Member of Technical Staff, Research

About the Company

FirstPrinciples is a non-profit organization building an autonomous AI Physicist to understand the nature of reality. By combining AI, symbolic reasoning, and autonomous research capabilities, we are developing a platform that actively contributes to physics research to accelerate progress on the deepest unsolved problems in the universe.

Responsibilities

• Research, design, and test novel model architectures integrating NLP, symbolic reasoning, and academic literature
• Prototype custom tokenizers for LaTeX symbols and physical units
• Explore alternatives to transformer architectures
• Develop reinforcement-learning loops for independent model thought experiments
• Design and automate data ingestion pipelines for scientific literature and experimental data
• Establish custom benchmarks to assess mathematical reasoning and minimize hallucinations
• Run and track model training jobs while managing costs and progress
• Develop sandbox environments for model exploration and evaluation frameworks
• Collaborate with engineering teams to ensure product feasibility and robust architecture

Requirements

• PhD in physics, computer science, data science, or a related field
• Proven track record in research on scientific AI models, symbolic models, or deep learning for scientific discovery
• Familiarity with SOTA models and AI/ML concepts
• Experience with data infrastructure
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work in a startup-style, cross-functional, remote environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience or strong interest in physics and fundamental science topics
• Experience conducting research in early-stage or mission-focused environments