Research Scientist

Eleos AI Research • Berkeley, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

Eleos is hiring scientists to do foundational and applied machine learning research into the potential well-being and moral status of AI systems. You will work at the intersection of machine learning, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind, doing original, rigorous research to guide and inform decision-makers at frontier AI companies, policymakers, and the public. Eleos is a nonprofit organization working to understand and address the potential well-being of AI systems, believing that near-future AI systems could be sentient or possess other properties worthy of moral consideration. This research is seen as relevant to AI safety and the broader project of navigating AI development for a flourishing future. The organization takes a pragmatic approach, prioritizing ambitious but tractable projects.

Requirements

• Strong interest in understanding the potential well-being of AI systems.
• A track record of leading and publishing impactful empirical ML research.
• The ability to design, run, and iterate on experiments quickly and creatively, including the engineering skills to implement necessary tooling and infrastructure.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with existing research on AI welfare and/or safety.
• A PhD in computer science or the cognitive sciences.
• Significant experience with mechanistic interpretability methods.

Responsibilities

• Design and conduct empirical research on foundational topics relevant to the potential well-being and moral status of AI systems, such as LLM preferences and values, the ability of LLMs to introspect, persona vectors, and the representation of valence in LLMs.
• Design and conduct applied research on the potential well-being of frontier AI systems (e.g., our prerelease evaluations of Claude Mythos Preview).
• Collaborate with external researchers across the AI welfare and AI safety ecosystems on empirical and conceptual research projects.
• Write papers and blog posts and present talks reporting your research.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance: Employee premiums covered 100% by Eleos (and 75% of dependent premiums covered)
• 401(k): Immediate vesting with 100% employer match up to 6% of salary
• Unlimited paid time off
• Parental leave for new parents
• Catered meals
• Snacks and drinks
• Gym and shower
• Gorgeous views of the SF Bay Area
• Relocation support: Stipend for moving to the SF Bay Area

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree