Data Adaptation Research Engineer

About us Most AI is frozen in place - it doesn't adapt to the world. We think that's backwards. Our mandate is to build efficient intelligence that evolves in real-time. Our vision is AI systems that are flexible, personalized, and accessible to everyone. We believe efficiency is what makes this possible - it's how we expand access and ensure innovation benefits the many, not the few. We believe in talent density: bringing together the best and most driven individuals to push the boundaries of continual adaptation. We're looking for builders and creative thinkers ready to shape the next era of intelligence Our research principles Sweat the details. Technical excellence requires obsessing over every detail. We co-design serving, algorithms, and interface as one system to maximize efficiency and enable real-time adaptation. Move with conviction. Extraordinary results require extraordinary effort. We operate with urgency as a unified team, concentrating resources on a few high-conviction bets where research and impact intersect. Metrics that matter. The most intelligent system will increasingly be defined by building an algorithm that can interact with the world. Research ideas are tested through working products. If it doesn't improve what users can do, we question whether it matters. We share what moves the field; we don't optimize for paper count. The role We're driving a fundamental paradigm shift: malleable data spaces that adapt on-the-fly for optimal performance. Our obsession with efficiency enables real-time AI evolution through adaptable data and algorithms. We treat data as a first-class citizen, prioritizing algorithms that enhance data quality for modeling the world. From senior leaders to new hires, everyone inspects data at every stage and understands exactly which datasets power our algorithms.

Responsibilities

• Innovation: lead focused bets on data adaptation by developing algorithmic recipes that dramatically improve data quality, downstream performance, and efficiency.
• Research & Development: explore new directions in data adaptation across modalities and lifecycle stages, bridging cutting-edge AI research with practical applications in real-time intelligence.
• Hands-on Impact: shape the data landscape for intelligent, adaptable AI agents by guiding Adaption's data strategy and creatively solving novel challenges in data, interaction, and evaluation.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in at least one area: model efficiency, distributed systems, hardware acceleration, or algorithmic optimization
• Systems thinking ability to understand and optimize across the full ML stack
• Strong programming skills in Python. Experience with deep learning frameworks (PyTorch, JAX, TensorFlow)
• Knowledge of model optimization techniques (RLHF, finetuning)
• Experience in an industry lab with computing at scale and/or fast-paced startup environment
• Nice to have: PhD in computer science, and experience with algorithm design

Above all, we're looking for great teammates who make work feel lighter and aren't afraid to go out on a limb with bold ideas. You don't need to be perfect, but you do need to be adaptable. We encourage you to apply, even if you don't check every box.

Benefits

• Flexible work: In-person collaboration in the Bay Area, a distributed global-first team, and quarterly offsites.
• Adaption Passport: Annual travel stipend to explore a country you've never visited. We're building intelligence that evolves alongside you, so we encourage you to keep expanding your horizons.
• Lunch Stipend: Weekly meal allowance for take-out or grocery delivery.
• Well-Being: Comprehensive medical benefits and generous paid time off.

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