AI Research Scientist (Sequential Decision Making)

About Phaidra

Phaidra is building the future of industrial automation.

The world today is filled with static, monolithic infrastructure. Factories, power plants, buildings, etc. operate the same they’ve operated for decades — because the controls programming is hard-coded. Thousands of lines of rules and heuristics that define how the machines interact with each other. The result of all this hard-coding is that facilities are frozen in time, unable to adapt to their environment while their performance slowly degrades.

Phaidra creates AI-powered control systems for the industrial sector, enabling industrial facilities to automatically learn and improve over time. Specifically:

• We use reinforcement learning algorithms to provide this intelligence, converting raw sensor data into high-value actions and decisions.
• We focus on industrial applications, which tend to be well-sensorized with measurable KPIs — perfect for reinforcement learning.
• We enable domain experts (our users) to configure the AI control systems (i.e. agents) without writing code. They define what they want their AI agents to do, and we do it for them.

Our team has a track record of applying AI to some of the toughest problems. From achieving superhuman performance with DeepMind’s AlphaGo, to reducing the energy required to cool Google’s Data Centers by 40%, we deeply understand AI and how to apply it in production for massive impact.

Phaidra’s ability to achieve its mission is determined by our ability to work together — as defined by our core values: Transparency, Collaboration, Operational Excellence, Ownership, and Empathy. We seek individuals who embody these values, as they are instrumental in ensuring our team consistently delivers excellence and fosters an engaging and supportive culture

Phaidra is based in the USA but 100% remote; we do not have a physical office. We hire employees internationally with the help of our partner, OysterHR. Our team is currently located throughout the USA, Canada, UK, Norway, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Japan, Singapore, and India.

Who You Are

Research Scientists at Phaidra lead our efforts in developing novel algorithmic architectures with the goal of bringing intelligent control systems to the industrial sector.

Having pioneered research in the world’s leading academic and industrial labs as PhDs, post-docs, or professors, Research Scientists join Phaidra to work collaboratively within and across research fields.

Drawing on expertise from a variety of disciplines including machine learning, reinforcement learning, optimization, and causal inference, our Research Scientists are at the forefront of groundbreaking research and applying them to real-world problems.

We are seeking a team member located within one of the following areas: United Kingdom, USA, Canada, Ireland, Norway, Spain, Italy, or Portugal. 

• In the United States, we accept applicants located in the following states: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington state. 
• In Canada, we accept applicants located in the following provinces: Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with other AI researchers on applied real-world problems to demonstrate algorithmic feasibility and enhance algorithmic capabilities.
• Design and implement prediction and decision algorithms to control complex non-linear dynamic systems.
• Develop and maintain a benchmarking platform for algorithmic performance evaluation and experimental design.
• Clearly and efficiently report and present research findings and developments, both internally and externally, verbally and in writing.
• Participate in and organize ambitious collaborative research projects.
• Work with external collaborators and maintain relationships with relevant research labs and key individuals.
• Mentor and guide Research Engineers to apply research findings and developments to industrial domains.

Key Qualifications

• PhD in a technical field or equivalent practical experience, with demonstrated expertise in one of the following areas:
  • Planning
  • Reinforcement Learning
  • Optimization
• 1+ years of applied research experience.
• Strong background in software engineering, with proficiency in Python and open-source ML libraries such as Keras, TensorFlow, PyTorch, scipy, scikit-learn, numpy, pandas, and ray.
• Prior experience with research projects and contributions to open-source software.
• Alignment with our company values: curiosity, ownership, transparency & directness, outcome-based performance, and customer empathy.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Relevant experience to the position.
• A proven track record of publications.
• Experience applying AI to real-world scenarios.

Our Stack

• Python
• PyTorch, scipy
• Kubernetes, Docker, Ray
• GCP

Onboarding

In your first 30 days…

• You will be immersed in an onboarding program that introduces you to Phaidra and our product.
• You will spend time with the research team and get introduced to the different research tracks we pursue.
• You will learn how other teams operate, interact, and approach problems.
• You will read various parts of our handbook and familiarize yourself with the documentation culture at Phaidra.
• You will set up your development environment and get introduced to various parts of our codebase.

By your first 60 days…

• You will have a solid understanding of what Phaidra does and how we do it.
• You will have met with team members across Phaidra and started building relationships that will help you be successful in your role.
• You will have a good understanding of our research tracks, allowing you to form a plan for your first project or maybe even start one.

By your first 90 days…

• You will be fully integrated into the team and have strong relationships with team members across the company.
• You will have started to contribute to knowledge sharing throughout Phaidra.
• Your project will be in full swing, and you might have some early results already.

General Interview Process

All of our interviews are held via Google Meet, and an active camera connection is required.

1. Meeting with People Operations team member (30 minutes)
2. Hiring Manager interview (30 minutes)
3. Technical Meeting with Research team member (60 minutes)
4. Technical Meeting with Research team member (60 minutes)
5. Culture fit interview with Phaidra’s co-founders (30 minutes)

Base Salary

• US Residents: $170,750-$185,000/year
• Canada Residents: CA$144,266-CA$155,632/year
• UK Residents: £110,055-£119,240/year

Salary ranges for other countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Ireland) will vary based on the market rate for the location.

This position will also include equity.

These are best faith estimates of the base salary range for this position. Multiple factors such as experience, education, level, and location are taken into account when determining compensation.

Benefits & Perks

• Fast-paced and team-oriented environment where you will be instrumental in the direction of the company.
• Phaidra is a 100% remote company with a digital nomad policy.
• Competitive compensation & equity.
• Outsized responsibilities & professional development.
• Training is foundational; functional, customer immersion, and development training.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance (exact benefits vary by region).
• Unlimited paid time off, with a minimum of 20 days off per year requirement.
• Paid parental leave (exact benefits vary by region).
• Home office setup allowance, coworking space stipend, and company MacBook.

*Please note that Phaidra’s benefits and perks listed above do not apply to temporary employees such as interns.

On being Remote

We are thoughtful about remote collaboration. We look to the pioneers – like Gitlab – for inspiration and best practices to create a stellar remote work environment. We have a documentation-first culture and actively practice asynchronous communication in everything we do. Our team stays connected through tools like Slack and video chat. Most teams meet daily, and we have dedicated all-hands meetings weekly to build strong relationships. We hold virtual team building events once per quarter – and even hold virtual socials to watch rocket launches! We have had all-company summits in locations like Seattle, Athens, Goa, and Barcelona.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Phaidra is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Phaidra is governed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status. We welcome diversity and strive to maintain an inclusive environment for all employees. If you need assistance with completing the application process, please contact us at [email protected].

E-Verify Notice

Phaidra participates in E-Verify, an employment authorization database provided through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA). As required by law, we will provide the SSA and, if necessary, the DHS, with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization for those residing in the United States.

Additional information about E-Verify can be found here.

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WE DO NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM RECRUITERS.