Staff AI Research Engineer

• Our mission at Duolingo is to develop the best education in the world and make it universally available. It's a big mission, and that's where you come in!
• At Duolingo, you'll join a team that cares about finding innovative solutions to complex technical problems , running countless experiments (300+ at a time!) with our massive user base to make data-driven decisions, and educating our users and employees alike.
• You'll have limitless learning opportunities, mentorship and collaboration with world-class minds, and a variety of projects with large scopes — while doing work that's both fun and meaningful.
• Join our life-changing mission to develop education for our half a billion (and growing!) learners around the world.

About the role

• We are looking for an experienced AI Research Engineer to join our Duolingo Monetization team.
• The ideal candidate will have a proven track record as an AI research engineer, with extensive experience across various machine learning techniques including large language models, multi-armed bandits, and more.
• They will have experience at all levels of the ML stack, including feature engineering, developing training data, fine-tuning, reinforcement learning, quality evaluations, deployment, and monitoring.
• On the Monetization team, we're building AI systems to improve the learning experience while driving our business, including deploying our research into bandit models to balance revenue and retention.
• Given the broad set of AI domains, broad experience in AI/ML is highly desirable.

🧠 You will...

• Join a full-stack team of frontend, backend, and other AI Research engineers, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
• Contribute to the development and training of bandit models and large-scale neural network models.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand their needs, to align the models' outputs with company objectives.
• Participate in and help drive strategic product and business decision-making as a member of the Monetization leadership group.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in machine learning, particularly in LLMs and bandits, and apply this knowledge to drive advancements in our projects.
• Mentor team members, providing guidance and support in their professional development.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, scalable, and efficient machine learning solutions.

✅ You have...

• Proven experience as an AI research engineer, for example, in LLMs, bandits, computer vision, or related fields.
• Strong background in training and fine-tuning large models in an applied setting.
• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field with a focus on machine learning or artificial intelligence, or equivalent experience.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to manage and inspire a team.
• Deep understanding of machine learning concepts, frameworks, and best practices.

• The offered salary is dependent upon several factors, including work experience, skills, and internal peer comparisons.
• The posted range is subject to change in the future.
• For this role, base salary is supplemented by equity compensation.
• We encourage you to talk with your recruiter for more information related to compensation for this role!

Salary Range:

$220,800 — $331,200 USD

Benefits

Take a peek at how we care for our employees' holistic well-being with our benefits here .

We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

• Duolingo and our employees will never ask for your Social Security number, bank details, or passport info, and we'll never ask you to deposit a check, purchase equipment, or exchange money during the interview process.
• Real Duolingo employees always use an email that ends in @duolingo.com or @recruiting.duolingo.com.
• Stay alert and double-check these details before sharing any information.
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