Research Assistant (Maoz - 3mo)

Chapman University Careers•Irvine, CA

About The Position

Under the direction and supervision of the Principal Investigator, the Research Assistant will provide research support to ongoing projects and grants related to mechanistic interpretability of large language models and its connections to neuroscience. Responsibilities include construction of datasets required to study language models and implementation of novel methodologies for parsing the internals of AI systems. The Research Assistant will also conduct literature reviews on AI alignment, explainability, and safety. Additional responsibilities include interacting with high performance compute resources to produce benchmarks for proposed methodologies. This position also involves collaborative software development and research documentation; possibly assisting with preparation of presentations, grant materials, and academic manuscripts; and supporting collaborative research activities within an interdisciplinary team.

Requirements

Baseline proficiency with concepts surrounding neural networks and large language models.
Minimal level of prior research experience, including knowledge of research methods and terminology
Analytical skills including the ability to define problems through research and fact finding
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively both verbally and in writing
Ability to work collaboratively as a supportive member of an interdisciplinary research team
Ability to work independently and manage research tasks with minimal supervision

Responsibilities

Independently perform research-related activities supporting projects in mechanistic interpretability of large language models.
Assist with implementation of algorithms related to AI explainability.
Interact with compute resources to validate and iterate upon proposed methodologies.
Analyze advanced AI systems with respect to intentions, deception, alignment faking, and related phenomena.
Conduct literature reviews and synthesize findings relevant to AI alignment, explainability, and safety.
Construct technical documentation for software and proposed machine learning methods.
Utilize source control software for collaboration and reproducibility of research work.
Assist with preparing presentations, research reports, grant materials, and academic manuscripts when needed.
Compile and organize research findings for internal and external dissemination.
Collaborate with interdisciplinary team members to support ongoing research initiatives.