Machine Learning Researcher

What you'll do day-to-day Develop and evaluate ML models and approaches for challenging quantitative research problems. Formulate research hypotheses and design rigorous experiments to assess predictive performance, robustness, and generalization. Explore and apply advances in ML research, including new model architectures, representations, training objectives, and learning techniques. Rapidly prototype, implement, and benchmark promising ideas using large-scale financial and other complex datasets. Develop efficient implementations and tackle computational challenges-including large-scale training or GPU optimization-where doing so enables more ambitious quantitative research. Collaborate with quantitative researchers and developers to take successful ideas from initial exploration toward real-world application. What we're looking for Bachelor's degree or higher. Deep expertise in ML and a sound quantitative research orientation, with experience developing and empirically evaluating sophisticated ML approaches. Solid understanding of modern ML methods and the mathematical and statistical principles underlying them. Demonstrated ability to formulate hypotheses, design rigorous experiments, interpret results, and distinguish meaningful improvements from noise or overfitting. Excellent programming skills and the ability to independently take research ideas from concept through scalable implementation. Proficiency with modern ML frameworks such as PyTorch or JAX; experience with large-scale training, GPU computing, performance optimization, or technologies such as CUDA, XLA, or Triton is valuable for more computationally intensive research. Intellectual curiosity, keen research judgment, and an interest in applying advances in ML to difficult quantitative problems. The expected annual base salary for this position is $275,000 to $350,000. Our compensation and benefits package includes substantial variable compensation in the form of a year-end bonus, guaranteed in the first year of hire, a sign-on bonus, and benefits including medical and prescription drug coverage, 401(k) contribution matching, wellness reimbursement, family building benefits, and a charitable gift match program. The D. E. Shaw group is an equal opportunity employer. The applicable annual base salary or hourly rate paid to a successful applicant will be determined based on multiple factors, including without limitation the nature and extent of prior experience and educational background. European Union (EU) , United Kingdom (UK) , California , Hong Kong , Singapore , or Shanghai candidates should refer to the corresponding linked privacy notice. The D. E. 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Shaw group, in connection with the performance of their duties of employment, and the other parties listed above, in connection with the business of the D. E. Shaw group. (Of course, candidates will be considered for employment opportunities only in those countries in which they express interest.) The D. E. Shaw group will use reasonable care to maintain the confidentiality of personal information (including appropriate technical measures against unauthorized or unlawful processing and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, such information) and will retain such data as required by applicable law or regulation. Candidates have the right to request access to, and correction of, their personal information in accordance with applicable law; any such request should be submitted to View email address on click.appcast.io . Candidates who have submitted a resume to the D. E. Shaw group and do not wish to proceed with their applications should email View email address on click.appcast.io . Personal information of candidates who have been the subject of background checks may have been transferred in accordance with applicable regulations, and any concerns with such transfers should be submitted to View email address on click.appcast.io . The D. E. Shaw group may retain candidates' information for prospective recruiting activities, including sourcing candidates for employment opportunities and for organizing events with prospective candidates, in accordance with our internal data retention procedures. Candidates who do not agree to such future use should email View email address on click.appcast.io . D. E. Shaw & Co.