Research Assistant

Caltech; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 35,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

Caltech's AI+Science Lab seeks a Research Assistant in Scientific Computing to support senior researchers in collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information for publications. You will help with literature reviews, interviews, data processing, and reporting, enabling cutting-edge AI methods for weather, materials, and biology applications.

The role emphasizes independent work, rigorous data handling, and collaboration with interdisciplinary teams, contributing to grant proposals and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Applied Math, or a related field.
• 3 years of relevant scientific research experience.
• Strong mathematical fundamentals and algorithm skills.
• Excellent programming, debugging, performance analysis, and test design skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication and documentation habits.
• Master's in Computer Science, AI, Applied Math, or a related field is preferred.
• Experience with performance analysis and tuning.
• Experience training large-scale foundation models is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Maintaining quality control standards to preserve data integrity.
• Scheduling and conducting interviews.
• Analyzing data using statistical methods.
• Writing reports to summarize data and implications of results.
• Preparing scientific equipment or setting up experiments to test hypotheses.
• Recording data or collecting samples to track progress.
• Creating graphs, charts, and tables to visualize data.
• Planning research projects and writing proposals.

Skills

C/C++ programming

Python programming

Algorithms

Debugging

Performance analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Applied Math, or related field

Master's in Computer Science, AI, Applied Math, or related field

Tools

CUDA

Containers

Numeric libraries

Modular software design

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

The Research Assistant in Scientific Computing will work at the AI+Science Lab led by Prof. Anima Anandkumar at Caltech, a mission-driven multidisciplinary environment creating cutting-edge AI methods and applying them to a wide range of scientific domains, ranging from weather/climate modeling, material design and manufacturing, protein design, and autonomous drone flights. The Research Assistant is responsible for gathering accurate, credible information on a subject and summarizing their findings to support senior research staff in scientific and academic fields. Their duties include browsing archives for information, completing literature reviews, and conducting research interviews. The successful candidate will perform a variety of duties to help with the publication of work.

Essential Job Duties

• Maintaining quality control standards to preserve the integrity of data and findings.
• Scheduling and conducting interviews.
• Selecting a place to conduct interviews and getting permission from all participants.
• Analyzing data using various statistical methods.
• Writing reports to summarize data and the implications of the results.
• Researching information.
• Gathering accurate, credible information on a subject.
• Summarizing findings to support senior research staff.
• Browsing archives for information.
• Completing literature reviews.
• Preparing scientific equipment or setting up experiments to test hypotheses.
• Recording data or collecting samples in order to track the progress of experiments over time.
• Creating graphs, charts, tables, and other visual representations of data.
• Planning research projects.
• Writing proposals and grant applications.
• Developing statistical models.
• Analyzing data.
• Producing reports.
• Presenting research findings.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, AI, Applied Math, or a related field.
• 3 years of relevant scientific research experience.
• Strong mathematical fundamentals and algorithm skills or experience.
• Excellent programming, debugging, performance analysis, and test design skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication and documentation habits.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's in Computer Science, AI, Applied Math, or a related field.
• Moderate research project experience doing performance analysis and tuning.
• Moderate research project experience training large-scale foundation models, especially pipeline/model parallelism.
• Track record of creating HPC software for numerical methods.
• Domain expertise in areas like computational fluid dynamics, material deformation, wave propagation, etc.
• Familiarity with containers, numeric libraries, modular software design.
• Experience doing performance analysis and tuning.
• Excellent C/C++ and Python programming skills.
• GPU programming (CUDA) would be welcome.

Required Documents

• Resume

Hiring Range

$25.75 to $32.00 per hour

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

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