Client-Facing AI Researcher

Prolific; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Prolific AI Research (PAIR) is seeking a Forward Deployed Researcher to serve as Prolific's technical research partner to AI labs and enterprise customers. You'll work directly with customers on AI evaluation and data collection projects, advising on methodology, designing frameworks, and delivering research engagements end-to-end.

You'll contribute to how organizations approach evaluation, alignment, and human data challenges while shaping Prolific's own capabilities.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in AI/ML research, research engineering, or applied ML.
• Strong knowledge of LLM evaluation methodologies, data collection design, and human feedback approaches.
• Experience designing AI-assisted or model-in-the-loop workflows; you think creatively about where AI can augment human judgment.
• Track record of executing research or applied AI/ML projects with clear outcomes.
• Can build quickly when needed—you're comfortable prototyping solutions and building your own tooling.
• Strong communicator across contexts—you can hold your own with AI lab researchers, translate methodology into actionable recommendations for customers, and bring internal teams along on what matters and why.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Prolific's technical research partner on customer engagements with AI labs and enterprise AI teams.
• Advise and prototype bespoke evaluation methods, rubric design, data collection approaches, and quality frameworks.
• Own methodology for projects—from scoping through delivery—working alongside our services team.
• Build trusted relationships with customer research and engineering teams.
• Surface patterns from customer work that should become platform capabilities, partnering with Product and Engineering.
• Work with Services and Account teams to qualify opportunities and shape proposals.
• Share learnings across the Research Engineering function to strengthen our collective expertise.
• Contribute to Prolific's research publications and external collaborations as opportunities arise.
• Collaborate with product teams to translate research insights into practical applications.
• Mentor team members on advanced AI concepts and emerging research.
• Communicate complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.

Skills

AI/ML research

LLM evaluation

Research engineering

Applied ML

Prototyping

Communication

Job description

Prolific AI Research (PAIR) is seeking a Forward Deployed Researcher to serve as Prolific's technical research partner to AI labs and enterprise customers. You'll work directly with customers on AI evaluation and data collection projects, advising on methodology, designing frameworks, and delivering research engagements end-to-end.

You'll contribute to how organizations approach evaluation, alignment, and human data challenges while shaping Prolific's own capabilities.