AI Applied Scientist - PhD , Foundational AQ & EQ in Remote

Energy Jobline ZR; Oregon (WI); Hybrid; USD 104,000 - 166,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global energy job portal is seeking a PhD Researcher for its AQ/EQ Foundation team. In this remote role, you will conduct advanced research on AI systems, focusing on fine-tuning large models and designing automated workflows to enhance the home-buying experience. Candidates should have a strong programming background, proficiency in Python, and experience in NLP or reinforcement learning. Excellent communication skills are also required.

Qualifications

• Strong publication record in advanced research.
• Hands-on experience fine-tuning large models.
• Experience in natural language processing or reinforcement learning.

Responsibilities

• Conduct state-of-the-art research on foundational models.
• Apply reinforcement learning to optimize model performance.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deploy research.

Skills

Proficiency in Python

Communication skills

Research mindset

Education

PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, or related field

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

Job Description

Energy Jobline is the largest and fastest growing global Energy Job Board and Energy Hub. We have an audience reach of over 7 million energy professionals, 400,000+ monthly advertised global energy and engineering jobs, and work with the leading energy companies worldwide.

We focus on the Oil & Gas, Renewables, Engineering, Power, and Nuclear markets as well as emerging technologies in EV, Battery, and Fusion. We are committed to ensuring that we offer the most exciting career opportunities from around the world for our jobseekers.

About the team

The Applied Science AQ/EQ (Action/Emotion Quotient) Foundation team at Zillow is at the forefront of advancing intelligent systems that empower millions of customers for their home shopping journey. Our mission is to build cutting‑edge models and agentic workflows that can provide actionable recommendations and execute tasks on behalf of users during one of the most complex and high‑stakes financial decisions of their lives. We leverage Zillow’s vast, unique and domain‑specific datasets to design adaptive AI systems that integrate with expert workflows and reduce the stress of the home‑buying journey.

About the role

As a PhD Research on the AQ/EQ Foundation team, you will conduct state‑of‑the‑art research in foundational models and building agentic AI systems. You will focus on fine‑tuning and reinforcement learning of large models (LLMs), with an emphasis on customizing them for Zillow’s domain. You’ll also explore the design of automated, agentic workflows that allow intelligent systems to reason, plan, and act in ways that directly improve the home‑buying experience. This role offers the opportunity to collaborate with applied scientists, engineers, and product leaders while pushing the boundaries of personalization and intelligent automation. You'll design training algorithms and therefore the improved agentic AI workflow will be shipped to various Zillow Agentic Skills to power the integrated Zillow Copilot experience, which is a rare opportunity to transform the real estate industry.

Responsibilities include:

• Researching and developing techniques for fine‑tuning LLMs with domain‑specific data
• Applying reinforcement learning to optimize model performance for user‑centric outcome
• Designing and prototyping agentic workflows that can autonomously perform tasks and assist home buyers
• Collaborating with cross‑functional teams to evaluate and deploy research prototypes
• Sharing insights through presentations, documentation, and potentially publications

This role has been categorized as a Remote position

Remote employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions.

Compensation

In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $104,000.00 - $166,000.00 annually. This base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

In Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont the standard base pay range for this role is $104,000.00 - $166,000.00 annually. The base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

Who you are

• Currently enrolled in a PhD program in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field with a strong publication record
• Candidates should have a background in one or more of the following areas:
  • Advanced research in natural processing (NLP) and/or reinforcement learning (RL)
  • Practical experience fine‑tuning and adapting large models (LLMs) for specific use cases
  • Familiarity with the design and implementation of automated/ agentic workflows
  • Deep understanding of LLMs, hands on experience of post‑training with the most popular OSS models
• Proficiency in Python and modern ML frameworks (e.g., PyTorch, TensorFlow)
• Excited about applying advanced AI methods to impactful, real‑world problems
• Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary environment
• Strong research mindset, with motivation to publish

Here at Zillow - we value the experience and perspective of candidates with non‑traditional backgrounds. We encourage you to apply if you have transferable skills or related experiences.

Get to know us

At Zillow, we’re reimagining how people move—through the real estate market and through their careers. As the most‑visited real estate platform in the U.S., we help customers navigate buying, selling, financing and renting with greater ease and confidence. Whether you're working in tech, sales, operations, or design, you’ll be part of a company that's reshaping an industry and helping more people make home a reality.

Zillow is honored to be recognized among the best workplaces in the country. Zillow was named one of FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For® in 2025, and included on the PEOPLE Companies That Care® 2025 list, reflecting our commitment to creating an innovative, inclusive, and engaging culture where employees are empowered to grow.

No matter where you sit in the organization, your work will help drive innovation, support our customers, and move the industry—and your career—forward, together.

Zillow Group is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive, innovative environment with the best employees. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of , , ancestry, , , , , , citizenship, marital status, , or Veteran status. If you have a or special need that requires accommodation, please contact your recruiter directly.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable state and local law.

Los Angeles County applicants

Job duties for this position include: work safely and cooperatively with other employees, supervisors, and staff; adhere to standards of excellence despite stressful conditions; communicate effectively and respectfully with employees, supervisors, and staff to ensure exceptional customer service; and follow all federal, state, and local laws and Company policies. Criminal history may have a direct, adverse, and negative relationship with some of the material job duties of this position. These include the duties and responsibilities listed above, as well as the abilities to adhere to company policies, exercise sound judgment, effectively manage stress and work safely and respectfully with others, exhibit trustworthiness and professionalism, and safeguard business operations and the Company’s reputation. Pursuant to the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

If you are interested in applying for this job please press the Apply Button and follow the application process. Energy Jobline wishes you the very best of luck in your next career move.