OpenAI

Research Engineer, Retrieval & Search, Applied Engineering

OpenAI24 months ago
Location

San Francisco

Type

Full Time

Salary

USD 293,000 – 585,000

Level

Senior

Role

ML Engineer

Posted

Mar 20, 2024

Full TimeSenior

The role

Summary

OpenAI seeks a Research Engineer to advance retrieval and search technologies for ChatGPT and the OpenAI API, impacting millions of users worldwide. The role combines cutting-edge machine learning research with large-scale production deployment, requiring expertise in vector databases, search systems, and internet-scale infrastructure.

What you'll do

Algorithm Development: Design and implement advanced retrieval and search algorithms in collaboration with OpenAI's research team
Production Deployment: Deploy search methodologies into production systems serving millions of ChatGPT and API users
Research Innovation: Explore novel research topics in retrieval and search that inform medium and long-term product strategy
Cross-functional Collaboration: Partner with researchers, engineers, product managers, and designers to bring new features to market
System Architecture: Build and maintain internet-scale search systems with high availability and performance
Vector Database Management: Work with vector databases and search indices for efficient similarity search and retrieval
Performance Optimization: Optimize search algorithms and infrastructure for web-scale performance requirements
Domain Expertise Application: Apply knowledge to document search, enterprise search, knowledge retrieval, and web-scale search problems

What we look for

Technical

Machine Learning SystemsExtensive experience building and maintaining production ML systems at scale
Vector DatabasesHands-on experience with vector databases, search indices, and retrieval data stores
Internet-Scale SystemsExperience building and iterating on internet-scale search systems
Search AlgorithmsDeep understanding of information retrieval, ranking algorithms, and semantic search
Distributed SystemsKnowledge of distributed computing, microservices, and scalable architectures

Education

Advanced DegreeMS/PhD in Computer Science, Machine Learning, Information Retrieval, or related field preferred
Research BackgroundStrong foundation in machine learning, natural language processing, or information systems

Experience

Production ML Experience5+ years experience with production machine learning systems and infrastructure
Search Systems3+ years working with large-scale search and retrieval systems
End-to-End OwnershipDemonstrated ability to own problems from conception to production deployment
Fast-Paced EnvironmentExperience working in dynamic environments with competing priorities and tight deadlines

Skills

Required skills

Python ProgrammingAdvanced proficiency in Python for ML development and production systems
Machine LearningDeep understanding of ML algorithms, model training, and deployment
Vector SearchExperience with embedding models, similarity search, and vector databases
Search AlgorithmsKnowledge of information retrieval, ranking, and search optimization techniques
Distributed SystemsUnderstanding of scalable architecture patterns and distributed computing
Production SystemsExperience with monitoring, debugging, and maintaining large-scale systems

Nice to have

Natural Language ProcessingExperience with transformer models, BERT, and language understanding
Elasticsearch/OpenSearchHands-on experience with enterprise search platforms
KubernetesContainer orchestration and cloud-native deployment experience
Research PublicationsPublished research in information retrieval, ML, or related fields
API DesignExperience designing and implementing RESTful APIs for ML services
A/B TestingStatistical analysis and experimentation for search quality improvements

Compensation & benefits

Salary

USD 293,000 – 585,000 (annual)

Stock options

Available

Benefits

Equity Compensation

Substantial equity package in one of the world's leading AI companies

Health Insurance

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

Unlimited PTO

Flexible time off policy to support work-life balance

Professional Development

Conference attendance, training, and continuous learning opportunities

Research Freedom

Access to cutting-edge research resources and collaboration with world-class AI researchers

Remote Work Options

Flexible work arrangements with hybrid and remote possibilities

Relocation Support

Comprehensive relocation assistance for San Francisco area moves

Interview process

  1. 1
    Initial Screen — 30-minute call with recruiter to discuss background and role fit
  2. 2
    Technical Phone Interview — 60-minute technical discussion covering ML concepts and system design
  3. 3
    Take-Home Assignment — Search/retrieval coding challenge to demonstrate technical skills
  4. 4
    Technical Deep Dive — 90-minute session discussing the take-home solution and technical architecture
  5. 5
    Research Discussion — 45-minute conversation about research interests and OpenAI alignment
  6. 6
    System Design Interview — 60-minute session designing large-scale search infrastructure
  7. 7
    Cultural Fit Interview — 30-minute discussion about values, team collaboration, and OpenAI mission
  8. 8
    Final Interview — 45-minute conversation with senior leadership about vision and impact
Apply for this position

You'll be redirected to the company's application page

OpenAI

OpenAI

View all jobs

OpenAI is an American artificial intelligence research organization developing advanced AI models like GPT. Focused on ensuring AI benefits humanity, it creates tools for natural language processing and generative AI applications.

San Francisco, California, United StatesFounded 2015openai.com

Tech Stack

Languages
PythonC++Go
Frameworks
PyTorchTensorFlowTransformersLangChain
Databases
Vector DatabasesElasticsearchRedisPostgreSQL
Tools
KubernetesDockerApache KafkaMLflowRay
Other
FAISSApache LuceneBERT/Sentence-BERTAnnoyOpenSearch

Interview Guides

5 guides available for OpenAI

Apply Now

On this page