Postdoctoral Fellow in Mechanistic Interpretability

John Hopkin’s University; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 63,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Language and Speech Processing is recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow to advance mechanistic interpretability, large language models, and multimodal AI. The candidate will join a dynamic team and contribute to cutting-edge research in foundational AI.

The successful hire will be advised by Berrak Sisman and Philipp Koehn, and collaborate with an international team to push the boundaries of interpretable, trustworthy, and controllable AI, with preference for

Qualifications

• Candidates with doctoral degrees in electrical engineering, computer science, or closely related fields are sought.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with an international team on an exciting research project advancing foundation models and interpretable AI.
• Contribute to methods for more trustworthy and controllable AI.
• Engage with candidates who have experience in speech, audio, or language modeling to strengthen the research program.

Skills

Mechanistic interpretability

Large language models

Multimodal AI

Machine learning

Representation analysis

Causal interventions

Model steering

Education

PhD in electrical engineering, computer science, or closely related fields

Job description

Salary

Fellow AY26–27 salaries range from $63,480 to$100,000+. The budgeted salary for this position is $80,000

Johns Hopkins University: Whiting School of Engineering: Departmentof Electrical and Computer Engineering

Description

We are recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow at Johns HopkinsUniversity’s Center for Language and Speech Processing (CLSP). Weare looking for candidates with strong expertise in mechanisticinterpretability, large language models, multimodal AI, and machinelearning. Experience with representation analysis, causalinterventions, or model steering is particularly welcome.

The successful candidate will be advised by Berrak Sisman andPhilipp Koehn and collaborate with an international team on anexciting research project advancing our understanding of foundationmodels and developing methods for more interpretable, trustworthy,and controllable AI. Candidates with experience in speech, audio,or language modeling are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

Candidates with doctoral degrees in electrical engineering,computer science, or closely related fields are sought.

Salary Range

The referenced salary range represents the minimum and maximumsalaries for this position and is based on Johns HopkinsUniversity's good faith belief at the time of posting. Not allcandidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range.The actual compensation offered to the selected candidate may varyand will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may includethe successful candidate's geographic location, skills, workexperience, internal equity, market conditions, education/trainingand other factors, as reasonably determined by theUniversity.

Total Rewards

Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports ouremployees' health, life, career and retirement. More informationcan be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The Johns Hopkins University is committed to equal opportunity forits faculty, staff, and students. To that end, the university doesnot discriminate on the basis of sex, gender, marital status,pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age,disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity orexpression, veteran status or other legally protectedcharacteristics. The University is committed to providing qualifiedindividuals access to all academic and employment programs,benefits and activities on the basis of demonstrated ability,performance and merit without regard to personal factors ordemographic characteristics that are irrelevant to the programinvolved.

Pre-Employment Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with Johns HopkinsUniversity and require special assistance or accommodation duringany part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HRBusiness Services Office at [e-mail] . ForTTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For moreinformation about workplace accommodations at Johns HopkinsUniversity for disabilities, medical conditions (including medicalconditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), accessibility, orreligious reasons, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu .

Background Checks

After receiving a conditional offer, the successful candidate(s)for this position will be subject to a pre-employment backgroundcheck including education verification. When deciding whether acandidate’s conviction history is job-disqualifying, the Universityconsiders the nature and gravity of the offense, the time that haspassed since the conviction, and the nature of the job beingsought.

EEO is the Law

https://www.eeoc.gov/employees-job-applicants

Vaccine Requirements

Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longerrequires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

This changedoes not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must befully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proofof vaccination status.

We still require all faculty, staff, andstudents to receive the seasonalflu vaccine .

Exceptions to the seasonal flu vaccine or COVID-19 vaccine (forSOM) requirement(s) may be provided to individuals with sincerelyheld religious beliefs or medical conditions that preclude themfrom receiving the vaccine.

Requests for an exception must besubmitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additionalinformation, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional vaccine requirements may apply,depending upon your campus. Please contact the hiring departmentfor more information.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas,laboratories, working with research subjects, or involvingcommunity contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella(chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may includedocumentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicellavaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratorytesting. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases areordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except forthose candidates who provide results of blood tests or immunizationdocumentation from their own health care providers. Anyvaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no costin our Occupational Health office.