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Ai/Ml Research Intern

AfterQuery

OnSite San Francisco
AI

Job Score

80 pts
On-site model (+70) AI (+10)

About AfterQuery

AfterQuery is an applied research lab curating data solutions for foundation model development. We serve every frontier AI lab with the mission of delivering the best data to power the best models. In doing so, we can make expertise that once took a lifetime to build available to anyone who needs it.

Our customers are the ones building the foundation models themselves and our work sits directly in the loop of how those systems improve. This is a rare opportunity to join a company at a defining moment in AI. We are YC's fastest unicorn, valued at $3.2 billion. We're based in San Francisco and backed by leading investors including Altos Ventures, BoxGroup, and Y Combinator and angels from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta Superintelligence Labs, and Microsoft AI.

Why Apply

Massive Opportunity: We are YC's fastest unicorn valued at $3.2 billion and we're not slowing down.

Founding Impact: You will own and architect core infrastructure systems that power our platform from the ground up.

Equity & Growth: Competitive salary and meaningful equity. As we scale, you’ll have the opportunity to shape the engineering organization and lead major technical initiatives.

Strong Team: Our founding team has experience from Citadel Securities, Meta, Google, Silver Lake, and Morgan Stanley — work alongside world-class engineers and researchers.

AfterQuery is seeking exceptional undergraduate and masters students for our AI/ML Research Internship program. This is not a typical internship – you'll work directly with our research team on cutting-edge AI projects focused on advanced reasoning, computer use, and agentic models. You'll have access to our network of experts and specialized datasets to support your research contributions. Successful interns will have the opportunity to co-author research papers, gain invaluable experience with frontier AI systems, and potentially present work at leading AI conferences. Students enrolled in undergraduate or masters programs in relevant fields are welcome to apply. This job will demand between 10 and 40 hours per week depending on company needs.

Company Overview

AfterQuery is a research lab investigating the boundaries and capabilities of artificial intelligence through novel datasets and experimentation. Our customers are the foundation model labs, and we serve all of the frontier AI labs.

We are based in San Francisco, CA, and have raised funding from top investors, including Y Combinator and BoxGroup, ex-partners from Lightspeed and Index Ventures, and senior leadership at Google DeepMind and Meta GenAI.

Our founding team brings backgrounds from Jane Street, Meta, Citadel Securities, Google, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Silver Lake, Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR), and Stanford Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (SAIL).

Why Apply

  • Contribute to cutting-edge AI research

  • Co-author papers for top AI conferences

  • Access specialized datasets and computational resources

  • Develop highly sought-after industry and academic skills

  • Join one of the fastest growing YC startups

  • Work with AfterQuery’s founding team (Citadel Securities, Meta, Google, Silver Lake, Morgan Stanley)

Responsibilities

  • Support research scientists in designing and running experiments

  • Collect, process, and analyze proprietary datasets

  • Help develop and test new algorithms for advanced reasoning and agents

  • Contribute to research documentation and findings

  • Participate in research discussions and present findings

  • Collaborate on interdisciplinary projects with interns and researchers

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in AI, ML, or related research projects

  • Familiarity with large language models and reinforcement learning

  • Knowledge of NLP or multi-modal systems

  • Previous research experience or publications

  • Strong communication skills; able to explain complex concepts

  • Experience with data visualization and analysis tools

Company Benefits (For Eligible Employees):

  • Health Insurance: Medical, Vision, Dental

  • 401(k) with Employer Match

  • Daily Meals: Daily UberEats Stipend

  • Monthly Wellness Stipend

  • Commute Covered

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to providing a workplace free from discrimination and harassment. Employment decisions are made without regard to legally protected characteristics under applicable federal, state, or local law.

We comply with applicable pay transparency requirements and provide compensation ranges based on the position, qualifications, experience, and other relevant factors. Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities and for sincerely held religious beliefs, as required by law. This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, or working conditions associated with the position. We reserve the right to modify this job description as business needs change.

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About Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is currently the fastest-growing field in the technology market. The revolution in generative models (GPT, Claude, Gemini) has created massive demand for AI-specialized professionals.

Key areas of practice include Machine Learning Engineering, MLOps, Prompt Engineering, AI Research, and Applied AI. Python, TensorFlow, PyTorch, and LLM knowledge are essential skills.

AI salaries are the highest in the technology sector, with many remote work opportunities at international companies.

Discover Other Areas

Understand the scope of work, key skills, and tools used in different career areas.

About QA and Testing

QA and Software Testing are fundamental to ensure the quality and reliability of applications. QA professionals ensure that the delivered product meets requirements and is free of critical defects.

Key skills include manual and automated testing, Selenium, Cypress, Playwright, Postman, JMeter, and CI/CD pipeline knowledge. Performance and security testing are differentiators.

With the adoption of DevOps and continuous deployment, the demand for automation QAs and SDETs continues to grow.

About Automation Engineer

The Automation Engineer is the professional responsible for designing, developing, and implementing solutions that automate manual and repetitive processes in IT, infrastructure, testing, and operations. They combine programming knowledge with DevOps and SRE vision to eliminate manual tasks and increase operational efficiency.

Key skills include Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible, Pulumi), CI/CD (Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI), test automation (Selenium, Cypress, Playwright), network automation (Netconf, SDN), RPA (UiPath, Power Automate), and scripting (Python, Bash, PowerShell). Knowledge of Kubernetes, GitOps (ArgoCD, Flux), and automation platforms is a differentiator.

Automation Engineers in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who can create automated deployment pipelines, self-healing infrastructure, and internal developer platforms (IDP). The field offers opportunities from junior automation engineer to automation architect and head of automation.

About Information Security

The Information Security area is one of the most strategic and in-demand fields in the technology market. With the rise of cyberattacks, data breaches, and regulations like LGPD and GDPR, companies of all sizes invest heavily in professionals who can protect their digital assets.

Key specializations include Network Security, Cloud Security (AWS, Azure, GCP), Offensive Security (Penetration Testing, Red Team), Defensive Security (SOC, Blue Team), AppSec, and Security Governance. Tools like SIEM (Splunk, QRadar), firewalls, EDR, and Vulnerability Management platforms are essential.

Certifications like CISSP, CEH, OSCP, CompTIA Security+, and AWS Security Specialty are important differentiators. Information security professionals are among the highest-paid in the sector, with growing demand especially in fintechs, healthtechs, and large enterprises.

About Marketing

The Marketing area is strategic for the growth and positioning of any company. It encompasses traditional marketing, brand management, market research, trade marketing, product marketing, and market intelligence. Marketing professionals are responsible for planning and executing strategies that connect brands to their target audience.

Key skills include brand management, market research, competitive analysis, product marketing, trade marketing, pricing, relationship marketing, and channel development. Knowledge of research tools (Nielsen, Kantar, Ipsos), BI, and advanced spreadsheets is a differentiator.

Marketing professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master product marketing, go-to-market strategy, and data-driven marketing. The field offers opportunities from analyst to CMO, with a focus on growth, brand positioning, and return on investment.

About IT Governance

IT Governance is the area responsible for ensuring that information technology resources are used strategically, efficiently, and in compliance with standards and regulations. IT governance professionals ensure that technology supports business objectives in a secure and reliable manner.

Key skills include IT service management (ITIL), IT audit and compliance, risk management, business continuity, disaster recovery, metrics and indicators (SLAs, KPIs), and strategic alignment between IT and business. Frameworks like COBIT, ITIL, ISO 27001, and compliance standards are essential.

IT Governance professionals in technology companies are highly valued, especially those who master ITSM, IT audit, and risk management. The field offers opportunities from governance analyst to CIO/CTO, with a focus on efficiency, compliance, security, and business value.

Career Guides

Technology Career Guide

Planning, skills, interviews, and professional growth in IT, Data Science, DevOps, and Product.

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Marketing Career Guide

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Finance Career Guide

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Communication Career Guide

Journalism, PR, Corporate Communication, Content Marketing, and Multimedia Production.

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Administration Career Guide

Business Management, HR, Logistics, Consulting, Project Management, and Entrepreneurship.

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Data Career Guide

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Product Career Guide

Product Management, Product Ownership, Agile, Scrum, and OKRs. From strategy to execution.

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Tech & Remote Glossary

Stop getting lost in interviews and job descriptions

The job market, especially within tech and global companies, has developed its own dialect. Not understanding these acronyms can make you lose valuable opportunities or poorly negotiate your contract. To end this problem, we created the Definitive Glossary for the Remote Professional.

🏢 Work Models & Routine

Async (Asynchronous Work)
A communication model where responses don't need to be immediate. Instead of back-to-back meetings, the team relies on well-structured documents, threads, and messages. It's the gold standard for global companies spanning multiple time zones.
Sync (Synchronous Work)
The opposite of Async. It requires the team to be online and available at the same time for meetings, live chats, and real-time collaboration.
Daily / Stand-up
A quick daily meeting (usually 15 minutes) common in Agile (Scrum) methodologies. The team answers three questions: What did I do yesterday? What will I do today? Are there any blockers?
All-Hands / Town Hall
A company-wide meeting involving all employees. Usually led by the founders (C-Levels) to present results, new goals, and answer team questions.
1:1 (One-on-One)
A recurring individual meeting between a professional and their direct manager. It is used for career alignment, feedback, and problem-solving, not just for project status updates.

💰 Contracts, Benefits & Compensation

PTO (Paid Time Off)
Instead of strict, categorized leave policies, modern US companies usually offer a flexible pool of days (e.g., 20 days of PTO, or even "Unlimited PTO") that you can use for vacations, sick days, or personal matters, while receiving your regular compensation.
Equity / Stock Options
Company ownership. The startup offers you the right to buy shares at a heavily discounted strike price in the future. If the company grows, goes public, or is acquired, these shares can be highly lucrative.
Vesting (Vesting Schedule)
The rule that controls your Equity. It usually lasts 4 years. You don't get all the shares on day one; you "earn" them gradually as you stay with the company. A "1-year Cliff" means you must stay for at least one year to receive your first batch of shares.
RSUs (Restricted Stock Units)
Unlike Stock Options (where you have the right to buy the stock), RSUs are actual shares the company grants you as a bonus or part of your compensation package, following a strict Vesting schedule.
Independent Contractor (1099 / B2B)
The most common international hiring model for global talent working for US companies. You act as a service provider (business-to-business), receiving the gross salary (often six-figure compensation) without standard local payroll tax deductions at the source.

🤖 Recruitment & Hiring Process

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
The "robot" that reads your resume. Software like Greenhouse, Ashby, and Workday are used to filter candidates by keywords before a human even looks at the document. (Pro tip: this is why your resume must be clean, semantic, and have the right keywords).
JD (Job Description)
The document that lists the responsibilities, technical requirements, and benefits of the open position.
Cultural Fit
The interview stage that evaluates if your core values, communication style, and worldview align with the company's culture. This is the ultimate test of your Soft Skills.
Onboarding
The integration process. It's the period of your first few weeks at the company, where you get your access credentials, learn about the culture, study the internal documentation, and understand how the product works.

🚀 How to use this to your advantage?

The secret isn't just knowing what these acronyms mean, but using them actively. If during an interview for a premium tech role you ask, "How does your PTO policy and Vesting schedule work?", the recruiter will immediately perceive you as a high-level professional, familiar with the global market standards.

The remote job market requires preparation. And having the right vocabulary is the first big step to securing six-figure proposals and standing out among thousands of applicants.

Expert Tip

Generative Design and AI as a Co-pilot

If the last decade in digital design was defined by mobile standardization and UX/UI becoming the core of product development, 2026 marks the dawn of a new era. We are no longer designing just for flat glass screens; we are building intelligent ecosystems, three-dimensional environments, and autonomous algorithms.

For designers looking to stand out and secure the best six-figure remote opportunities in the US tech market, understanding where the industry is heading is no longer a "nice-to-have" differential—it's a matter of professional survival. Below, we break down the four major trends that will dictate hiring and compensation in the 2026 design landscape.

1. Generative Design and AI as a Co-pilot (Not a Replacement)

The fear of Artificial Intelligence replacing designers is officially in the past. In 2026, generative AI is deeply and natively integrated into industry-standard tools like Figma, Adobe, and Framer. The most valued skill by top-tier tech companies is no longer speed in aligning components, but rather algorithmic art direction and prompt design.

  • UI Automation: Wireframing, component variations, and complex design systems can now be generated with a few text prompts.
  • The Designer's New Role: Professionals are shifting from operational executors to curators and strategists, ensuring that AI-generated outputs align with user psychology and core business objectives.

2. Spatial Design and Spatial Computing

With the maturation of mixed reality devices (such as the Apple Vision Pro and Meta's advanced lineups), Spatial Design has evolved from an experimental niche to a mandatory department in Big Tech and forward-thinking startups.

Designing for spatial computing requires a complete paradigm shift: designers must understand Z-axis depth, visual ergonomics, spatial audio, and interactions based on eye-tracking and hand gestures. Roles like AR/VR Product Designer and 3D Interaction Designer are seeing an exponential jump in job listings, often paired with premium compensation packages.

3. Conversation Design and Invisible Interfaces (Zero-UI)

Driven by the omnipresence of Large Language Models (LLMs), the way users interact with systems has fundamentally changed. In 2026, many of the best interfaces don't rely on buttons or hamburger menus; they are conversational. UX Writing and Conversation Design have taken center stage.

  • The Challenge: How do you design the "personality" and flow of a virtual assistant so it feels natural, empathetic, and on-brand, rather than like a rigid robot?
  • The Opportunity: Designers who know how to map complex decision trees, create logical flows for voice and text, and train the empathy of AI models are being heavily scouted by top US startups.

4. Digital Sustainability and Eco-Design

The ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) agenda has finally reached the product design tables. The internet consumes a massive amount of energy, and in 2026, tech companies are being strictly held accountable for their digital carbon footprint.

Enter the demand for Digital Eco-Design. This involves creating lighter interfaces, optimizing user flows to reduce screen time (saving battery life and server processing power), and adopting color palettes and assets (like SVGs instead of heavy raster images) that require less energy to render. Being a sustainable designer has become a powerful B2B selling point for agencies and freelancers alike.

Conclusion: The Evolution of Talent

The 2026 design market is highly rewarding for those who embrace complexity. The barrier to entry for making "pretty screens" has dropped significantly, but the demand for professionals who can solve intricate business problems through empathy, strategy, and the mastery of new technologies has never been higher.

If you want to stay ahead of the curve and get direct access to the remote jobs that are actively looking for these specific skills, make sure to follow Mondywork's daily curation. The future of design is hybrid, remote, and full of opportunities.