About Phaidra
Phaidra is building the future of industrial automation.
The world today is filled with static, monolithic infrastructure. Factories, power plants, buildings, etc. operate the same they've operated for decades — because the controls programming is hard-coded. Thousands of lines of rules and heuristics that define how the machines interact with each other. The result of all this hard-coding is that facilities are frozen in time, unable to adapt to their environment while their performance slowly degrades.
Phaidra creates AI-powered control systems for the industrial sector, enabling industrial facilities to automatically learn and improve over time. Specifically:
- We use reinforcement learning algorithms to provide this intelligence, converting raw sensor data into high-value actions and decisions.
- We focus on industrial applications, which tend to be well-sensorized with measurable KPIs — perfect for reinforcement learning.
- We enable domain experts (our users) to configure the AI control systems (i.e. agents) without writing code. They define what they want their AI agents to do, and we do it for them.
Our team has a track record of applying AI to some of the toughest problems. From achieving superhuman performance with DeepMind's AlphaGo, to reducing the energy required to cool Google's Data Centers by 40%, we deeply understand AI and how to apply it in production for massive impact.
Phaidra is based in the USA but 100% remote; we do not have a physical office. We hire employees internationally with the help of our partner, OysterHR. Our team is currently located throughout the USA, Canada, UK, Norway, Italy, Spain, Portugal, and India.
**Please only apply to one opening. If you are a better fit for another opening, our team will move your application. Candidates who apply to multiple openings will not be considered.**
Who You Are
A Ph.D. or a strong master's student with a solid background in machine learning and causal inference.
We are seeking a team member located within one of the following areas: United States (CA, CO, CT, GA, MD, MN, MO, NC, TN, TX, VA, WA), Canada, UK, or EU
Responsibilities
You will play a pivotal role in a project dedicated to optimizing the energy consumption of industrial cooling systems. Your responsibilities will include:
- Analyzing the performance of our existing models in estimating the causal effects of various parameter configurations on energy consumption.
- Designing advanced algorithms to improve the precision of estimating these effects.
- Creating robust evaluation metrics to thoroughly assess the performance of our models.
- Reporting and presenting research findings and developments both internally and externally, verbally and in writing.
Onboarding
In your first 30 days, you will:
- Familiarize yourself with industrial cooling systems.
- Initiate the analysis of our models and explore potential areas for improvement.
- Determine the appropriate evaluation metrics.
In your first 60 days, you will:
- Develop a solid understanding of the problem.
- Complete several iteration cycles and be prepared to implement a definitive solution.
- Conduct experiments and report preliminary results.
In your first 90 days, you will:
- Implement the definitive solution.
- Complete all planned experiments.
- Compile a comprehensive report describing the solution and reporting the results.
Key qualifications
- Currently pursuing a Ph.D. or master's in a relevant field.
- Solid background and proven experience in machine learning and causal inference.
Preferred Skills & Experience
- Excellent problem-solving skills and attention to detail.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Prior experience with research projects or contributions to open-source software is a plus.
- Experience applying machine learning to physical systems is a plus.
General Interview Process
All of our interviews are held via Google Meet, and an active camera connection is required.
- Initial screening interview with a People Operations team member (30 minutes)
- Meeting with the Hiring Manager (60 minutes)
- Culture fit interview with Phaidra’s co-founders (30 minutes)
Base Salary Range
- US Residents: $42-$50/hour
- UK Residents: £29-£33/hour
- Canada Residents: CA$40-CA$50/hour
Benefits & Perks
- Fast-paced and team-oriented environment where you will be instrumental in the direction of the company.
- Phaidra is a 100% remote company with a digital nomad policy.
- Competitive compensation & equity.
- Outsized responsibilities & professional development.
- Training is foundational; functional, customer immersion, and development training.
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance (exact benefits vary by region).
- Unlimited paid time off, with a minimum of 20 days off per year requirement.
- Paid parental leave (exact benefits vary by region).
- Home office setup allowance, coworking space stipend, and company MacBook.
*Please note that Phaidra’s benefits and perks listed above do not apply to temporary employees such as interns.
On being Remote
We are thoughtful about remote collaboration. We look to the pioneers - like Gitlab - for inspiration and best practices to create a stellar remote work environment. We have a documentation-first culture and actively practice asynchronous communication in everything we do. Our team stays connected through tools like Slack and video chat. Most teams meet daily, and we have dedicated all-hands meetings weekly to build strong relationships. We hold virtual team building events once per quarter - and even hold virtual socials to watch rocket launches! We have a yearly in-person, all-company summit in locations like Seattle, Athens, Goa, and Barcelona.
Equal Opportunity Employment
Phaidra is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Phaidra is governed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status. We welcome diversity and strive to maintain an inclusive environment for all employees. If you need assistance with completing the application process, please contact us at hiring@phaidra.ai.
E-Verify Notice
Phaidra participates in E-Verify, an employment authorization database provided through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA). As required by law, we will provide the SSA and, if necessary, the DHS, with information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization for those residing in the United States.
Additional information about E-Verify can be found here.
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WE DO NOT ACCEPT APPLICATIONS FROM RECRUITERS.
