Open Roles @ Timaeus

TLDR: We’re hiring for research engineer and research scientist roles to work on applications of singular learning theory to alignment.

About Us

Timaeus’ mission is to empower humanity by making breakthrough scientific progress on alignment. Our research focuses on applications of singular learning theory to foundational problems within alignment.

Position Details

• Positions: Research Engineer, Research Scientist.
• Location: Remote. Timaeus has hubs in Berkeley, Melbourne, and London.
• Type: Contract (hourly, paid on an hourly basis).
• Start Date: ASAP, March 1st or sooner.
• Compensation: $50-100/hour USD, based on experience and location. Contractor rates are based on a salary band of $80k–160k with an additional ~30% premium to compensate for the absence of employee benefits like health insurance and paid leave.
• Reports to: Research Engineers report to Stan van Wingerden, Director of Engineering. Research Scientists report to Daniel Murfet, Director of Research; when assigned to a project, they report to the research lead of that project.
• Deadline: Apply here by 25 January 2026 at 11:59 PM GMT.

Roles

We expect some familiarity with Timaeus’ research and research agenda for all open roles, but in-depth familiarity with singular learning theory (SLT) is not required.

Research Engineer

Responsibilities:

• Build, maintain, and expand research infrastructure.
• Scale experiments to models up to O(100B) parameters.
• Meet weekly and plan tasks with the engineering team.
• Collaborate closely with researchers to translate theoretical insights into empirical research tools.
• (Depending on seniority) Assist or lead the development and maintenance of codebases and repositories.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, ML).
• Strong software engineering background.
• Experience with ML frameworks (bonus: distributed computing).
• Track record of building research infrastructure.
• Ability to balance engineering rigor with the needs of a fast-moving research organization.

Research Scientist

Responsibilities:

• Run experiments in PyTorch on (language) models, from small toy systems of 100s of parameters up to tens of billions of parameters.
• Meet weekly and plan tasks with the research team.
• Write up and visualize experimental results, and present findings to the team and external stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate and detailed research log of experiments and results.
• (Depending on seniority) Assist or lead the preparation of research papers, reports, and presentations.
• (Depending on seniority) Develop and lead new research projects applying SLT to alignment.

Requirements:

• Graduate degree or equivalent in a relevant field (Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, ML).
• Strong mathematical background and research experience/publication history.
• Deep understanding of machine learning fundamentals.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Clear technical writing ability.

Current Research Areas

• Spectroscopy: Scaling susceptibility-based interpretability to large language models (up to 20B parameters), developing automated methods for discovering internal structure, and applying susceptibility-based probes to alignment-relevant tasks like detecting misalignment.
• Patterning: Using susceptibilities to control what structures neural networks develop during training - including preventing, removing, inducing, and selecting specific internal structures. Near-term applications include steering reward models away from spurious correlations (e.g., format biases).

Compensation and Contract Details

These are contract positions paid on an hourly basis at $50-100/hour USD, depending on prior experience and location. Contractor rates are based on a salary range of USD 80,000 – 160,000, with the inclusion of a ~30% premium to compensate for the absence of employee benefits like health insurance and paid leave. There may be flexibility in compensation for exceptional candidates with significant experience.

Important Note: These roles are currently tied to specific grants, ranging from 6 months to a year in duration. We are interested in potentially transitioning successful contractors to longer-term positions, but cannot make commitments on this until we confirm follow-on funding.

Working arrangements:

• Remote-first with flexible hours: We’re a distributed team across time zones. We have hubs in Berkeley, Melbourne, and London for those who prefer in-person collaboration.
• Minimal meetings: 2-3 hours of scheduled meetings per week for most team members, with optional co-working sessions.
• Conferences and work trips: Attendance at relevant conferences covered by Timaeus.
• Team retreats: In-person staff retreats twice a year.

Application Process

Here’s a summary of the application process for a successful candidate:

1. Application: Submit the application form by 24 January 2026 at 11:59 PM GMT.
2. Assessment(s): Complete a paid, 4-hour assessment designed to simulate the work you’d do in the role.
3. Screening call: Attend a 30-minute call with Jesse Hoogland (Executive Director) or Stan van Wingerden (Director of Engineering).
4. Technical interview: Participate in a 30-minute remote interview with team members to evaluate your technical skills and expertise relevant to the role. This may be combined with the screening call.
5. References: Share references who can comment on your aptitudes. Good references can notably strengthen your application.

We’re reviewing candidates on a rolling basis and may invite applicants to the next stage or even make offers before the end of the application deadline.

Apply Now

Interested candidates should submit their applications by 24 January 2026 at 11:59 PM GMT using the application form below.

Join us in shaping the future of AI alignment research. Apply now to be part of the Timaeus team!

Please submit any questions to careers@timaeus.co. For impressions from previous hiring rounds, see this comment.

Diversity and Inclusion

We’re aware that factors like gender, race, and socioeconomic background can affect people’s willingness to apply for roles for which they meet some but not all the suggested attributes. We’d especially like to encourage people from underrepresented backgrounds to express interest.

There’s no such thing as a “perfect” candidate. If you’re on the fence about applying because you’re unsure whether you’re qualified, we’d encourage you to apply.

If you require any adjustments to the application process, such as accessibility accommodations, additional preparation time, or other, please contact careers@timaeus.co. We’re happy to support your needs and adjust the application process.