Applied Research Scientist (18 months)

“This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge AI research in Trust and Safety — driving innovation, building trust, and enabling adoption of AI. You’ll collaborate with leading researchers and practitioners to turn breakthroughs into real-world impact. There’s so much meaningful work ahead and we’re eager to build it together.”

-  Alyssa Lefaivre Škopac  | Director, AI Trust and Safety

About Amii

One of Canada’s three main institutes for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, our world-renowned researchers drive fundamental and applied research at the University of Alberta (and other academic institutions), training some of the world’s top scientific talent. Our cross-functional teams work collaboratively with Alberta-based businesses and organizations to build AI capacity and translate scientific advancement into industry adoption and economic impact.

About the Role

Reporting to the Director of AI Trust and Safety, the Applied Research Scientist will lead innovative research focused on AI Trust and Safety (T&S), with a particular focus on advanced AI systems and their systemic and societal risks. They will contribute to a dynamic research agenda that builds on Amii’s strengths, addresses critical gaps in the T&S landscape, and is informed by emerging national and international research priorities. Amii’s strategy is grounded in advancing AI T&S to support innovation, responsible adoption, and the diffusion of AI technologies, transforming research outputs into practical tools, frameworks, and resources that have real-world impact.

The Applied Research Scientist will leverage their work through academic papers, whitepapers, conference presentations, and practical tools to position Amii as a leader in AI safety. Their research will advance the understanding of AI risks, drive the development of more trustworthy AI systems, and support the responsible adoption of AI technologies.

The position centers on three key areas:

• Trust & Safety AI Research Projects
•  Strategy and Applied Expertise
•  Project Execution

Research priorities include advancing rigorous methodologies for risk assessment and system evaluations, studying the real-world behavior of complex AI systems, and developing new approaches for designing safer AI models. Particular emphasis will be placed on safety challenges in reinforcement learning  (RL)  and continual learning (CL), where systems adapt over time or learn from ongoing experience in dynamic environments.

Focus areas span topics such as:

• Developing robust techniques for assessing capabilities, risks, and system robustness in adaptive systems, including Reinforcement Learning (RL), Safe RL, and continual Reinforcement Learning. 
• Studying the real-world impacts of AI systems, including detecting and mitigating synthetic content and fraud, with the potential to leverage game-theoretic frameworks to model and analyze adversarial dynamics.
• Research into value misalignment, robustness, and interpretability in RL agents, as well as the integration of human feedback and constraints into RL systems.
• Other emerging areas of RL or continual RL research that align with T&S objectives and long-term research priorities.

By joining our team, you’ll help advance the science of AI trust and safety in a way that accelerates innovation, builds public trust, and ensures AI has a positive, real-world impact in Canada and beyond.

Required Skills / Expertise

Key Responsibilities:  

Trust & Safety Research Projects

• Develop and propose Trust & Safety (T&S) research projects  - defining objectives, scope, methodologies, and resource needs - and conduct original research to build models, tools, and approaches that address real-world challenges.
• Author and publish peer-reviewed papers, white papers, and other scientific outputs to advance the field and share findings with the broader community.
• Consider pathways to real-world impact throughout the research process, identifying opportunities to translate findings into practical tools, frameworks, and applications.
• Continuously refine research plans in response to emerging insights, technological advances, and shifts in industry needs.
• Design, develop, and execute large-scale AI experiments to advance research and inform applied solutions.
• Synthesize existing research to identify knowledge gaps and drive the development of new scientific projects.
• Support collaborations with Canadian and international research institutions to expand the scope and impact of T&S research.

Strategy and Applied Expertise

• Develop and communicate a clear vision and strategy for how projects contribute to the goals and objectives of the T&S program at Amii.
• Stay current with advancements in AI, ML, and T&S, offering cutting-edge insights and guidance.
• Contribute to multi-stakeholder discussions to collaborate on the technical and strategic direction for T&S projects.
• Represent the organization at conferences, workshops, and industry events, sharing knowledge and building a reputation as a thought leader in AI T&S.
• Support reporting requirements and generate insights on our T&S impact for key funding and government bodies.

Project Execution

• Collaborate on the successful implementation of high-impact T&S research projects.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, coordinate project timelines, and resolve challenges to ensure project success.
• Evaluate project results to assess performance and determine whether to continue, pivot, or discontinue research projects.
• Provide technical guidance and support to other team members.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, or a related field, with demonstrated research experience in ML/AI/RL.
• Strong expertise in Reinforcement Learning (RL), including experience designing, implementing, and evaluating RL algorithms in both simulated and real-world environments; familiarity with common RL libraries.
• Track record of contributions to top-tier ML/AI conferences or journals. 
• Experience developing, training, and evaluating machine learning models in applied settings. (Bonus: Experience applying RL in real-world domains such as robotics, games, systems optimization, or safety-critical environments).
• Strong interest or experience in AI Trust & Safety (T&S), including familiarity with emerging challenges, priorities, and research agendas.
• Proficient in Python; familiarity with additional languages such as C++, Java, or SQL (nice to  have)
• Familiar with tools and frameworks such as: Pytorch/Tensorflow/JAX, Scikit-learn Pandas, Optuna, Wandb, lightgbm/XGBoost, SciPy, UNIX/Linux and large-scale high-performance computing environments.
• Up-to-date knowledge of foundational and cutting-edge ML/AI advancements, particularly in the Trust & Safety domain.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrates presence, self-confidence, sound judgment, and superior problem-solving ability.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills for effective interactions with internal departments and external stakeholders.
• A motivated leader who demonstrates individual drive and an uncompromising desire to achieve exceptional results.
• Promotes high-level cross-functional collaboration and establishes credibility while influencing peers to achieve common goals.
• Demonstrates professional maturity, resourcefulness, and self-discipline in engaging in the pursuit of the organization’s goals.
• Able to work independently and make informed decisions while collaborating with staff and subject matter experts.
• Active participation in the research community: publishing research, serving as research reviewers, supporting Amii students, speaking or teaching within their area of expertise.

What you'll love about us

• The opportunity to advance Trust and Safety research by bridging the gap between research and practice, during a critical period of AI innovation, adoption, and diffusion. 
• A professional yet casual work environment that encourages the growth and development of your skills. 
• Participate in professional development activities.
• Gain access to the Amii community and events.
• A chance to learn from amazing teammates who support one another to succeed.
• Competitive compensation, including paid time off and flexible health benefits.
• A modern office located in downtown Edmonton, Alberta.

How to Apply

If this sounds like the opportunity you've been waiting for, please don’t wait to apply - we’re excited to add a new member to the Amii team for this position. We are keeping the door open to new applicants until we find the right fit. When sending your application, please send your CV and cover letter indicating why you think you'd be a fit for Amii. In your cover letter, please also indicate how your research expertise supports  Amii’s Trust and Safety research priorities and addresses a gap in the current research landscape. 

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada at the time of application.

Amii is an equal opportunity employer and values a diverse workforce. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability. Accommodations for disability-related needs throughout the recruitment and selection process are available upon request. Any information provided by you for accommodations will be kept confidential and won’t be used in the selection process.