Role Overview

As a Research Scientist at OpenAI in San Francisco, California, you'll be at the heart of innovation in machine learning and AI research. OpenAI is dedicated to ensuring general-purpose AI benefits all of humanity, and your work will advance our research agenda. Expect to discover simple, generalizable ideas that scale massively and unify our company's vision.

This senior-level position demands autonomy, creativity, and a passion for impactful AI. Located in the vibrant tech hub of San Francisco, you'll collaborate with world-class peers, tackling challenges in deep learning, large language models, reinforcement learning, and beyond. Whether optimizing neural networks or pioneering new algorithms, your contributions will shape products like ChatGPT and future AGI systems.

OpenAI's approach emphasizes safety, scalability, and human-centered AI. Research Scientists here don't just follow trends—they set them, with opportunities to publish first-author papers and influence global AI discourse.

Key Responsibilities

Research Scientists at OpenAI own their research destiny. Key responsibilities include:

• Developing innovative machine learning techniques that advance team-specific and company-wide agendas.
• Independently identifying high-impact problems and executing long-term projects.
• Collaborating cross-functionally to integrate simple, scalable ideas into broader visions.
• Conducting rigorous experiments on large-scale datasets using PyTorch or TensorFlow.
• Implementing high-performance deep learning models optimized for production.
• Publishing research and presenting at top conferences like NeurIPS, ICML, and ICLR.
• Mentoring engineers and junior researchers on best practices.
• Analyzing AI safety implications and incorporating ethical considerations.
• Iterating on hypotheses through data-driven validation and peer review.
• Contributing to open-source projects that democratize AI advancements.
• Staying abreast of emerging trends in generative AI, NLP, and computer vision.
• Optimizing algorithms for efficiency in real-world deployments.
• Documenting methodologies for reproducibility and knowledge sharing.
• Participating in hackathons and internal challenges to spark innovation.

These tasks ensure your work directly impacts OpenAI's mission to safely deploy powerful AI systems.

Qualifications

To thrive as a Research Scientist at OpenAI, candidates need:

• A proven track record of first-author publications or significant ML projects.
• Ability to autonomously own research agendas and deliver results.
• Deep expertise in machine learning, deep learning, and scalable implementations.
• PhD or equivalent experience in CS, ML, or related fields.
• Proficiency in Python, PyTorch, TensorFlow, and high-performance computing.
• Excitement for OpenAI's safety-first approach to AGI.
• Strong problem-solving skills for complex, ambiguous challenges.
• Experience with large language models, reinforcement learning, or multimodal AI.
• Thoughtful insights on AI's societal impacts.
• Excellent communication for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Nice-to-haves: Production ML experience and contributions to influential repos.

OpenAI values diverse perspectives and is an equal opportunity employer.

Salary & Benefits

Research Scientist salaries at OpenAI in San Francisco range from $275,000 to $450,000 USD yearly, plus equity. Benefits include comprehensive health coverage, 401(k) matching, unlimited PTO, parental leave, professional development stipends, catered meals, fitness programs, relocation support, and more. Enjoy cutting-edge resources and a collaborative culture.

Why Join OpenAI?

OpenAI isn't just a company—it's a mission to benefit humanity through AI. In San Francisco, you'll work with pioneers like those behind GPT models, in a flat structure fostering bold ideas. Our commitment to safety sets us apart, ensuring powerful tech serves human needs.

Benefits extend beyond compensation: influence global AI policy, publish freely, and join a diverse team valuing every voice. With rapid growth, your career accelerates amid breakthroughs. San Francisco's ecosystem amplifies opportunities for networking and inspiration.

Past Research Scientists have led paradigm shifts in AI capabilities. Join to make history.

How to Apply

Ready for Research Scientist careers at OpenAI? Submit your resume, cover letter highlighting ML achievements, and links to publications/projects. We'll review holistically, considering your fit across teams. Background checks apply per law; accommodations available.

Apply now and shape AI's future!