Machine Learning Manager

LawZero; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

20 days vacation per year

4% retirement contribution by employer

8% additional compensation for savings

Job summary

LawZero, a Montreal-based non-profit focused on safe-by-design AI, seeks a Machine Learning Manager to lead research teams and guide complex projects using the Scientist AI framework inspired by Yoshua Bengio.

You will manage people, scale the research organization, and bridge cutting-edge theory with large-scale engineering, fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment in a vibrant Montreal office.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics or related field.
• 10+ years experience in machine learning / deep learning.
• 5+ years experience leading projects and people.
• Experience leading ML/DL research projects.
• Experience in foundation models.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor ML research scientists and engineers.
• Scale the organization through technical hiring and onboarding.
• Coach team members to develop skills and maintain a positive employee experience.
• Lead with humility to foster inclusive, collaborative environment.
• Bridge theory and engineering to drive breakthroughs.

Skills

ML/DL experience

People leadership

ML research leadership

Foundation models

Strong communicator

Education

PhD in CS/Math

Job description

We are seeking a Machine Learning (ML) Manager to join our growing team dedicated to a novel AI safety agenda. In this role, you will join the group tasked with designing and implementing innovative ML models using the Scientist AI approach developed by Yoshua Bengio. As both a people manager and technical leader, you will guide research team members and spearhead complex projects within a matrix structure. You will bridge the gap between cutting-edge scientific theory and large-scale engineering execution.

People management

• Lead, mentor and inspire a team of mission-minded and highly skilled ML research scientists and engineers.
• Partner with other leaders and talent acquisition to scale the organization. Drive technical hiring, active sourcing, interviewing, and onboarding to accelerate our research velocity.
• Coach technical team members to help them do their best work and develop new skills, while ensuring a high quality, supportive employee experience.
• Lead with humility to cultivate an inclusive, collaborative and intellectually rigorous environment.
• Display managerial courage as needed to continue fostering a healthy and productive work environment as we scale.

Technical leadership

• Guide cross-functional project teams tackling complex, sometimes unchartered, scientific and engineering challenges within an evolving matrix structure.
• Manage and optimize research workflows to ensure rigorous, reproducible results at the frontier model scale.
• Advocate for our research agenda internally and externally, maintaining momentum to achieve breakthroughs and overcome complex technical roadblocks.
• Collaborate within and across projects, bridging theoretical concepts and advanced engineering.

Required skills and qualifications

Background & experience

• PhD in a relevant field (e.g., Computer Science, Mathematics).
• 10+ years experience in machine learning / deep learning
• 5+ years experience leading projects and people
• Experience leading machine learning / deep learning research projects
• Experience in foundation models

Role fit

• Strong alignment with LawZero's existing research agenda.
• Note: We highly recommend that interested candidates read into the Scientist AI framework before confirming interest.
• Advanced oral and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific concepts for diverse audiences.
• Resilience and advanced problem-solving skills when facing ambiguous or unmapped technical challenges.
• Proven ability to push the boundaries of our research while fostering a sustainable, healthy work environment for your team.

What we offer

• The chance to contribute meaningfully to a globally critical initiative
• Comprehensive health benefits (including mental health and wellness management account)
• 20 days of vacation per year upon start
• Employer contribution of 4% to your retirement savings, with no required employee match
• Additional compensation totaling 8% of your salary to apply towards additional retirement savings or bonuses (independent of group and individual performance)
• A team of passionate world-class experts in their field
• A collaborative and inclusive work environment in our vibrant office space in the heart of Little Italy, in the trendy Mile-Ex district, close to public transportation

About LawZero

LawZero is a non-profit organization committed to advancing research and creating technical solutions that enable safe-by-design AI systems. Its scientific direction is based on new research and methods proposed by Professor Yoshua Bengio, the most cited AI researcher in the world. Based in Montreal, LawZero's research aims to build non-agentic AI that learns primarily to understand the world rather than to act in it, giving truthful answers to questions based on transparent and externalized probabilistic reasoning. Such AI systems could be used to accelerate scientific discovery, to provide oversight for agentic AI systems, and to advance the understanding of AI risks and how to avoid them. LawZero believes that AI should be cultivated as a global public good - developed and used safely towards human flourishing. For more information, visit www.lawzero.org.

You belong here

At LawZero, diversity is important to us. We value a work environment that is fair, open and respectful of differences. We welcome applications from highly qualified individuals interested in working towards our mission in a respectful, inclusive and collaborative setting.

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