Network Research Scientist

California Institute of Technology; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The California Institute of Technology seeks a Research Scientist with expertise in networks, AI, and distributed systems to work with the SciNet project and Oak Ridge partners. You will develop AI-agent architectures, study HPC networking, and build reproducible experiments using Python and ML frameworks.

You will collaborate across university and national lab partners, publish results, and contribute to toolchains that monitor, optimize, and autonomously manage scientific networks.

Qualifications

• PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Data Science, AI/ML, or related field.
• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python.
• Understanding of computer networking and distributed systems.
• Familiarity with machine learning or artificial intelligence.
• Ability to conduct experiments, analyze data, and communicate technical results.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team.

Responsibilities

• Investigate architectures for AI agents operating in networked systems.
• Develop and evaluate LLM-based and reinforcement-learning-based network agents.
• Explore multi-agent approaches for network monitoring, optimization, troubleshooting, and orchestration.
• Investigate agent planning, reasoning, tool use, memory, and coordination for network operations.
• Develop methods for safe and reliable autonomous network decision-making.
• Analyze network telemetry, traffic patterns, performance metrics, and system events.
• Study network optimization problems including routing, congestion control, traffic engineering, and resource allocation.
• Investigate interactions between compute, storage, and network resources in HPC environments.
• Evaluate AI-agent approaches using HPC and scientific networking workloads.
• Develop experimental environments using network simulators, emulators, digital twins, and HPC testbeds.
• Implement prototype AI-agent systems and integrate them with networking tools.
• Conduct controlled experiments to compare AI-agent approaches against conventional network-management techniques.
• Collect, analyze, and visualize experimental results.
• Develop research prototypes primarily in Python and, where appropriate, C/C++ or other systems languages.
• Work with machine-learning frameworks and APIs.
• Develop interfaces between AI agents and network monitoring/control systems.
• Build reproducible experiment pipelines and research software.
• Use Git/GitHub or equivalent version-control systems and follow good software-engineering practices.
• Contribute to conference and workshop submissions.
• Present research results to interdisciplinary audiences.
• Participate in research meetings with university, national laboratory, and industry collaborators.

Skills

Python

Networking & distributed systems

AI/ML basics

Experimentation & data analysis

Communication skills

Independent & team working

Education

PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Data Science, AI/ML, or related field

Tools

Git/GitHub

PyTorch

TensorFlow

HPC tooling

Job description

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated Research Scientist with a strong background in networks and distributed systems to work with the Caltech High Energy Physics group and partners at Oak Ridge National Lab in the SciNet project which is part of the Genesis Mission. The position will focus on the development of a science workflow-aware network system supporting data intensive science programs including the Large Hadron Collider program. The position will involve research on AI agents for intelligent, autonomous, and self-optimizing networks for supercomputing and scientific infrastructure.

The researcher will work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, computer networking, high-performance computing (HPC), distributed systems, and autonomous systems. The position will contribute to the development and evaluation of AI-agent architectures capable of monitoring, reasoning about, optimizing, and autonomously managing complex scientific networks.

Essential Job Duties and Key Responsibilities

AI-Agent Research

• Investigate architectures for AI agents operating in networked systems.
• Develop and evaluate LLM-based and/or reinforcement-learning-based network agents.
• Explore multi-agent approaches for network monitoring, optimization, troubleshooting, and orchestration.
• Investigate agent planning, reasoning, tool use, memory, and coordination for network operations.
• Develop methods for safe and reliable autonomous network decision-making.

Network and HPC Research

• Analyze network telemetry, traffic patterns, performance metrics, and system events.
• Study network optimization problems including routing, congestion control, traffic engineering, and resource allocation.
• Investigate interactions between compute, storage, and network resources in HPC environments.
• Evaluate AI-agent approaches using HPC and scientific networking workloads.

Experimental Research and Testbeds

• Develop experimental environments using network simulators, emulators, digital twins, and/or HPC testbeds.
• Implement prototype AI-agent systems and integrate them with networking tools.
• Conduct controlled experiments to compare AI-agent approaches against conventional network-management techniques.
• Collect, analyze, and visualize experimental results.

Software Development

• Develop research prototypes primarily in Python and, where appropriate, C/C++ or other systems languages.
• Work with machine-learning frameworks and APIs.
• Develop interfaces between AI agents and network monitoring/control systems.
• Build reproducible experiment pipelines and research software.
• Use Git/GitHub or equivalent version-control systems and follow good software-engineering practices.

Research Communication

• Contribute to conference and workshop submissions.
• Present research results to interdisciplinary audiences.
• Participate in research meetings with university, national laboratory, and industry collaborators.

Basic Qualifications Required

• PhD in Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Data Science, AI/ML, or a related field.
• Strong programming skills, preferably in Python.
• Understanding of computer networking and distributed systems.
• Familiarity with machine learning or artificial intelligence.
• Ability to conduct experiments, analyze data, and communicate technical results.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with one or more of the following is highly desirable:

• Large language models and generative AI
• AI agents or agentic AI systems
• Reinforcement learning
• Multi-agent systems
• Network simulation/emulation
• High-performance computing
• Software-defined networking
• Network telemetry and observability
• Digital twins
• Kubernetes or cloud infrastructure
• PyTorch, TensorFlow, or similar ML frameworks
• Distributed systems
• Network optimization

Required Documents

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter

Hiring Range

$70,000 - $90,000 Per Year. The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training. As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks.

EEO Statement

Caltech is an equal opportunity employer and, as a federal contractor, takes affirmative action to employ qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Disability Accommodations

Caltech complies with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We consider reasonable accommodation measures that may be necessary for eligible applicants and employees to perform the essential functions of a position.

If you would like to request an accommodation to complete this application, interview, or otherwise participate in the employee selection process, please contact Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail].

Additionally, if you do not meet the basic qualifications of a role but believe you can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, please reach out to Caltech Recruiting at [e-mail].