Research Fellow

Working at Goodfire

Goodfire is a research lab advancing the field of AI interpretability.

Our mission is to solve the technical alignment problem for powerful AI systems. We believe that major advances in mechanistic interpretability - understanding how AI systems work internally - are key to solving this challenge.

Goodfire is a public benefit corporation headquartered in San Francisco.

The role:

We are seeking talented, early-career researchers or engineers to execute a research project in AI interpretability. Fellows will work alongside leading interpretability researchers at Goodfire, receiving structured mentorship while contributing to important work in AI alignment. The project is expected to span approximately 1-2 months, with some flexibility based on project progress and mutual agreement.

Core responsibilities:

1. Execute an assigned interpretability research project according to established methodology
2. Produce a co-authored research blog post by program completion
3. Implement feedback from mentors while maintaining independent execution capability
4. Commit approximately 20 hours per week

Who you are:

Goodfire is looking for experienced individuals who embody our values and share our deep commitment to making interpretability accessible. We care deeply about building a team who shares our values:

Put mission and team first
All we do is in service of our mission. We trust each other, deeply care about the success of the organization, and choose to put our team above ourselves.

Improve constantly
We are constantly looking to improve every piece of the business. We proactively critique ourselves and others in a kind and thoughtful way that translates to practical improvements in the organization. We are pragmatic and consistently implement the obvious fixes that work.

Take ownership and initiative
There are no bystanders here. We proactively identify problems and take full responsibility over getting a strong result. We are self-driven, own our mistakes, and feel deep responsibility over what we’re building.

Action today
We have a small amount of time to do something incredibly hard and meaningful. The pace and intensity of the organization is high. If we can take action today or tomorrow, we will choose to do it today.

If you share our values and have at least two years of relevant experience, we encourage you to apply and join us in shaping the future of how we design AI systems.

What we are looking for:

• Strong technical background in computer science, machine learning, or related fields
• Previous machine learning research experience
• Proficiency in Python programming and ML frameworks
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience with LLM and/or AI interpretability research
• Track record of completing structured research projects end-to-end

Success Profile:

• Excel at executing well-defined research plans
• Thrive in collaborative environments
• Can work independently while incorporating structured feedback
• Demonstrate strong interest in AI interpretability

Program Benefits:

• Weekly stipend
• Full coverage of necessary compute and API costs
• Direct mentorship from Goodfire researchers
• Opportunity to co-author published research

This is a fixed-term fellowship position. While full-time positions are not guaranteed following the fellowship, exceptional performance during the program may indicate future opportunities at Goodfire.