MacPaw is a software company that develops and distributes software for macOS and iOS. Today, we have 20 million active users across all our products.
At MacPaw, we believe humans and technology can reach their greatest potential together.
MacPaw is proud to be Ukrainian. The support and development of Ukraine are significant parts of the company’s culture. MacPaw gathers open-minded people who support each other and aspire to change the world around us.
We’re looking for an AI Research Scientist to join our AI&Research Unit, a team dedicated to pushing the boundaries of fundamental artificial intelligence and bridging the gap between academic advancements and real-world technology.
Our fundamental research stream focuses on on-device LLM efficiency, deep architectural explorations, and localized machine learning solutions for the macOS ecosystem. It helps uncover high-level utility and solve complex technical challenges directly on user hardware, establishing our technology as a generalized leader in the global market.
As an AI Research Scientist, you will take deep ownership of our fundamental research initiatives. You’ll define, test, and coordinate advanced optimization workflows and structural model modifications while driving strategic collaborations with global scientific entities.
If you’re excited to lay the foundation for on-device AI efficiency to become a global industry standard, we’d love to hear from you!
In this role, you will:
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Prepare fundamental research proposals within our specialized LLM efficiency and optimization streams.
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Investigate new directions in LLM optimization by surveying relevant academic publications, formulating hypotheses, and running deep-dive experiments.
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Collaborate closely with internal research scientists and external academic labs on joint research projects and scientific publications.
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Work alongside the applied research stream to surface, validate, and transition relevant research prototypes into downstream production environments.
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Contribute to a strong publication record at top-tier international AI conferences,
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Take full ownership of your research niche, driving initiatives from ideation to implementation with a high degree of independence and autonomy.
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Take part in internal knowledge-sharing sessions and weekly paper clubs to consistently improve domain expertise.
Skills you’ll need to bring:
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Deep experience in Natural Language Processing (NLP) or a similar machine learning domain, gained through solid academic work, industry experience, or both.
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Strong theoretical and practical understanding of recent LLM optimization techniques (ex. quantization, KV-cache compression, speculative decoding, and distillation).
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Direct hands-on experience with parameter-efficient fine-tuning (including LoRA and other adapters) and mixture-of-experts (MoE) architectures.
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Advanced prototyping skills and a proven ability to implement complex algorithms and architectures directly from academic papers.
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Fluent programming capabilities in Python and modern frameworks such as PyTorch, JAX, or TensorFlow.
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Robust fundamental knowledge of linear algebra, probability theory, and mathematical statistics.
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Upper-intermediate level of English or higher for active scientific writing, international lab collaboration, and conference presentations.
As a plus:
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A track record of publishing original research at international research conferences in AI/ML/SE/HCI domains.
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Practical experience in performance engineering, including code profiling and low-level optimization (GPU, Metal, C++...).
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Hands-on experience training, running, or deploying localized LLM models on device frameworks like MLX.
What We Offer
We are a Ukrainian company, and we stand with Ukraine against the russian aggression
- We maintain workplaces for the mobilized Macpawians and provide financial support to colleagues or their families affected by the war. Here, you can also read about the MacPaw Foundation, which intends to help save the lives of Ukrainian defenders and provide relief to as many civilians as possible.
We are committed to our veterans
- Our Veteran Career and Empowerment Program is designed to ensure our veterans and active military personnel receive the recognition, support, and opportunities they deserve.
Hybrid work model
- Whether to work remotely or at the hub is entirely up to you. If you decide to mix it, our Kyiv office, which works as a coworking space, is open around the clock. The office is supplied with UPS and Starlink for an uninterrupted work process.
Your health always comes first
- We guarantee medical insurance starting on your first working month. For those abroad, you can receive a yearly Medical insurance allowance as compensation for managing your medical expenses.
Flexible working hours
- You can choose a schedule that is comfortable for you. No one here tracks your clock in/out because MacPaw is built on trust and cooperation.
Space to grow both professionally and personally
- Education opportunities to grow both hard and soft skills, annual development reviews, and internal community.
Teams we are proud of
- We build honest, transparent, and reliable relationships within teams. Every Macpawian can improve processes and implement their ideas. We encourage open and constructive feedback and provide training for Macpawians on giving and receiving feedback.
Office designed for people (and pets)
- Our office has it all: a spacious workplace with enough room for sitting up, lying down, and running around; a gym for recreation; cozy kitchens; a sleeping/meditation room; and a terrace with a view where we throw summer parties. Also, we have two cats living in the office.
Time-off policy that covers life’s needs
- Convenient personal time-off policy to help you take care of essential matters in your personal life, and parental leaves. On top of all that, sabbaticals are open after 5 years of being with MacPaw.
Join social initiatives with MacPawCares
- MacPaw participates in numerous humanitarian aid and charity projects across many fields, and you are welcome to jump in to make the world a better place.
We’re an equal-opportunity employer. Here is a safe place for applicants of all backgrounds
- We are hiring talented humans. Meaning with all our variety of backgrounds and identities, including service members and veterans, women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, individuals with disabilities, and other often underrepresented groups. MacPaw does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
- Some benefits are under development, and new adjustments are possible.
