Research Engineer/Research Scientist, RL/Reasoning at OpenAI - San Francisco, CA

Join OpenAI's groundbreaking RL and Reasoning team that's powering innovations like o1 and o3 models. Advance AI capabilities through cutting-edge reinforcement learning research.

Role Overview

The Research Engineer/Research Scientist, RL/Reasoning role at OpenAI represents a rare opportunity to work at the absolute forefront of artificial intelligence. Based in San Francisco, California, this position sits at the heart of developing next-generation AI systems that exhibit advanced reasoning, planning, and alignment with human values. The RL and Reasoning team has been responsible for some of OpenAI's most transformative breakthroughs, including the o1 and o3 model families that have redefined what's possible with language models.

In this role, you'll tackle the most challenging problems in reinforcement learning (RL), AI alignment, and scalable reasoning. Your work will directly contribute to training intelligent agents capable of general-purpose problem-solving across diverse domains. Expect to work with massive compute clusters, cutting-edge algorithms like RLHF (Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback), and proprietary datasets that power OpenAI's world-leading models.

This is a hybrid position requiring 3 days per week in our San Francisco office, with comprehensive relocation assistance available. OpenAI seeks candidates who thrive in ambiguity, iterate rapidly, and possess both deep theoretical understanding and practical engineering skills.

Key Responsibilities

As a Research Engineer/Research Scientist in RL/Reasoning, your day-to-day will involve:

• Architecting novel RL algorithms that push the boundaries of model reasoning and planning capabilities
• Designing tightly-controlled experiments to validate hypotheses and ensure reproducible, trustworthy results
• Debugging and optimizing massive ML codebases that train models on thousands of GPUs
• Implementing scalable RLHF pipelines for aligning superhuman AI systems with human preferences
• Collaborating cross-functionally with product teams to deploy research breakthroughs into production
• Analyzing training trajectories to identify failure modes and scaling bottlenecks
• Contributing to research publications that shape the global AI research agenda
• Mentoring junior team members on principled ML research practices
• Staying ahead of the curve by tracking and adapting state-of-the-art techniques from academia and industry
• Building infrastructure for rapid experimentation and iteration cycles
• Developing evaluation frameworks for assessing reasoning capabilities in novel domains
• Participating in technical design reviews for major model training initiatives
• Driving end-to-end ownership of research projects from ideation to deployment

Qualifications

Successful candidates will demonstrate:

• Advanced degree (PhD preferred) in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or related field with RL focus
• 3+ years of applied RL research experience, ideally with large language models
• Publication record in top venues (NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, CoRL)
• Expertise in PyTorch/JAX and distributed training frameworks
• Proven ability to debug complex ML systems under tight deadlines
• Strong systems programming skills for optimizing training throughput
• Experience with RL algorithms (PPO, SAC, implicit language Q-learning)
• Deep understanding of AI safety and alignment challenges
• Track record of shipping production ML systems at scale
• Excellent communication skills for cross-team collaboration
• Thrives in fast-paced, high-ambiguity research environments

Salary & Benefits

OpenAI offers highly competitive compensation packages for Research Engineer/Research Scientist roles, typically ranging from $320,000 to $550,000 annually (base + equity + bonus), depending on experience level and impact. Total compensation often exceeds $700K+ for top performers through equity appreciation.

Comprehensive benefits include:

• Premium health, dental, vision coverage with low employee premiums
• 401(k) with generous company match
• Unlimited PTO with encouragement to disconnect
• 16 weeks paid parental leave for all parents
• Relocation package including housing assistance
• State-of-the-art office with unlimited meals/snacks
• Learning stipend for conferences and professional development
• Wellness benefits including gym membership and mental health support

Why Join OpenAI?

OpenAI isn't just another AI company—it's the organization defining the future of artificial general intelligence. Your work here will shape how humanity interacts with increasingly capable AI systems. The RL/Reasoning team specifically drives OpenAI's most ambitious technical challenges, from reasoning model architectures to scalable alignment techniques.

Unlike traditional research labs, OpenAI combines academic rigor with product deployment at massive scale. You'll work alongside the world's top AI talent on problems that matter to humanity's future. Our hybrid model balances collaborative intensity with flexibility, while our San Francisco headquarters provides an unparalleled ecosystem for AI innovation.

Cultural highlights include flat hierarchy, rapid decision-making, and genuine ownership of mission-critical projects. OpenAI prioritizes safety and responsible development, ensuring your research contributes positively to society.

How to Apply

Ready to advance the frontier of AI reasoning? Submit your application including:

• Resume/CV highlighting RL research experience
• GitHub/portfolio with relevant code samples
• 2-3 most impactful research papers/publications
• Cover letter explaining your passion for RL and OpenAI's mission

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Top candidates advance to technical interviews including RL algorithm design, coding challenges, and research discussions. OpenAI is committed to diversity and equal opportunity employment.

Keywords: OpenAI RL jobs, reinforcement learning research scientist, AI reasoning engineer San Francisco, OpenAI research careers