Applied Scientist

Cognichip Inc.; Redwood City (CA); On-site; USD 104,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Cognichip Inc. is seeking an Applied Scientist to develop innovative reinforcement-learning algorithms and models. The role involves collaborating with engineers, analyzing data, and contributing to AI research. Ideal candidates have advanced degrees in relevant fields and strong programming skills.

Benefits

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience developing and evaluating ML/RL algorithms.
• Proficiency in Python and deep-learning frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Prototype and validate new algorithms.
• Collaborate with ML Engineers to integrate models.
• Analyze large datasets to improve models.

Skills

Python

Machine Learning

Reinforcement Learning

Communication

Education

PhD or Masters in Computer Science

Applied Mathematics

Physics

Electrical Engineering

Tools

PyTorch

TensorFlow

Job description

At Cognichip, we’re not just building AI—we’re redefining what’s possible at the nexus of physics, programming, and machine learning. As an Applied Scientist on our team, you’ll tackle real-world scientific and coding challenges—developing novel reinforcement-learning algorithms and physics-informed models that accelerate breakthroughs in logic, coding, and semiconductor design. If you thrive on pushing the envelope of research and translating cutting-edge ideas into production-grade systems, this is your stage.

What you'll do

• Prototype and validate new algorithms. Design, implement, and empirically evaluate novel RL, supervised, and unsupervised methods—especially those that leverage physics priors or logical constraints.
• Bridge research and production. Collaborate closely with ML Engineers and infrastructure teams to integrate experimental models into scalable pipelines, ensuring reproducibility, observability, and sub-second performance.
• Build robust experimentation platforms. Develop and maintain data-processing pipelines, training orchestration, and evaluation frameworks to accelerate iteration on large-scale experiments.
• Analyze and iterate. Dive deep into large datasets—experimental logs, simulation outputs, and user interaction traces—to diagnose model behavior, surface failure modes, and drive evidence-based improvements.
• Publish and present. Document findings in technical reports, contribute to open-source projects, and present work internally (and externally, when appropriate) to help shape the broader AI research community.

What You Bring

• PhD or Masters in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field, with a strong focus on machine learning, reinforcement learning, or scientific computing.
• Hands-on experience developing and evaluating ML/RL algorithms—ideally demonstrated via publications, open-source contributions, or applied research projects.
• Proficiency in Python and deep-learning frameworks (PyTorch or TensorFlow), with solid coding practices for collaborative research.
• Excellent communication skills: able to distill complex technical ideas into clear narratives for both technical and non-technical audiences.

Bonus Points

The following items are not required but are great bonuses:

• Prior work on physics-informed neural networks, scientific simulations, or logic-based learning.
• Demonstrated expertise in reinforcement learning for combinatorial optimization, theorem proving, or code generation.
• Background in semiconductor design flows, EDA tools, or hardware-in-the-loop experimentation.

What it's like here

We’re a rapidly growing, VC-backed startup where “raw talent and collaborative spirit over ego” isn’t just a motto—it’s how we work every day. You’ll be surrounded by teammates who have built companies from zero to IPO, led teams at Google and Amazon, and earned medals in international science Olympiads. We value relentless curiosity, humble problem-solving, and a bias toward action.

Logistics

• Redwood Shores, CA (U.S.) and Toronto, ON (Canada)
• Schedule: four days in our beautiful office, one day remote
• Visa Sponsorship: We welcome H-1B transfers and other employment-based visas

How to apply

Don’t meet every single requirement? That’s okay—if you're excited about our mission, we’d still love to hear from you. We are growing fast and need a world class team of various experience levels.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Science and Engineering

• Industries

  Semiconductor Manufacturing

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Inferred from the description for this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

401(k)

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