Research Scientist, Conversational AI

country: US all locations: [New York Mountain View] commitment: Full-time department: Research location: New York team: Research What you'll do: Hands-on Research: Be deeply involved in hands-on technical work in any and all aspects of research projects from early exploration to working prototypes to achieve successful real-world applications. Research Leadership: Identify promising applications of AI relevant to ASAPP’s core mission, formulate and advocate for research programs in those areas, and take ownership of driving impactful research initiatives. Collaboration & Advocacy: Work with cross-functional teams to socialize your research findings, advocate for their application, and guide the productization of those findings to improve customer experience solutions. Documentation & Publication: Document significant experimental results, contribute to publishing peer-reviewed papers, and participate in patenting innovations. Mentorship: Mentor and guide junior researchers, helping them develop their skills in independent research and the communication of their findings. What we're looking for: Education: PhD in a relevant field (such as Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Linguistics, etc.) Technical Expertise: Strong research experience in LLMs, Conversational AI, or Speech systems, including practical knowledge of algorithm design, model development, and experimental evaluation.  Ideally with a focus on real-world applications. Mentorship: Experience in coaching and guiding junior researchers or research engineers. Hands-on Contribution: As an individual contributor, you’ll be expected to lead experiments, perform hands-on research, and drive the execution of innovative projects. Enthusiasm: A passion for continued learning and deepening expertise in machine learning and AI, with a strong desire to apply research in impactful ways. What we'd like to see: Experience with Spoken Conversational AI applications or Speech LLMs. Ability to develop and lead independent research programs. A collaborative mindset, eager to share research findings and drive their application across product teams. Experience in a startup environment, with the ability to balance deep research and rapid execution.