Applied AI Researcher: Foundations & LLMs

Capital One; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 219,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Capital One is seeking a research-focused Applied Researcher to build and operationalize AI foundation models at scale. You will collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and product managers to translate research into real-world banking AI products.

The role emphasizes open-source contributions, rigorous experimentation, and publishing impactful findings while leveraging cloud platforms and modern ML toolchains.

Qualifications

• PhD in CS/EE/AI or related field with expected degree by start date or MS + 2 years applied research experience.
• Experience with AI foundation models and open-source tools.
• Experience delivering libraries or platform-level code.
• Publications or demonstrable research impact.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, ML engineers, and product managers to deliver AI-powered products.
• Build AI foundation models from design to training, evaluation, and deployment.
• Translate complex research into tangible business goals and reports.
• Prepare internal reports or conference submissions with senior researchers.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Open-source

Research leadership

Experimental design

Education

PhD in CS/EE/AI

Tools

PyTorch

AWS

HuggingFace

Lightning

Job description

Capital One is seeking a research-focused Applied Researcher to build and operationalize AI foundation models at scale. You will collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, and product managers to translate research into real-world banking AI products.

The role emphasizes open-source contributions, rigorous experimentation, and publishing impactful findings while leveraging cloud platforms and modern ML toolchains.