Researcher, Interpretability

OpenAI; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading AI research company in California is seeking a passionate Researcher in Mechanistic Interpretability. You will develop techniques for understanding deep learning models. The role requires a Ph.D. or equivalent experience in related fields and 2+ years in research engineering. Collaborating in a curiosity-driven team, you will impact AI safety's trajectory as models grow in capability. This position embraces the core values of safety and human benefit in AI deployment, contributing to building a better future.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of research engineering experience.
• Experience in AI safety or mechanistic interpretability.
• Enthusiasm for long-term AI safety and its technical paths.

Responsibilities

• Develop and publish research on techniques for understanding representations of deep networks.
• Engineer infrastructure for studying model internals at scale.
• Collaborate on projects that OpenAI is uniquely suited to pursue.
• Guide research directions toward demonstrable usefulness.

Skills

Python or similar languages

Quantitative reasoning

Research engineering experience

Deep learning understanding

AI safety knowledge

Education

Ph.D. in computer science, machine learning, or related field

Job description

The Interpretability team studies internal representations of deep learning models. We are interested in using representations to understand model behavior, and in engineering models to have more understandable representations. We are particularly interested in applying our understanding to ensure the safety of powerful AI systems. Our working style is collaborative and curiosity-driven.

About the Role

OpenAI is seeking a researcher passionate about understanding deep networks, with a strong background in engineering, quantitative reasoning, and the research process. You will develop and carry out a research plan in mechanistic interpretability, in close collaboration with a highly motivated team. You will play a critical role in helping OpenAI ensure future models remain safe even as they grow in capability. This will make a significant impact on our goal of building and deploying safe AGI.

In this role, you will:

Develop and publish research on techniques for understanding representations of deep networks.

Engineer infrastructure for studying model internals at scale.

Collaborate across teams to work on projects that OpenAI is uniquely suited to pursue.

Guide research directions toward demonstrable usefulness and/or long-term scalability.

Show enthusiasm for long-term AI safety, and have thought deeply about technical paths to safe AGI.

Bring experience in the field of AI safety, mechanistic interpretability, or spiritually related disciplines.

Hold a Ph.D. or have research experience in computer science, machine learning, or a related field.

Thrive in environments involving large-scale AI systems, and are excited to make use of OpenAI’s unique resources in this area.

Possess 2+ years of research engineering experience and proficiency in Python or similar languages.

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable law, and qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment consistent with those laws, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act, for US-based candidates. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

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