Infrastructure & Technology AI Foundations - Research Software Engineer Professional Cambridge, US

At IBM Research, we are the innovation engine of IBM. Exploring what’s next in computing and shaping the technologies the world will rely on tomorrow. From advancing AI and hybrid cloud to pioneering practical quantum computing, we anticipate challenges and unlock new opportunities for clients, partners, and society. Working in Research means joining a team that accelerates discovery at the intersection of high-performance computing, AI, quantum, and cloud. You’ll collaborate with leading scientists, engineers, and visionaries to push boundaries and turn ideas into reality. With a culture built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, IBM Research offers the opportunity to grow your career while contributing to breakthroughs that transform industries and change the world. Your role and responsibilities IBM Research is seeking an innovative and driven Research Engineer to build the future of the open model weight ecosystem. In this role, you will be at the forefront of foundation model/software harness co-design. You will bridge the gap between cutting‑edge theoretical research and practical application by building the software and model capabilities that make small and medium sized models shine. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of actually open AI, collaborate with world‑class scientists and academic partners, and publish research that drives the open weight community forward. If you are passionate about hacking on low‑level systems code in the mornings and brainstorming about novel training regimes in the afternoon, we invite you to join our team. Required education Bachelor's Degree Preferred education Bachelor's Degree Required technical and professional expertise Expertise in compilers, programming languages, or adjacent technical fields (e.g., formal verification, theorem proving, etc.) Proficiency in at least one systems programming languages, particularly Rust or C++. Demonstrated ability to rapidly prototype, build, and iterate on software projects. Preferred technical and professional experience Hands‑on experience designing, training, and working with Transformer architectures and Large Language Models (LLMs). Proven experience designing, building, and managing large‑scale data pipelines. Experience programming for GPUs. ABOUT BUSINESS UNIT IBM Research is the organic growth engine of IBM and an innovation engine for our customers and partners. As part of this mission, IBM Research anticipates and examines 'What's Next in Computing' to ultimately create and integrate the technologies the world relies upon to solve big challenges and unlock new opportunities. We create and pioneer new markets for IBM, our partners and customers as exemplified in our ongoing quest to reach practical and large‑scale quantum computing. Across IBM Research, we realize the power and potential to accelerate discovery with our partners and clients by combining the power of high performance computing, AI, and Quantum, all integrated through the hybrid cloud. YOUR LIFE @ IBM In a world where technology never stands still, we understand that, dedication to our clients success, innovation that matters, and trust and personal responsibility in all our relationships, lives in what we do as IBMers as we strive to be the catalyst that makes the world work better. Being an IBMer means you’ll be able to learn and develop yourself and your career, you’ll be encouraged to be courageous and experiment everyday, all whilst having continuous trust and support in an environment where everyone can thrive whatever their personal or professional background. Our IBMers are growth minded, always staying curious, open to feedback and learning new information and skills to constantly transform themselves and our company. They are trusted to provide on‑going feedback to help other IBMers grow, as well as collaborate with colleagues keeping in mind a team focused approach to include different perspectives to drive exceptional outcomes for our customers. The courage our IBMers have to make critical decisions everyday is essential to IBM becoming the catalyst for progress, always embracing challenges with resources they have to hand, a can‑do attitude and always striving for an outcome focused approach within everything that they do. Are you ready to be an IBMer? ABOUT IBM IBM’s greatest invention is the IBMer. We believe that through the application of intelligence, reason and science, we can improve business, society and the human condition, bringing the power of an open hybrid cloud and AI strategy to life for our clients and partners around the world. Restlessly reinventing since 1911, we are not only one of the largest corporate organizations in the world, we’re also one of the biggest technology and consulting employers, with many of the Fortune 500 companies relying on the IBM Cloud to run their business. At IBM, we pride ourselves on being an early adopter of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and blockchain. Now it’s time for you to join us on our journey to being a responsible technology innovator and a force for good in the world. IBM is proud to be an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, pregnancy, disability, neurodivergence, age, or other characteristics protected by the applicable law. IBM is also committed to compliance with all fair employment practices regarding citizenship and immigration status. OTHER RELEVANT JOB DETAILS IBM offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may have access to the following: Healthcare benefits including medical & prescription drug coverage, dental, vision, and mental health & well‑being Financial programs such as 401(k), cash balance pension plan, the IBM Employee Stock Purchase Plan, financial counseling, life insurance, short & long‑term disability coverage, and opportunities for performance‑based salary incentive programs Generous paid time off including 12 holidays, minimum 56 hours sick time, 120 hours vacation, 12 weeks parental bonding leave in accordance with IBM Policy, and other Paid Care Leave programs. IBM also offers paid family leave benefits to eligible employees where required by applicable law Training and educational resources on our personalized, AI‑driven learning platform where IBMers can grow skills and obtain industry‑recognized certifications to achieve their career goals Diverse and inclusive employee resource groups, giving & volunteer opportunities, and discounts on retail products, services & experiences We consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable law. This position was posted on the date cited in the key job details section and is anticipated to remain posted for 21 days from this date or less if not needed to fill the role. IBM will not be providing visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future. Therefore, in order to be considered for this position, you must have the ability to work without a need for current or future visa sponsorship. The compensation range and benefits for this position are based on a full‑time schedule for a full calendar year. The salary will vary depending on your job‑related skills, experience and location. Pay increment and frequency of pay will be in accordance with employment classification and applicable laws. For part time roles, your compensation and benefits will be adjusted to reflect your hours. Benefits may be pro‑rated for those who start working during the calendar year. Job Title AI Foundations - Research Software Engineer Date posted 13-May-2026 Job ID 113488 City / Township / Village Cambridge State / Province Massachusetts Country United States Work arrangement Onsite Area of work Infrastructure & Technology Employment type Regular Contract type Regular Projected Minimum Salary per year 111,000.00 Projected Maximum Salary per year 175,000.00 Position type Professional No Travel Company (0147) International Business Machines Corporation Shift General (daytime) Is this role a commissionable/sales incentive based position? #J-18808-Ljbffr