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Research Scientist: Hierarchical RL Agents

Role overview

Qualifications

  • PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Neuroscience, Physics, or related quantitative field (or exceptional candidates with non-traditional educational histories).
  • Strong foundations in deep learning, graphical models, and information theory.
  • Expert-level coding proficiency in PyTorch/JAX with a focus on clean, reproducible research code.
  • AGI mindset and curiosity about robustness, generalization, and common-sense reasoning.

Responsibilities

  • Fundamental research on hierarchical world model learning for hierarchical RL; develop and implement new architectures and learning/inference algorithms for world modeling and planning.
  • Ethologically constrained learning: design tasks to evaluate agents in ethologically constrained environments and benchmark different agent designs; test hypotheses related to high-level cognition, causal representations, sensory-motor integration, active inference, and unsupervised learning.
  • Cross-disciplinary collaboration: work with neuroscientists and software engineers to translate abstract mathematical frameworks into scalable systems.
  • Contribute to Open Science: help innovate publication models that incentivize rapid dissemination, open-source code releases, free open access, and impact measurements based on uptake.

About the company

Astera Institute logo

Astera Institute

Non-profit Organizations

Astera Institute was created to bring humanity the greatest imaginable good in the most efficient possible way. By incubating high leverage ideas in their earliest stages, Astera seeks to effect change at a systemic level via entrepreneurial experimentation. We focus on overlooked areas and invest in founders who can jumpstart initiatives and create a snowball effect.

Company details

IndustryNon-profit Organizations
Company size11 - 50

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Job description

About the Role

We are seeking brilliant, unconventional thinkers to join us. In this role, you will not be chasing incremental gains on standard benchmarks. Instead, you will be tasked with developing the foundational principles of Artificial General Intelligence. We believe that understanding the "code of the brain" is the most viable path to building truly intelligent machines, and we are looking for scientists who can bridge the gap between biological intelligence, computational theory, and building at scale.

Core Responsibilities

  • Fundamental Research on Hierarchical World Model Learning from Experience: Develop and implement new architectures and learning/inference algorithms for hierarchical RL that supports hierarchical world modeling and hierarchical planning.

  • Ethologically constrained learning: Design tasks to evaluate the agent in ethologically constrained environments, and benchmark different agent designs. Design experiments to test hypotheses regarding high-level cognition, causal representations, sensory-motor integration, active inference, and unsupervised learning.

  • Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Work alongside neuroscientists and software engineers to translate abstract mathematical frameworks into scalable systems.

  • Contribute to Open Science: Help innovate new publication models that incentivize speedy dissemination, open source code releases, free open access, and impact measurements based on uptake.

Desired Qualifications

  • Technical Depth: Preferred: PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Neuroscience, Physics, or a related quantitative field. We are always open to considering exceptional candidates, even those with non-traditional educational histories.

  • Theoretical Rigor: Strong foundations in deep learning, graphical models, and information theory.

  • Coding Proficiency: Expert-level skills in deep learning frameworks (PyTorch/JAX), with a focus on clean, reproducible research code.

  • AGI Mindset: A demonstrated interest in the "big questions" of AIβ€”robustness, generalization, and common-sense reasoning.

  • Curious About the Brain: A genuine passion for exploring the computational and architectural principles of the mammalian brain.

  • Startup DNA: Ability to thrive in a lean, fast-paced environment where you have high autonomy and a direct influence on research direction.

Why Join Us?

  • We recognize the need for fundamental research: No pressure to align research with quarterly revenue goals, market competition, or product roadmaps. We can focus on solving the core problems and achieving breakthroughs that enable the next generation of AGI technology.

  • Mission-First: Your work contributes directly to the global pool of knowledge and the safe development of AGI.

  • Collaborative culture: We work in teams, organized around challenge problems and attack paths, without big-company inertia or politics.

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MR

Marcus Rivera

Chief Revenue Officer

m.rivera@company.com
linkedin.com/in/marcusrivera
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