AI Applied Scientist

Figma is growing our team of passionate creatives and builders on a mission to make design accessible to all. Figma’s platform helps teams bring ideas to life—whether you're brainstorming, creating a prototype, translating designs into code, or iterating with AI. From idea to product, Figma empowers teams to streamline workflows, move faster, and work together in real time from anywhere in the world. If you're excited to shape the future of design and collaboration, join us!

We’re looking for applied scientists with a Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence background to build AI technologies and make Figma products more magical. You will be driving fundamental and applied research in this area, combining industry best practices and a first‑principles approach to design and build AI/ML models and systems to improve Figma’s products.

This is a full‑time role that can be held from one of our US hubs or remotely in the United States.

What you’ll do at Figma:

• Drive fundamental and applied research in AI, exploring the boundaries of what is possible with the current technology set to build best‑in‑class models for Figma’s domains.
• Build cutting‑edge Generative AI models using techniques like Supervised Fine‑Tuning (SFT), Reinforcement Learning (RL), prompt improvements and synthetic data generation.
• Work in concert with product and infrastructure engineers to improve Figma’s products through AI‑powered features.
• Collaborate closely with product managers and engineers to transform user feedback into requirements for AI systems.
• Build evaluation systems to measure and improve the quality of AI features in Figma products.

We'd love to hear from you if you have:

• Extensive experience in building generative AI features through prompt engineering and fine‑tuning models in production environments.
• Experience working on deep learning and generative AI frameworks like PyTorch, JAX, HuggingFace, etc.
• Experience training LLMs with Reinforcement Learning techniques such as preference‑based RL (DPO, PPO) and/or RL with verifiable rewards (RLVR) such as GRPO/DAPO. Experience with RL from execution feedback for coding, and RL with non‑verifiable rewards will be a plus.
• 4+ years in Generative AI, and 6+ years of experience in one or more of the following areas: machine learning, natural language processing/understanding, computer vision.
• Strong software engineering skills with 5+ years of experience in programming languages (Python, C++, Java, or R).
• Experience communicating and working across functions to drive solutions.

While not required, it’s an added plus if you also have:

• Proven track record of planning a multi‑year roadmap in which shorter‑term projects ladder to the long‑term vision.
• Experience mentoring or influencing senior engineers across organizations.
• Expertise working on large‑scale and distributed AI training.

Pay Transparency Disclosure

If based in Figma’s San Francisco or New York hub offices, this role has the annual base salary range stated below. For remote roles the pay range is localized by a factor of between 80% and 100% of the base range. Annual Base Salary Range: $149,000—$350,000 USD.

Figma offers equity to employees, as well as a competitive package of additional benefits, including health, dental & vision, retirement with company contribution, parental leave & reproductive or family planning support, mental health & wellness benefits, generous PTO, company recharge days, a learning & development stipend, a work‑from‑home stipend, and cell phone reimbursement. Figma also offers sales incentive pay for most sales roles and an annual bonus plan for eligible non‑sales roles.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Figma we celebrate and support our differences. We know employing a team rich in diverse thoughts, experiences, and opinions allows our employees, our product, and our community to flourish. Figma is an equal‑opportunity workplace dedicated to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity/expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

Accommodations

• Holding interviews in an accessible location.
• Enabling closed captioning on video conferencing.
• Ensuring all written communication be compatible with screen readers.
• Changing the mode or format of interviews.