Lila Sciences - Principal Machine Learning Engineer, Applied AI
Requirements
• Minimum 2-3 years of hands-on post-training experience (SFT, RL methods such as DPO/PPO/GRPO) and evaluation system design, gained from having solved these problems many times before. • Strong software engineering skills in Python and modern ML frameworks like PyTorch. • A demonstrated ability to debug ambiguous, high-stakes model behavior quickly, using data, traces, logs, and qualitative feedback - the kind of judgment that only comes from having seen many failure modes before. • Experience leading technical work across research and engineering teams. • Deep familiarity with large language models, multi-modal models, or agentic AI systems. • Clear communication skills for translating customer needs into technical approaches, and for explaining complex model behavior to both technical and non-technical audiences. • Experience adapting models for customer-facing or production workflows, ideally in scientific, technical, or data-intensive domains. • Experience with RL post-training, such as RLHF, GRPO, or tool-augmented RL. • Experience building evaluation harnesses, model monitoring, or quality dashboards. • Experience training MoE architectures. • A track record of mentoring engineers and being sought out as a go-to technical expert, rather than a people manager or strategy owner.
Benefits
• We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact. • U.S. Benefits. Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program. • International Benefits. Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market. • $252,000 - $336,000 USD • Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest challenges. We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI. Rather than hard-coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves. • LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory™ instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy. Learn more at www.lila.ai. • Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance. If this sounds like an environment you'd love to work in, even if you don't meet every qualification listed above, we encourage you to apply. • We’re All In • Lila Sciences is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. • Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy. • A Note to Agencies • A Note to Agencies • Lila Sciences does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to Lila Sciences or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Lila Science’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of Lila Sciences, and Lila Sciences will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto.
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