AI Research Engineer

  Prolific

Prolific is not just another player in the AI space – we are the architects of the human data infrastructure that's reshaping the landscape of AI development. In a world where foundational AI technologies are increasingly commoditized, it's the quality and diversity of human-generated data that truly differentiates products and models.

The Role

Prolific AI Research (PAIR) is the AI research group at Prolific (https://labs.prolific.com/). We work on the science of evaluation: how to measure AI systems well, grounded in real human judgement at population scale. We are seeking a Research Engineer to conduct innovative research in key AI areas including evaluation methodologies (particularly those grounded in human data), alignment techniques, and synthetic data generation. You'll bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI research and practical applications, helping to translate research insights into valuable products and services. As part of our commitment to contribute to the wider AI community, you'll be involved in writing papers that advance the field. Your work will directly impact how we understand, evaluate, and improve AI systems through high-quality human data.

What You’ll Be Doing

Research & Innovation

• Lead independent research projects in AI evaluation methodologies, alignment techniques, and synthetic data generation
• Design and implement novel evaluation frameworks for LLMs and agent systems that are grounded in human data
• Contribute to the academic AI community through publications and open-source contributions
• Stay at the forefront of AI research and pioneer innovative approaches to tackle pressing open challenges in the field

Technical Implementation

• Design and conduct rigorous experiments to study AI models and systems with sound methodological approaches
• Develop scalable frameworks for systematic evaluation of model behaviours and capabilities
• Create tools and frameworks that transform research insights into practical applications
• Build infrastructure to support large-scale research experiments when needed
• Apply knowledge of model fine-tuning, optimization techniques, distillation, and other ML engineering practices to support research goals

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with ML engineers, data scientists, and product teams to translate research insights into practical applications
• Mentor team members on advanced AI concepts and emerging research directions
• Communicate complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders

What You’ll Bring 

• 5+ years of engineering experience with significant AI/ML focus
• Demonstrated research experience through publications, open-source contributions, or impactful projects
• Strong engineering fundamentals and experience implementing AI systems in production environments
• Deep knowledge of LLM evaluation methodologies, alignment techniques, and model optimization approaches
• Experience with model fine-tuning, adapters, quantization, and distillation frameworks
• Self-motivation and ability to define and pursue research directions independently
• Excellent understanding of current challenges in AI safety, reliability, and alignment
• Strong communication skills and ability to explain complex research concepts clearly
• Passion for staying current with the rapidly evolving AI research landscape

  Why Prolific is a great place to work

We've built a unique platform that connects researchers and companies with a global pool of participants, enabling the collection of high-quality, ethically sourced human behavioral data and feedback. This data is the cornerstone of developing more accurate, nuanced, and aligned AI systems.

We believe that the next leap in AI capabilities won't come solely from scaling existing models, but from integrating diverse human perspectives and behaviors into AI development. By providing this crucial human data infrastructure, Prolific is positioning itself at the forefront of the next wave of AI innovation – one that reflects the breadth and the best of humanity.

Working for us will place you at the forefront of AI innovation, providing access to our unique human data platform and opportunities for groundbreaking research. Join us to enjoy a competitive salary, benefits, and remote working within our impactful, mission-driven culture.

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