communications Research Scientist with TS/SSBI/SCI for a role in Monterey, CA.
Position Description: We seek a highly qualified research engineer/scientist to solve challenging technical problems in signal processing that are critical to national security. Our client has a national reputation for delivering uniquely capable solutions to very challenging problems and a long track record of consistent innovation and success against the most difficult issues faced by their customers. These problems typically involve processing of signals in very stressful RF conditions, including low signal-to-noise ratio, high levels of interference, and non-stationary environments.
Position Duties:
Research, design, and implement advanced signal processing algorithms in software for various RF applications.
Work as an individual principal investigator or part of a small team of engineers.
Perform RF signal and data analysis, reverse engineering, simulation, and modeling.
Implement new algorithms in C/C++ and Python.
Support transition of algorithms to real-time, high-performance production computing environments.
Communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, on complex technical subjects to customers, end-users, and partners at varying levels appropriate to each audience.
Translate customer objectives to technical requirements, manage performance and schedule expectations, and communicate project status and technical performance evaluations.
Required Expertise and Experience:
An outstanding background in signal processing, digital communications, detection and estimation theory, remote sensing, radar signal processing, adaptive antenna array processing, or navigation/geolocation.
Demonstrated programming skills and experience in scientific programming are required.
The ideal candidate has experience implementing signal processing algorithms in C/C++ and Python.
The successful applicant will have extensive expertise and experience in one or more of the following fields:
Signal processing
Digital communications
Detection and estimation theory
Remote sensing
Radar signal processing
Adaptive antenna array processing
Navigation/geolocation
Desired Qualifications:
Some experience with Linux and open-source tool chains is desirable.
Experience with software-defined radio (SDR), baseband architecture, RF architecture, and/or wireless propagation and modeling is desirable.
Experience with modern communications protocols, including LTE, WCDMA, GSM, 802.11, or 802.16, is desirable.
Knowledge of numerical linear algebra is a plus.
Good customer communication and presentation skills (written and verbal) are essential.
Required Education and Experience:
An M.S. in a related field is required, and a Ph.D. is desirable.
U.S. Citizenship is required with an in-scope Top Secret/SSBI.
A minimum of two years of work experience is required; five or more years is desirable.
Details:
Job Title: DSP Communications Research Scientist.
Locations: Monterey, CA.
FULL RELOCATION PAID.
Security Clearance Requirement: TS/SSBI/SCI.
Assignment Type: Full-time.
Salary Range: $126,000 to $174,000 per year.
Senior R&D Scientist - Atmospheric Water Harvesting
Principal research scientist job in Irvine, CA
Join a trailblazing startup founded by a renowned Professor in transforming the future of water and air. As a Senior R&D Scientist, you'll be at the heart of pioneering technologies for atmospheric water harvesting and CO2 capture, driving innovations that make a global impact.
Why You Should Apply
Lead cutting-edge research in atmospheric water harvesting.
Competitive salary and benefits package.
Collaborate with top-tier scientists and engineers.
Play a crucial role in the commercialization of breakthrough technologies.
Contribute to sustainability and environmental solutions.
What You'll Be Doing:
Work with the head of Product Engineering to scale up MOF/COF-based technologies.
Collaborate with R&D scientists on technical and functional specifications.
Design and develop heat management systems, optimizing components like heat exchangers and thermal storage.
Scale technologies from prototype to commercial stage.
Optimize system parameters to enhance performance, efficiency, and safety.
Evaluate and manage sourcing of materials and components.
Set up QC/QA processes and procedures for production.
Maintain detailed electronic notebooks and contribute to intellectual property.
Report periodically to management and participate in technical meetings.
About You:
PhD in mechanical engineering or a similar field with a strong research background.
Proficient in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and heat transfer.
Over 5 years of industrial R&D experience.
Skilled in designing system-level prototypes and using simulation tools.
Familiar with health and safety procedures in production.
Excellent teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.
How To Apply
We'd love to see your resume, but we don't need it to have a conversation. Send us an email to *********************** and tell us why you're interested. Or, feel free to email your resume. Please include Job#19433.
Scientist: In Vivo Pharmacology
Principal research scientist job in Palo Alto, CA
Scientist, In Vivo Pharmacology - Permanent - Palo Alto, CA
Where curiosity meets purpose-join us in shaping the future of science.
Primary Responsibilities: Proclinical is seeking a highly motivated, dynamic Scientist to support in vivo research on our cutting-edge pipeline and discovery programs. You will be involved in the preparation and execution of murine animal experiments and the collation of data.
The Scientist of In Vivo Pharmacology will:
Preparation for and execution of translational experiments such as in vivo pharmacology and disease model experiments, including experiments in knockout and transgenic mice
Animal handling during murine experiments, and handling of murine tissues resulting from animal experiments
Management of relationships with third-party vendors on mouse breeding and shipping
Identification, ordering, organization, storage, and proper disposal of laboratory reagents required for studies
In collaboration with the Laboratory Biology team, aid in maintaining laboratory space and inventory
Recording and filing data, preparing technical reports, and study summaries
Report progress of projects in a timely and concise manner to supervisor
May independently lead the development and implementation of new assays to support research projects; may independently execute experiments and perform data analyses of moderate complexity; may have responsibility for specific method or study.
Occasionally provides assistance to and/or mentoring other technical staff, new research staff or interns
Manages personal experimental timelines to meet project and personal goals
Presents findings at the scientist, department, and site-level.
Function as part of a collaborative team to support research needs
Contribute to the optimal functioning of the research team, including implementation of new tools and technologies.
Skills & Requirements:
S. and 7+ years of laboratory experience (academic and/or industry) or M.S. with 5+ years of laboratory experience (academic and/or industry)
Degree must be in a life sciences discipline, preferably cellular and/or molecular biology, biochemistry, and/or microbiology/immunology
3+ years of hands-on experience with in vivo murine research required, with mouse pharmacology and inflammation disease model experiments highly desired
Experience in experimental techniques such as handling of animal tissue, cell culture, qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, and ELISAs/MSDs is required
Experience in immunology research, including research with primary immune cells, would be valuable
Must be highly organized, punctual, and precise both in regards to performing laboratory experiments as well as maintenance of the laboratory space.
Ability to work independently and occasionally during non-traditional work hours as may be required by some experiments and will need to be comfortable in a laboratory and animal facility setting.
Possesses effective problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills
Experience with Microsoft software suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and other commonly used computer applications (Zoom, MS Teams, Box, etc.)
Clear and effective communicator across verbal, written, and interpersonal settings
If you are interested in applying to this exciting opportunity, then please click 'Apply' or to speak to one of our specialists please request a call back at the top of this page.
Proclinical is a leading life sciences recruiter focused on finding exceptional people and matching them with the finest positions across the globe. Proclinical is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.
By submitting this application, you confirm that you've read and understood our privacy policy, which informs you how we process and safeguard your data - https://www.proclinical.com/privacy-policy
Product Development Scientist
Principal research scientist job in San Jose, CA
We are a group of people united by a strong purpose.
We want you to get to know us, and Giuseppe, our very own artificial intelligence.
We love good food, but above all, we love the planet, and that's why, to protect it, we reinvent the food industry, one delicious bite at a time, elevating what we eat, through our technology and based on plants.
Our recipe has three mega-important components: science, technology, and of course, disruptive talents who work daily to create a better future.
At NotCo we are not and do not seek to be the perfect company, but rather the right one. We are here to produce changes, and that is why we dare, fail, and sometimes achieve incredible successes.
We are currently looking for a Product Development Scientist for our NotCo B2B Research & Development located in San Francisco, California, requiring an active on-site presence. This position will report to our R&D Sr. Team Lead and the incumbent will work cross-functionally to ensure R&D activities are successfully deployed locally.
Responsible for the:
Independently conducts day-to-day product development activities as directed by the manager across multiple projects. This includes supporting activities related to the full product lifecycle process (from product concept to successful commercial launch as needed)and supporting process development, scale-up and technology transfer
Supports the design and execution of bench-top tests, pilot-plant trials and full-scale formulations to deliver high-quality food products that meet and exceed the sensory, cost, and other performance targets
Proactively proposes and uses sensory and analytical analysis to guide and validate the development process
Maintains detailed documentation, experiment tracking and outcomes, and documents finished goods and ingredient specifications
Provides feedback to project lead regarding relevant technical and process information
Communicates proactively and effectively with cross-functional teams, clearly articulating perspectives and trade-offs related to new product development goals
Utilizes NotCo's proprietary AI technology to develop and improve food products
Supports formula validation activities as well as process development, scale-up and technology transfer
Engages in client communications and workshops, bringing technical
Maintains detailed documentation across all R&D activities in a timely manner
Qualifications / Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in Food Engineering, Food Science, Engineering in Biotechnology or a similar discipline.
2 + years of Food R&D experience is desired, preferably across both food and beverage categories.
Be agile, adaptable, and thrive in a dynamic and changing culture; works relentlessly to overachieve, anticipate obstacles, and create plans to overcome them.
Adapts easily to changing priorities and direction based on new project learnings and team priorities.
Demonstrated competency to effectively communicate (oral & written) cross-functionally with solid collaboration skills.
Comfortable in client-facing situations and able to communicate complex topics clearly and simply.
Excel in a startup environment, is excited to create new procedures and processes from scratch and has a strong entrepreneurial mindset.
Be a problem solver, have a general manager mindset, and take the initiative to get the job done
Possess strong planning, project management, and execution skills, and the ability to articulate where and how you have used them.
Rigorous data-driven/analytical capability and ability and presence to present data effectively to a leadership team
Work well in teams and cross-functional groups in a matrixed environment, both regionally and globally
Possesses strong computer skills, including a high level of proficiency in MS Office, specifically Excel
Authorization to work in the U.S. is required
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, including international travel and extended trips.
NotCo is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range for this role is $65,000 - $75,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
Research Scientist - Schaeffer Institute
Principal research scientist job in Parksdale, CA
In order for your application to be considered, please attach a cover letter and CV to your employment application.
The Schaeffer Institute is seeking a Research Scientist, who will work closely with the Chief Scientific Officer and the Schaeffer leadership team to plan, design, and execute research projects.
This position is a one-year appointment with the possibility of renewal dependent on the Research Scientist's ability to secure external funding and create and oversee an independent research portfolio. This position is a hybrid work arrangement and is funded by a contract, gift or grant.
Key duties include, but are not limited to:
Planning, designing, and conducting of highly specialized, technical, and complex research projects independently
Creating long-term research goals and objectives and contributing to the development of advanced concepts, techniques, and standards
Identifying, researching, compiling, and evaluating data sources, background information and/or technology related to area of specialization
Analyzing and evaluating research data and providing interpretations requiring significant knowledge of a specialized area of research
Developing research documentation for publications and preparing papers that show independent thinking and leadership in scholarly writing
Making presentations at academic conferences
Providing leadership, direction, and guidance to staff and/or student workers
Expertise in the modeling of body weight and its associated comorbidities, and in pharmaceutical pricing and uptake are regarded as helpful skills.
Minimum Education:
Ph.D. or equivalent doctorate
Minimum Experience:
5 years directly related education and experience in research specialization with highly advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures, analysis methods, principles, theories, and concepts.
Must have demonstrated leadership in developing new ideas and ability to publish in academic outlets (i.e., first authored publications, conceptual leadership in the development of publications generated alone or with others, and/or writing of first drafts of publications and/or single authored publications).
Compensation
The annual base salary range for this position is $117,128 - $132,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.
Commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Position is 100% FTE
Performs other related duties as assigned or requested. The university reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.
Required Documents
Cover letter Resume/CV
About the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics
Since its establishment in 2009, the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics has served as an intellectual hub for health policy and health economics research at USC. The Schaeffer Center's mission is to measurably improve value in health through evidence-based policy solutions, research excellence, and private and public sector engagement. The Center ranks 4th in the world in health economics, and is a trusted resource for Congress, federal agencies (including CMS, FDA, CBO, and NIH), and organizations such as the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
The Schaeffer Center is a collaboration between the USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and the USC Price School of Public Policy, and it is a flagship program of the Leonard D. Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service.
About the USC Schaeffer Institute
The USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy and Government Service, launching July 1, has been established by an historic gift from USC Trustee Leonard D. Schaeffer. It will house two existing programs under one umbrella-the Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics and the Leonard D. Schaeffer Fellows in Government Service.
The Schaeffer Institute will serve as a policy laboratory to develop and test ideas generated by Price School faculty, staff, and students. It will provide a forum to reach federal policymakers in D.C. And-perhaps most importantly-it will build our capacity to offer government service opportunities to our students.
The Schaeffer Institute will bridge USC research in Los Angeles with federal policy in Washington, DC. Its mission is to:
Develop and promote strong public leaders;
Support civic engagement;
Provide evidence-based policy solutions to the nation's most pressing political, social, and economic issues; and,
Amplify the reach and impact of USC scholarship.
About the Sol Price School of Public Policy
Ranked among the foremost schools of public policy in the nation, the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy generates uncommon knowledge for the common good. The School is composed of overlapping disciplines that generate innovative approaches to critical issues ranging from health-care policy to homelessness, and sustainability to congestion - to name a few. A wide-ranging curriculum, including extensive experiential learning, prepares our graduates to navigate problems that demand multi-layered solutions driven by critical, informed thinking.
The Price School, founded in 1929, is anchored by four departments: Public Policy and Management, Health Policy and Management, Wilbur H. Smith III Department of Estate Development; and Urban Planning and Spatial Analysis. The School's rigorous academic programs provide students with the knowledge and distinctive opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their professions. Integrating classroom instruction with real-world experience and led by some of the world's most renowned faculty in their fields, our students establish a clear pathway to successful careers.
Our academic programs are augmented by numerous research centers, institutes and initiatives that provide additional research expertise and experiences, notable among them are: The Judith and John Bedrosian Center on Governance and the Public; The Center for Philanthropy and Public Policy; The USC Lusk Center for Real Estate; The METRANS Transportation Consortium; The Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics; and The Schwarzenegger Institute for State and Global Policy. Together, they account for over $100 million in externally funded research grants and contracts.
Our departments and research enterprise provide unmatched breadth and depth to tackle an enormous range of challenges facing our country and the world. Our graduates hold leadership positions across diverse sectors - public, private, and nonprofit - championing the advancement of the common good. They come from around the world and from a variety of cultures and socio-economic backgrounds to create a rich intellectual environment that celebrates, supports and benefits from diverse people and opinions.
About the Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is located on the USC Health Sciences Campus, which includes the Keck Hospital of USC, the Norris Cancer Hospital, Doheny Eye Institute, and the flagship LAC+USC Medical Center, along with directing five university- and community-based pharmacies, adding a sixth in South Los Angeles in 2023. Ranked by US News and World Report as the #1 private pharmacy school in the United States, and the #2 overall school according to World Scholarship Forum, the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is recognized for its more than century-long reputation for innovation and leadership in pharmaceutical education, practice, research, and service to the community and to the profession. The school uniquely spans the entire spectrum of pharmaceutical development and clinical care - from drug discovery to regulatory approaches that promote safety and innovation, from delivery of contemporary patient care services to evaluating the impact of care provision on patient outcomes and costs. The school's dynamic faculty is involved in all levels of pharmacy education: from undergraduate majors to multiple MS and PhD graduate programs, from the Doctor of Pharmacy degree program with dual degree options to a wide variety of advanced clinical residency and fellowship training, and from laboratory to bedside learning experiences. The school has recently received a $50 million endowment from the Alfred E. Mann Foundation to name the school and to support student scholarships, faculty development and recruitment, and integrated biomedical innovation.
USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.
Minimum Education: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Minimum Experience: 5 years
Minimum Skills: Directly related education and experience in research specialization with highly advanced knowledge of equipment, procedures, analysis methods, principles, theories and concepts. Demonstrated leadership in developing new ideas and ability to publish in appropriate academic and practitioner outlets. Demonstrated independent thinking and leadership in scholarly writing according established criteria (e.g., first-authored publications, conceptual leadership in the development of publications generated alone or with others, writing of first drafts of publications and/or single-authored publications).
USC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law or USC policy. USC observes affirmative action obligations consistent with state and federal law. USC will consider for employment all qualified applicants with criminal records in a manner consistent with applicable laws and regulations, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for employers and the Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and with due consideration for patient and student safety. Please refer to the Background Screening Policy Appendix D for specific employment screen implications for the position for which you are applying.
We provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should contact USC Human Resources by phone at **************, or by email at *************. Inquiries will be treated as confidential to the extent permitted by law.
Notice of Non-discrimination
Employment Equity
Read USC's Clery Act Annual Security Report
USC is a smoke-free environment
Digital Accessibility
If you are a current USC employee, please apply to this USC job posting in Workday by copying and pasting this link into your browser:
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Auto-ApplyResearch Scientist - AI for Chip Design
Principal research scientist job in Palo Alto, CA
Join the Frontier of AI-Driven Hardware Design
Are you passionate about pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and eager to see your research power the next generation of computational hardware? We're a stealth-mode AI research and product lab on a mission to revolutionize chip design. Our team is reimagining how custom silicon is created-using advanced AI to dramatically accelerate and optimize the process, making ultra-efficient, domain-specific chips a reality.
About Us
Founded by leading minds from top universities and industry labs, our team brings together AI researchers and engineers from organizations like DeepMind, Meta, Apple, and Intel. We're backed by world-class investors, including renowned scientists, professors, and founders in the hardware and AI space. Here, you'll work alongside pioneers at the intersection of machine learning and hardware, building the intelligence layer for tomorrow's computing revolution.
Your Role: Founding AI Researcher (ML)
As a founding member of our technical team, you'll be at the heart of developing and deploying AI models that transform chip design. You'll tackle challenges like code generation, verification, architectural exploration, and multimodal reasoning-building multi-agent systems that can design, optimize, and verify real silicon. This is a hands-on, 0→1 opportunity: you'll own the full ML lifecycle, from data pipelines and model training to deployment and iteration, collaborating closely with hardware and product experts.You'll experiment at the bleeding edge of LLMs, reinforcement learning, and graph-based methods for EDA, defining how AI will shape the future of hardware
What We're Looking For
Academic Background: PhD in Computer Science, EECS, Mathematics, or a related field (or BS/MS with strong research engineering experience at leading labs or startups).
AI/ML Expertise: Deep experience building end-to-end ML pipelines, including data curation, model training, and post-training using RL. Proven ability to take models from research to real-world deployment.
Technical Skills:
Hands-on with LLM/VLM deployment (vLLM, sg Lang, LM Studio, Ollama, etc.) and distributed training (QLoRA, ZeRO, CUDA, PyTorch Parallelism).
Experience with RL post-training workflows, reward modeling, and environment design.
Track record in code generation, reasoning, and tool use-especially in structured domains.
Builder Mindset: Fast-moving, able to prototype, benchmark, and productionize ML pipelines with tight feedback loops.
Passion: Excited to push the state-of-the-art in AI for real-world engineering challenges.
Bonus Points:
Experience at leading AI labs (OpenAI, DeepMind, Anthropic, etc.).
Publications in top ML or EDA conferences.
Background in hardware design or verification (not required).
Why Join Us?
Impact: Shape the future of AI-driven chip design from the ground up.
Ownership: Significant autonomy and a meaningful equity stake.
Growth: Work with a world-class team on cutting-edge challenges.
Culture: Fast-paced, collaborative, and mission-driven environment.
Ready to help define how AI will design the hardware of tomorrow? Apply now and join us at the frontier of AI and hardware innovation!
Research Scientist
Principal research scientist job in San Francisco, CA
We're working with a San Francisco client that's got a research team of 50~ professionals and looking to further expand it. They are specifically looking to flesh out their Research Group by hiring a Research Scientist on a hybrid basis.
They have seen $300M in a recent fund raise.
Skills targeted:
PhD in Physics/ Quantum Physics/ Theory/ Statistics/ Mathematics/ Computational Science or similarly related field.
2+ YoE working with AI Agents.
Good exposure to LLMs.
Ideally a background in Audio focused research. Alternatively Search, would also be highly advantageous.
TC package of $1-1,5M with sizeable base salary & equity package.
If that looks of interest, apply & Goliath will be in touch!
Research Scientist - Vision Data Infrastructure
Principal research scientist job in San Francisco, CA
⚡ Research Scientists/Engineers (all levels)
🔍 Focus on Vision Data Infrastructure
🤖 Fundamental AI Research Institute
🌎 San Francisco Bay Area, USA
💸 $250,000 - $600,000 salary + annual bonus
Come join one of the only research institutions globally with resources to compete with top AI companies =>10s of 1000s of GPUs to explore state-of-the-art research in LLMs, Multimodal and Agentic AI.
Currently seeking AI talent with expertise in building scalable pipelines for vision data to support both image/video generative training and multi-modal alignment. You'll design high-performance pipelines for large-scale image and video datasets, enabling efficient pretraining, alignment, and simulation-based data generation.
Responsibilities:
Vision Data Sourcing & Curation
Collect and organize image and video data from open datasets and the web.
Handle data cleaning, filtering, deduplication, and metadata generation.
Ensure ethical and compliant data collection at scale.
Processing & Augmentation
Build high-throughput pipelines for vision data preprocessing (frame extraction, resolution normalization, format conversion, latent caching).
Implement GPU-accelerated augmentation and distributed data loading (WebDataset, TFRecords, Parquet).
Synthetic & Simulation-Based Data Generation
Use simulation tools (e.g., Unreal Engine 5, Isaac Sim, Unity) to generate high-quality synthetic vision data.
Create specialized datasets for VLM training, visual reasoning, and agent interaction.
Requirements:
Strong experience with data engineering, computer vision, or machine learning infrastructure.
Expertise in building and scaling ETL/data pipelines for large unstructured datasets.
Proficiency with Python, PyTorch, and distributed data frameworks (e.g., Ray, Spark, Dask).
Experience with WebDataset, TFRecords, Parquet, or similar high-throughput data formats.
Familiarity with GPU-accelerated preprocessing, NVIDIA DALI, or equivalent systems.
Understanding of image/video codecs, data compression, and cloud storage optimization.
Preferred Experience:
Prior work with simulation-based or synthetic data generation using Unreal Engine, Isaac Sim, or Unity.
Experience curating datasets for multimodal or vision-language model training.
Knowledge of data ethics, privacy, and compliance frameworks for large-scale AI datasets.
Experience contributing to open datasets or data-centric AI research.
Why apply:
Opportunity to join a fast-growing core team that are already pushing AI breakthroughs
Highly competitive salary package
Work alongside ambitious and bright superstars from tech and academia
Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
Relocation package available
🌎 San Francisco Bay Area, USA
📧 Interested in applying? Please click on the ‘Easy Apply' button or alternatively email me your resume at
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R&D Principal Scientist
Principal research scientist job in Vista, CA
Join a mission-driven team transforming the future of functional wellness through science. As the R&D Principal Scientist with my client, you'll lead innovation that enhances ingredient potency, bioavailability, and analytical rigor-directly influencing how cutting-edge mushroom solutions reach global brands. This is a high-impact role where your technical vision will shape tomorrow's products.
Why You Should Apply
Lead advanced analytical method development and ingredient optimization
Drive innovation from early discovery through full commercialization
Collaborate with visionary scientific, mycology, and cross-functional teams
Competitive salary range: $120,000-$140,000 + annual bonus
Robust medical, dental, vision, PTO, 401(k) match & more
What You'll Be Doing
Partner with external labs to refine analytical methods and strengthen specifications
Validate functional and nutritional product attributes for new ingredients
Support FSQA investigations through method testing and viability assessments
Contribute to innovation pipeline via scientific insights and feasibility evaluations
Manage project timelines from R&D ideation to full-scale production
Collaborate on patent dossier creation and intellectual property strategy
About You
M.Sc. in Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related scientific discipline
Strong background in functional ingredients, supplements, or functional foods
Familiarity with analytical platforms such as mass spectrometry, DNA sequencing, or chromatography
Skilled at managing external labs and CRO relationships
Organized, solutions-focused, and effective in cross-functional environments
How To Apply
We'd love to see your resume, but we don't need it to have a conversation. Send us an email to ************************** and tell me why you're interested. Or, feel free to email your resume. Please include Job#19648.
Product Development Scientist
Principal research scientist job in Santa Rosa, CA
We are a group of people united by a strong purpose.
We want you to get to know us, and Giuseppe, our very own artificial intelligence.
We love good food, but above all, we love the planet, and that's why, to protect it, we reinvent the food industry, one delicious bite at a time, elevating what we eat, through our technology and based on plants.
Our recipe has three mega-important components: science, technology, and of course, disruptive talents who work daily to create a better future.
At NotCo we are not and do not seek to be the perfect company, but rather the right one. We are here to produce changes, and that is why we dare, fail, and sometimes achieve incredible successes.
We are currently looking for a Product Development Scientist for our NotCo B2B Research & Development located in San Francisco, California, requiring an active on-site presence. This position will report to our R&D Sr. Team Lead and the incumbent will work cross-functionally to ensure R&D activities are successfully deployed locally.
Responsible for the:
Independently conducts day-to-day product development activities as directed by the manager across multiple projects. This includes supporting activities related to the full product lifecycle process (from product concept to successful commercial launch as needed)and supporting process development, scale-up and technology transfer
Supports the design and execution of bench-top tests, pilot-plant trials and full-scale formulations to deliver high-quality food products that meet and exceed the sensory, cost, and other performance targets
Proactively proposes and uses sensory and analytical analysis to guide and validate the development process
Maintains detailed documentation, experiment tracking and outcomes, and documents finished goods and ingredient specifications
Provides feedback to project lead regarding relevant technical and process information
Communicates proactively and effectively with cross-functional teams, clearly articulating perspectives and trade-offs related to new product development goals
Utilizes NotCo's proprietary AI technology to develop and improve food products
Supports formula validation activities as well as process development, scale-up and technology transfer
Engages in client communications and workshops, bringing technical
Maintains detailed documentation across all R&D activities in a timely manner
Qualifications / Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in Food Engineering, Food Science, Engineering in Biotechnology or a similar discipline.
2 + years of Food R&D experience is desired, preferably across both food and beverage categories.
Be agile, adaptable, and thrive in a dynamic and changing culture; works relentlessly to overachieve, anticipate obstacles, and create plans to overcome them.
Adapts easily to changing priorities and direction based on new project learnings and team priorities.
Demonstrated competency to effectively communicate (oral & written) cross-functionally with solid collaboration skills.
Comfortable in client-facing situations and able to communicate complex topics clearly and simply.
Excel in a startup environment, is excited to create new procedures and processes from scratch and has a strong entrepreneurial mindset.
Be a problem solver, have a general manager mindset, and take the initiative to get the job done
Possess strong planning, project management, and execution skills, and the ability to articulate where and how you have used them.
Rigorous data-driven/analytical capability and ability and presence to present data effectively to a leadership team
Work well in teams and cross-functional groups in a matrixed environment, both regionally and globally
Possesses strong computer skills, including a high level of proficiency in MS Office, specifically Excel
Authorization to work in the U.S. is required
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, including international travel and extended trips.
NotCo is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range for this role is $65,000 - $75,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
research scientist - RL
Principal research scientist job in San Jose, CA
Join a Leading Applied Research Lab Pushing the Boundaries of Reinforcement Learning
Are you passionate about advancing the frontiers of reinforcement learning (RL)? An innovative AI research lab is seeking talented and ambitious scientists to shape the next generation of RL techniques-especially where they intersect with large models and environment generation.
About the Role
As an AI Research Scientist focused on RL, you will:
Develop novel optimization-based methods for automated RL environment generation
Establish baselines for evaluating the quality and diversity of RL environments
Design infrastructure to create dynamic environments from historical datasets and agent evaluations
Drive your own research agenda, contributing directly to the progress of our platform and the broader AI community
What We're Looking For
PhD (or equivalent experience) in machine learning, computer science or a related field
Strong publication record and/or evidence of research impact (open source, deployed systems, etc.)
Deep expertise in reinforcement learning and machine learning fundamentals
Proficient in Python and at least one modern ML framework (such as PyTorch or JAX)
Bonus Points
Experience with post-training large language models (LLMs)
Demonstrated software engineering skills
Ability to communicate research findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences
Research Scientist - Data
Principal research scientist job in San Francisco, CA
⚡ Research Scientist - Data focus
💊 Foundation Models, AI Research Institute
🌎 San Francisco Bay Area, USA
💸 $200,000 - $350,000 salary + bonus
Come join a revolutionary AI research lab in SF Bay Area that is poised to develop & publish high-impact breakthroughs in GenAI - across LLMs and Multimodal AI.
As part of the team, you'll work at the intersection of data, large-scale training, and foundation model innovation. You will collaborate with world-class researchers, data scientists, and engineers to solve critical challenges in creating robust, scalable, and reasoning-capable LLMs. Your research will shape the way data is curated, processed, and leveraged to train the next generation of intelligent systems.
Responsibilities:
Lead research on data-centric approaches for LLMs, including pretraining corpus design, data valuation, and speculative decoding strategies.
Develop pipelines to process challenging data sources into structured and reproducible training datasets.
Build and optimize agentic data pipelines, integrating retrieval, self-curation, and multi-agent feedback for high-quality training and evaluation data.
Collaborate with researchers on alignment and reasoning-focused training that leverage data-driven approaches for improving LLM capabilities.
Prototype and deploy evaluation frameworks to measure data quality, coverage, and downstream impact on LLM reasoning.
Publish findings at top-tier venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP) and represent the institute at international conferences.
Contribute to open-source tools, datasets, and benchmarks that advance the global foundation model research community.
Requirements:
Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, or a related technical field (PhD strongly preferred)
Experience collecting and curating high-quality text data including multi-lingual data.
Hands-on experience with large-scale dataset curation and preprocessing for ML/LLM training.
Prior works synthesizing complex datasets. Code, math, and agentic data are higher priority
Experience with ML infrastructure for scalable training, evaluation, and debugging.
Experience at the intersection of data and post-training (RL/SFT)
Proven ability to independently drive research questions related to data quality, scaling, or reasoning.
Preferred Experience:
Experience with retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), agentic data pipelines, or reasoning benchmarks.
Contributions to speculative decoding, self-curation, or reinforcement learning from synthetic data.
Background in knowledge graphs, semantic search, or indexing systems.
Strong publication record in leading AI conferences.
Prior contributions to open-source ML data tools or benchmarks.
Prior work on speculative decoding/contributions to LLM serving engines
Prior work on training LLM-as-a-judge
Deep expertise with tokenization/training tokenizers
Why apply:
Opportunity to build out a new division at the forefront of AI innovation
FAANG competitive salary & package
Work alongside superstars from FAANG labs & leading AI companies
Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
Relocation package available
🌎 San Francisco Bay Area, USA
📧 Interested in applying? Please click on the ‘Easy Apply' button or alternatively email me your resume at
************************
Research Scientist
Principal research scientist job in Fremont, CA
We're working with a San Francisco client that's got a research team of 50~ professionals and looking to further expand it. They are specifically looking to flesh out their Research Group by hiring a Research Scientist on a hybrid basis.
They have seen $300M in a recent fund raise.
Skills targeted:
PhD in Physics/ Quantum Physics/ Theory/ Statistics/ Mathematics/ Computational Science or similarly related field.
2+ YoE working with AI Agents.
Good exposure to LLMs.
Ideally a background in Audio focused research. Alternatively Search, would also be highly advantageous.
TC package of $1-1,5M with sizeable base salary & equity package.
If that looks of interest, apply & Goliath will be in touch!
Product Development Scientist
Principal research scientist job in San Francisco, CA
We are a group of people united by a strong purpose.
We want you to get to know us, and Giuseppe, our very own artificial intelligence.
We love good food, but above all, we love the planet, and that's why, to protect it, we reinvent the food industry, one delicious bite at a time, elevating what we eat, through our technology and based on plants.
Our recipe has three mega-important components: science, technology, and of course, disruptive talents who work daily to create a better future.
At NotCo we are not and do not seek to be the perfect company, but rather the right one. We are here to produce changes, and that is why we dare, fail, and sometimes achieve incredible successes.
We are currently looking for a Product Development Scientist for our NotCo B2B Research & Development located in San Francisco, California, requiring an active on-site presence. This position will report to our R&D Sr. Team Lead and the incumbent will work cross-functionally to ensure R&D activities are successfully deployed locally.
Responsible for the:
Independently conducts day-to-day product development activities as directed by the manager across multiple projects. This includes supporting activities related to the full product lifecycle process (from product concept to successful commercial launch as needed)and supporting process development, scale-up and technology transfer
Supports the design and execution of bench-top tests, pilot-plant trials and full-scale formulations to deliver high-quality food products that meet and exceed the sensory, cost, and other performance targets
Proactively proposes and uses sensory and analytical analysis to guide and validate the development process
Maintains detailed documentation, experiment tracking and outcomes, and documents finished goods and ingredient specifications
Provides feedback to project lead regarding relevant technical and process information
Communicates proactively and effectively with cross-functional teams, clearly articulating perspectives and trade-offs related to new product development goals
Utilizes NotCo's proprietary AI technology to develop and improve food products
Supports formula validation activities as well as process development, scale-up and technology transfer
Engages in client communications and workshops, bringing technical
Maintains detailed documentation across all R&D activities in a timely manner
Qualifications / Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in Food Engineering, Food Science, Engineering in Biotechnology or a similar discipline.
2 + years of Food R&D experience is desired, preferably across both food and beverage categories.
Be agile, adaptable, and thrive in a dynamic and changing culture; works relentlessly to overachieve, anticipate obstacles, and create plans to overcome them.
Adapts easily to changing priorities and direction based on new project learnings and team priorities.
Demonstrated competency to effectively communicate (oral & written) cross-functionally with solid collaboration skills.
Comfortable in client-facing situations and able to communicate complex topics clearly and simply.
Excel in a startup environment, is excited to create new procedures and processes from scratch and has a strong entrepreneurial mindset.
Be a problem solver, have a general manager mindset, and take the initiative to get the job done
Possess strong planning, project management, and execution skills, and the ability to articulate where and how you have used them.
Rigorous data-driven/analytical capability and ability and presence to present data effectively to a leadership team
Work well in teams and cross-functional groups in a matrixed environment, both regionally and globally
Possesses strong computer skills, including a high level of proficiency in MS Office, specifically Excel
Authorization to work in the U.S. is required
Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, including international travel and extended trips.
NotCo is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. The pay range for this role is $65,000 - $75,000. Actual compensation packages are based on several factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, depth of experience, certifications, and specific work location. This may be different in other locations due to differences in the cost of labor.
We are an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
research scientist - RL
Principal research scientist job in San Francisco, CA
Join a Leading Applied Research Lab Pushing the Boundaries of Reinforcement Learning
Are you passionate about advancing the frontiers of reinforcement learning (RL)? An innovative AI research lab is seeking talented and ambitious scientists to shape the next generation of RL techniques-especially where they intersect with large models and environment generation.
About the Role
As an AI Research Scientist focused on RL, you will:
Develop novel optimization-based methods for automated RL environment generation
Establish baselines for evaluating the quality and diversity of RL environments
Design infrastructure to create dynamic environments from historical datasets and agent evaluations
Drive your own research agenda, contributing directly to the progress of our platform and the broader AI community
What We're Looking For
PhD (or equivalent experience) in machine learning, computer science or a related field
Strong publication record and/or evidence of research impact (open source, deployed systems, etc.)
Deep expertise in reinforcement learning and machine learning fundamentals
Proficient in Python and at least one modern ML framework (such as PyTorch or JAX)
Bonus Points
Experience with post-training large language models (LLMs)
Demonstrated software engineering skills
Ability to communicate research findings effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences