Remote AI Research Scientist - Reinforcement Learning

Placements24; Mbombela (Nelspruit); Hybrid; ZAR 2,141,000 - 2,964,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote work

Competitive salary with bonuses

Health, dental, vision insurance

Conference travel & research materials

Home office stipend

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Remote AI Research Scientist specializing in Reinforcement Learning to join a globally distributed team. The role focuses on designing, implementing, and evaluating novel RL algorithms for complex domains from a home office.

The ideal candidate has a PhD or MS in a quantitative field, strong publication history, and expertise in Python with deep learning frameworks. You will collaborate with researchers and engineers on cutting-edge AI projects in a remote-first setup.

Qualifications

• PhD or Master’s degree with a strong focus on Reinforcement Learning.
• Publications in leading AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, AAAI) or equivalent contributions.

Responsibilities

• Conduct fundamental and applied RL research, including deep RL, multi-agent RL, and model-based RL.
• Develop and implement novel RL algorithms for challenging problems across domains.
• Design experiments to validate RL agent performance and scalability.
• Collaborate with researchers and engineers to integrate RL into larger AI systems.
• Publish findings in top-tier conferences and journals.
• Contribute to the RL research agenda and mentor junior researchers.
• Develop simulation environments for training RL algorithms.

Skills

Reinforcement Learning

Research publications

Python programming

Remote collaboration

Education

PhD or MS in CS/AI/ML

Tools

TensorFlow

PyTorch

JAX

Stable Baselines3

RLlib

TF-Agents

NumPy

SciPy

Python

Job description

About the Role

Our client is at the cutting edge of **AI & Emerging Technologies** and is looking for a brilliant Remote AI Research Scientist with a specialization in Reinforcement Learning (RL) to join their globally distributed team. This fully remote role allows you to contribute to groundbreaking research and development in RL from the comfort of your own home office. You will focus on designing, implementing, and evaluating novel RL algorithms for complex problem domains. This position requires a deep theoretical understanding of RL, strong programming skills, and a passion for pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence. You will collaborate with a world-class team of researchers and engineers, leveraging advanced simulation environments and real-world data. As a remote-first professional, you will benefit from a high degree of autonomy and flexibility, while contributing to impactful projects that will shape the future of AI. We are seeking highly motivated individuals who thrive in an independent and intellectually stimulating environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct fundamental and applied research in Reinforcement Learning, including areas like deep RL, multi-agent RL, and model-based RL.
• Develop and implement novel RL algorithms and techniques to address challenging problems in various domains.
• Design and execute experiments to validate the performance and scalability of RL agents.
• Collaborate with other researchers and engineers to integrate RL solutions into larger AI systems.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in RL and related fields, publishing findings in top-tier conferences and journals.
• Contribute to the strategic direction of the RL research agenda.
• Mentor junior researchers and contribute to the team's knowledge sharing and technical growth.
• Develop simulation environments or leverage existing ones for training and testing RL algorithms.

Requirements

• Ph.D. or Master's degree in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related quantitative field, with a strong focus on Reinforcement Learning.
• Proven research experience in Reinforcement Learning, demonstrated through publications in leading AI conferences (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, AAAI) or equivalent contributions.
• Expertise in deep learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, or JAX.
• Strong programming skills in Python, including proficiency with scientific computing libraries (NumPy, SciPy).
• Experience with RL libraries and frameworks (e.g., Stable Baselines3, RLlib, TF-Agents).
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for effective collaboration in remote setting.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage research projects effectively.

Benefits

• Fully remote work opportunity with flexible hours.
• Highly competitive salary and potential for research-driven bonuses.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Generous allowance for professional development, including conference travel and research materials.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge research with significant real-world impact.
• Collaborative international research community.
• Home office setup stipend.