AI Research Lead at Perplexity AI

Palo Alto, California, United States

Perplexity AI Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Artificial Intelligence, TechnologyIndustries

Requirements

  • Minimum of 5 years of experience working on relevant AI/ML projects with 3+ years in a technical leadership role
  • Proven track record of leading and mentoring technical and research teams
  • A Computer Science graduate degree at a premier academic institution
  • Deep expertise with large-scale LLMs and Deep Learning systems
  • Strong programming skills with versatility across multiple languages and frameworks
  • Demonstrated ability to set technical vision and drive execution
  • Experience with pre-training and post-training techniques (self-supervised learning along with SFT/DPO/GRPO/PPO)
  • Self-starter with exceptional ownership mentality and ability to work in ambiguous environments
  • Passion for solving challenging problems and pushing the boundaries of AI research
  • Nice-to-have
  • PhD in Machine Learning, Computer Science, or related areas
  • Experience with agent-based AI systems and multi-modal model development
  • Background in mid-training or pre-training of large language models
  • Publications in top-tier AI/ML conferences

Responsibilities

  • Define and execute the macro research direction across multiple modalities, including post-training LLMs for agent trajectories and future mid-training initiatives
  • Lead strategic research planning and roadmap development to advance Sonar model capabilities
  • Drive innovation in supervised and reinforcement learning techniques for query answering
  • Collaborate with leadership to align research priorities with product and business objectives
  • Coach and mentor a team of AI research scientists and engineers, fostering their technical and professional growth
  • Establish the long-term macro research direction across the team, including our direction across different modalities
  • Lead hiring and onboarding of new research talent
  • Create a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and innovation
  • Post-train SOTA LLMs on query answering using cutting-edge supervised and reinforcement learning techniques
  • Own and optimize the full stack data, training, and evaluation pipelines required for LLM post-training
  • Deliver Sonar models that provide SOTA query answering performance
  • Drive research into agent trajectories and multi-modal capabilities
  • Lead the technical roadmap for eventual mid-training investments
  • Work closely with engineering teams to integrate Sonar models into our product
  • Partner with product teams to understand user needs and translate them into research priorities
  • Collaborate with data teams to leverage our unique query/answer dataset effectively
  • Communicate research progress and findings to stakeholders across the organization

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

LLMsReinforcement LearningSupervised LearningPost-trainingMulti-modal AIAgent TrajectoriesQuery AnsweringResearch StrategyMentorship

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the salary for the AI Research Lead position?

This information is not specified in the job description.

Is this role remote or does it require office work?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What experience is required for this role?

A minimum of 5 years of experience is required.

What does the team environment look like at Perplexity AI?

The role involves leading and mentoring a team of AI research scientists and engineers in a collaborative environment that encourages knowledge sharing and innovation.

What makes a strong candidate for the AI Research Lead role?

Strong candidates will have at least 5 years of experience and the ability to define research direction, mentor teams, and drive innovation in LLMs using supervised and reinforcement learning techniques.

Perplexity AI

Advanced answer engine providing reliable information

About Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI provides an advanced answer engine that delivers accurate and reliable responses to user queries. The platform uses current sources to ensure the information is both precise and relevant. It caters to a wide audience, including individuals looking for quick answers and businesses needing detailed information. Unlike many competitors, Perplexity AI emphasizes high-quality, source-backed answers, making it a valuable resource for users seeking trustworthy data. The company's goal is to meet the increasing demand for immediate access to reliable information, generating revenue through subscription fees, advertising, and partnerships.

San Francisco, CaliforniaHeadquarters
2022Year Founded
$890MTotal Funding
LATE_VCCompany Stage
Data & Analytics, Consumer SoftwareIndustries
201-500Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Company Equity

Risks

Pending copyright infringement class action poses legal and financial challenges.
Competition from Google's AI Mode could impact user retention and market share.
Otterly.AI's brand visibility tool may pressure Perplexity to maintain high performance.

Differentiation

Perplexity AI integrates large language models with search engines for precise responses.
The platform offers an open-source environment, enhancing public access to AI tools.
Perplexity's strategic acquisition of Carbon boosts its data connectivity capabilities.

Upsides

Partnership with Tripadvisor enhances travel planning with personalized recommendations.
$500M funding round increases valuation to $9 billion, supporting growth and innovation.
Integration with FactSet attracts financial clients with enhanced data accessibility.

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