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 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:

• High agency: You are self-directed, proactive, and take ownership of your work, setting and accomplishing ambitious goals independently while collaborating effectively with others.
• Constant improvement: You have deep intellectual curiosity and are always seeking to expand your knowledge and reflect on what you could be doing better.
• Strong opinions, loosely held: You foster an environment where well-intentioned disagreement leads to reaching the best solutions. You argue strongly for what you believe and are not afraid to change your mind when you are wrong.
• Deeply mission driven: You understand that the path to building a game-changing interpretability product will not be easy and are prepared to put in the hard work every day. You put the team before yourself and are fully committed to advancing our understanding of AI.
• Thoughtful and pragmatic: You approach your work and interactions with others with nuance and humility. You think deeply about all angles of a problem, not just the one you advocate for. You operate with the understanding that not everything can be perfect.

If you share our values and have 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
• US work authorization
• 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.