Research Scientist - Simplex

The role

The researcher will develop and apply a theory of latent internal structure in neural networks. Work involves building unsupervised methods, extending theories to complex cognitive tasks, and creating tools for safety.

What you will do

• Do rigorous mathematics and work with real models and data
• Develop and pursue own ideas within the broader research program
• Build new theory, new code, and new experiments
• Explain ideas clearly to collaborators in writing and on a whiteboard
• Find belief-state geometry in large language models without supervision
• Extend and refine the theory of intelligence
• Study why and how neural networks generalize
• Stress-test the framework through red teaming
• Test mathematics on real brain data

Required qualifications

• Depth in at least one quantitative field such as physics, mathematics, neuroscience, machine learning, etc.

Nice to have

• PhD or equivalent in Physics, CS, neuroscience, math, or comparable
• Extensive ML experience
• Experience in interpretability

About the company

Astera Institute is an independent research organization with a $3B+ endowment that operates like a startup with a small team and high risk tolerance. Neuro-AI is Astera's program for charting a path in a world with thinking machines.