Rakuten International is a division of Rakuten Group, Inc., a Japanese global technology leader in services that empower individuals, communities, businesses and society. Headquartered in San Mateo, California with more than 4,000 employees worldwide, the Rakuten International business portfolio includes market leaders in e-commerce, digital marketing, advertising, communications and entertainment. We create products and services that provide exceptional value by aligning members and the businesses that want to engage them in a shared community. Rakuten Institute of Technology (RIT) is the corporate R&D department of the Rakuten group and is responsible for leading strategic technological progress. RIT’s targets vary from basic technologies to innovative new services. RIT consists of highly motivated research scientists located in Tokyo, Boston, Paris, Singapore, San Mateo and Bengaluru who are driven by strong curiosity. We are seeking an innovative and dedicated r esearch s cientist to join RIT. As a n Associate Research Scientist, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of AI within Rakuten's diverse ecosystem. Our team focuses on enhancing in-house Large Language Models (LLMs) and seamlessly integrating them into Rakuten's services, impacting millions of users worldwide. We are a collaborative and innovative group, working on cutting-edge research and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing. The ideal candidate will have a passion for producing groundbreaking research and collaborat ing with teams across Rakuten to deliver impactful AI solutions. We welcome exceptional researchers and engineers from other fields who may not have direct experience in generative AI to apply. This role provides an opportunity to gain the critical skills and knowledge needed to transition into the AI & ML space. We are committed to supporting career changers who bring unique perspectives and expertise, and we offer mentorship and resources to facilitate your growth in the AI and ML domains.