Research Scientist

Designs evaluation methodologies for frontier AI models, assessing capabilities and safety. Requires deep expertise in AI research and model evaluation.

This People Research Scientist role designs rigorous research and evaluation strategies for recruiting, organizational health, and employee experience programs. The scientist will apply advanced statistical modeling, machine learning, and causal inference methods, and build scalable people science infrastructure including self-service tools and automated validation workflows. Requires exceptional strength in research design, experimentation, and high proficiency in R or Python and SQL.

Conducts advanced research in AI/ML, developing novel algorithms and running experiments. Publishes findings in top-tier venues.

Lead an independent, high-impact research agenda on large language models and agentic systems, owning projects from early hypothesis through model training, evaluation, and production deployment. Design and execute large-scale post-training experiments using supervised fine-tuning, RLHF, RLAIF, DPO, and emerging alignment techniques, focusing on improving multi-step reasoning, planning, and tool use in enterprise agentic workflows. Open to Senior, Staff, and Sr. Staff applicants reporting to the VP of AI research.

Owns end-to-end product surfaces with a significant focus on the new Digital Twins/Simulations Lab, a 0-to-1 product. Translates complex technical systems (models, data pipelines) into intuitive, trustworthy experiences for researchers. Works closely with founders, scientists, and engineering, using modern AI design tools like Codex and Claude Design alongside Figma.

Combines analysis with automation, using AI tools as a core part of the workflow to turn Outset's internal data into decisions faster. Answers recurring business questions across GTM, People, Product, and Engineering using SQL and Python, and builds small internal tools like scripts, Slack bots, and dashboards to eliminate manual reports. Requires 3+ years of experience, fluency in SQL/Python, and a builder's instinct for automating processes.

This Research Engineer role builds and maintains the infrastructure for Outset's AI-powered user interview platform, enabling global brands to conduct qualitative research at scale. The engineer will develop backend services, integrate AI models, and optimize data pipelines to support real-time interview analysis. The role requires strong software engineering skills and experience with cloud platforms and modern web technologies.