Research Engineer, AI Safety & Alignment at Character.AI

Redwood City, California, United States

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$225,000 – $400,000Compensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Artificial IntelligenceIndustries

Requirements

Hold a PhD (or equivalent experience) in a relevant field such as Computer Science, Machine Learning, or a related discipline
Write clear and clean production-facing and training code
Experience working with GPUs (training, serving, debugging)
Experience with data pipelines and data infrastructure
Strong understanding of modern machine learning techniques, particularly transformers and reinforcement learning, with a focus on their safety implications
Passionate about the responsible development of AI and dedicated to solving complex safety challenges

Responsibilities

Develop and implement novel evaluation methodologies and metrics to assess the safety and alignment of large language models
Research and develop cutting-edge techniques for model alignment, value learning, and interpretability
Conduct adversarial testing to proactively uncover potential vulnerabilities and failure modes in our models
Analyze and mitigate biases, toxicity, and other harmful behaviors in large language models through techniques like reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF) and fine-tuning
Collaborate with engineering and product teams to translate safety research into practical, scalable solutions and best practices
Stay abreast of the latest advancements in AI safety research and contribute to the academic community through publications and presentations

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

Large Language ModelsRLHFFine-tuningReinforcement LearningInterpretabilityAdversarial TestingMachine LearningProduction Code

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the salary range for the Research Engineer position?

The salary range is $225K - $400K.

Is this a remote position or does it require office work?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What skills and experience are required for this role?

Required qualifications include a PhD or equivalent in Computer Science, Machine Learning or related field, writing clear production-facing and training code, experience with GPUs, data pipelines and infrastructure, and strong understanding of modern ML techniques like transformers and reinforcement learning with safety focus.

What is the focus of the Safety team at Character.AI?

The Safety team is dedicated to pioneering and implementing techniques that make models more robust, honest, and harmless, bridging theoretical research and practical application to ensure AI aligns with human values.

What makes a strong candidate for this Research Engineer role?

Strong candidates hold a PhD in a relevant field, have hands-on experience with production code, GPUs, data infrastructure, and ML techniques like transformers and RL, and are passionate about AI safety; nice-to-haves include distributed training, ML deployment, interpretability, and relevant publications.

Character.AI

AI platform for creating virtual characters

About Character.AI

Character AI provides a platform that allows users to create and manage virtual characters with distinct personalities. These characters can engage with users in a realistic way, enhancing interactions in various digital settings. The platform is utilized by game developers to create immersive characters that improve gameplay, and by businesses to develop virtual customer service agents that offer a more personalized experience compared to traditional automated systems. Character AI differentiates itself from competitors by focusing on the depth of personality and engagement of its virtual characters. The company aims to capitalize on the growing AI market, providing continuous access to its platform through a subscription or licensing model, which supports its goal of expanding its client base and enhancing digital interactions.

Menlo Park, CaliforniaHeadquarters

2021Year Founded

$145.9MTotal Funding

SERIES_ACompany Stage

Consumer Software, AI & Machine Learning, GamingIndustries

51-200Employees

Risks

Legal issues arise from harmful chatbot interactions, impacting company reputation.

AI companions risk contributing to radicalization among young men.

Competitive price dumping in AI model sales threatens profit margins.

Differentiation

Character.AI offers unique virtual characters with distinct personalities for user interaction.

The platform supports diverse applications, from gaming to customer service enhancement.

Character.AI's technology enables realistic and engaging digital interactions.

Upsides

Character.AI benefits from the growing AI market, projected to reach $190.61 billion by 2025.

Google's acquisition highlights Character.AI's cost-efficient AI model operations.

The platform's subscription model ensures steady revenue and continuous client access.

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