Research Scientist - Frontier Benchmarks

Snorkel AI; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 325,000; Full time

Job summary

Snorkel AI in San Francisco is searching for a Research Scientist to lead the development of datasets and benchmarks for AI models. This customer-facing role involves working with academic partners and cross-functional teams to ensure impactful research outcomes.

The ideal candidate has a Ph.D. in a relevant field and a strong focus on AI/ML evaluation and dataset design. With robust growth opportunities, joining Snorkel offers a unique chance to influence strategic decisions and enhance your career.

Qualifications

• Strong research background in AI/ML evaluation, NLP, or related fields.
• Exceptional communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.

Responsibilities

• Design datasets for model training and evaluation based on performance and partnerships.
• Translate benchmark insights into clear narratives for technical reports and presentations.
• Work with cross-functional teams to inform the company roadmap.
• Stay updated on LLM evaluation research for Snorkel's workflows.
• Represent Snorkel’s research through publications and presentations.

Skills

AI/ML evaluation

Natural Language Processing

Experimental design

Communication skills

Education

Ph.D. in machine learning, NLP, or a related field

Job description

About Snorkel

At Snorkel, we believe meaningful AI doesn’t start with the model, it starts with the data.

We’re on a mission to help enterprises transform expert knowledge into specialized AI at scale. The AI landscape has gone through incredible changes between 2015, when Snorkel started as a research project in the Stanford AI Lab, to the generative AI breakthroughs of today. But one thing has remained constant: the data you use to build AI is the key to achieving differentiation, high performance, and production-ready systems. We work with some of the world’s largest organizations to empower scientists, engineers, financial experts, product creators, journalists, and more to build custom AI with their data faster than ever before. Excited to help us redefine how AI is built? Apply to be the newest Snorkeler!

About the Role

We're looking for a Research Scientist to collaborate with partners and lead the development of the next frontier benchmarks and datasets. This is a highly visible, customer-facing role at the intersection of research, company strategy, and go-to-market. You'll design datasets taking into account frontier model performance and work with our academic partners, and then partner with delivery, product and go-to-market to scale out production. You will also serve as a credible technical partner for our customers, prospects, and drive results that impact the broader research community.

This role reports directly to the Head of Research and is ideal for someone who is energized by cross-functional work and wants to understand how startups operate across research, data operations, and commercial teams.

Main Responsibilities

• Design state of the art datasets that drive frontier model training and evaluation based on current model performance and academic partnerships
• Translate benchmark insights into clear, compelling narratives that articulate the ROI of expert-curated data for customer-facing presentations, technical reports, and go-to-market materials.
• Work cross-functionally with data operations, product, engineering, and strategy to surface research findings that inform the company roadmap.
• Stay at the frontier of LLM evaluation research and bring best practices into Snorkel's workflows
• Represent Snorkel's research externally through publications, blog posts, conference talks, and customer engagements that advance the conversation around data-centric AI

Preferred Qualifications

• Strong research background in AI/ML evaluation, NLP, or related fields, with a track record of rigorous experimental design — especially around measuring the impact of training and evaluation data on model behavior.
• Exceptional communication skills — able to present complex technical findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Comfort operating in a fast-moving, cross-functional environment with ambiguous problem spaces
• Genuine interest in GTM strategy, startup dynamics, and the commercial side of AI data services.
• Ph.D. in machine learning, NLP, or a related field preferred; equivalent industry or research lab experience considered.

Salary Range

$200,000 - $325,000 USD

Growth Opportunities

Joining Snorkel AI means becoming part of a company that has market-proven solutions, robust funding, and is scaling rapidly—offering a unique combination of stability and the excitement of high growth. As a member of our team, you’ll have meaningful opportunities to shape priorities and initiatives, influence key strategic decisions, and directly impact our ongoing success. Whether you’re looking to deepen your technical expertise, explore leadership opportunities, or learn new skills across multiple functions, you’re fully supported in building your career in an environment designed for growth, learning, and shared success.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Snorkel AI is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Snorkel AI embraces diversity and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Snorkel AI prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, performance, merit, and business need.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.