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Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist Jobs

SmarterDx

Staff Machine Learning Research Scientist

$220K - $260K/yr

As a Staff Machine Learning Research Scientist at SmarterDx, you will set technical direction for cutting-edge ML research and translate it into real-world clinical impact. You'll work at the ...

LLNL

Machine Learning Research Engineer

Livermore, CA · On-site

$146K - $222K/yr

This position is in the Center for Applied Scientific Computing (CASC) Division within the Computing Directorate. Essential Duties * Research, develop, implement, and evaluate new machine learning ...

ISEE

Research Scientist - Machine Learning

... Conducting research in the areas of: Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning ... in Robotics, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical ...

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Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist information

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$50.5K

$130.1K

$174K

How much do contract machine learning research scientist jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract machine learning research scientist in the United States is $130,117.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $107,500.00 and $173,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist, you need advanced knowledge of machine learning algorithms, statistical modeling, and a graduate degree in computer science, mathematics, or a related field. Expertise with programming languages such as Python or R, familiarity with ML frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch, and experience using version control systems are typically required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills set standout candidates apart in collaborative and fast-paced research environments. These skills are crucial for developing innovative solutions, interpreting complex data, and delivering high-quality research outcomes within contractual timelines.

What does a Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist do?

A Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist is a professional hired on a temporary or project basis to design, develop, and implement machine learning models and algorithms. They collaborate with teams to analyze data, conduct experiments, and improve AI systems, often in academic, industrial, or commercial settings. Their work typically involves researching new techniques, publishing findings, and translating research into practical applications. Since they work on a contract basis, their roles may vary depending on the project's needs and duration.

What is the difference between Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist vs Data Scientist?

AspectContract Machine Learning Research ScientistData Scientist
CredentialsMaster's or PhD in CS, ML, or related fieldsBachelor's or Master's in CS, Statistics, or related fields
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, R&D teams, academic collaborationsBusiness analytics, product teams, data-driven decision making
Employer & Industry UsageTech companies, research institutions, startupsFinance, healthcare, e-commerce, tech firms

Contract Machine Learning Research Scientists focus on developing new algorithms and conducting research, often in academic or R&D settings. Data Scientists analyze data to generate insights and support business decisions. While both roles require strong ML knowledge, the research scientist role emphasizes innovation and experimentation, whereas data scientists focus on applying existing models to real-world problems.

What are some common challenges faced by contract machine learning research scientists when working on short-term projects?

Contract machine learning research scientists often encounter challenges such as limited timeframes to achieve research milestones, quickly adapting to new domains or datasets, and efficiently integrating with existing teams. As short-term contributors, they must rapidly understand the project's context and deliver impactful results within strict deadlines. Clear communication and proactive collaboration with permanent staff are essential to ensure alignment with project goals and to maximize the value delivered during the contract period.
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Contract Machine Learning Research Scientist jobs near you
Staff Machine Learning Research Scientist

Staff Machine Learning Research Scientist

SmarterDx

Remote

$220K - $260K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

SmarterDx, a Smarter Technologies company, builds clinical AI that is transforming how hospitals translate care into payment. Founded by physicians in 2020, our platform connects clinical context with revenue intelligence, helping health systems recover millions in missed revenue, improve quality scores, and appeal every denial. Become a Smartian and help optimize the way the healthcare system works for everyone. Learn more at smarterdx.com/careers.
As a Staff Machine Learning Research Scientist at SmarterDx, you will set technical direction for cutting-edge ML research and translate it into real-world clinical impact. You'll work at the intersection of research, engineering, and healthcare, partnering with engineers and clinicians to build systems that deeply understand patient records and improve hospital outcomes. This is a senior, high-impact role where you'll not only execute on ambitious ideas but also shape the team's research agenda and standards.
You will be expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy-identifying promising research directions, critically evaluating academic work, and ensuring that what gets built is both scientifically sound and practically useful. Your work will directly influence how we evaluate models, detect hallucinations, and build high-quality datasets, ultimately improving the reliability of AI in healthcare.
**This role is fully remote within the US**
What You'll Do
  • Lead end-to-end ML research, from idea generation to production deployment and monitoring
  • Design, implement, and evaluate novel methods for LLM alignment on proprietary clinical data
  • Develop and rigorously evaluate approaches for hallucination detection, attribution, and model reliability
  • Build and curate high-quality datasets, with a strong emphasis on evaluation design and benchmark integrity
  • Critically assess academic literature to identify strong vs weak methods, and translate the best ideas into practice
  • Establish best practices for experimental design, including statistically sound evaluation and reproducibility
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering to productionize models (MLOps, infra, deployment)
  • Develop methods for long-context and multimodal modeling (structured + unstructured clinical data)
  • Mentor other researchers and help raise the bar for research quality across the team
  • Contribute to external presence through papers, talks, and recruiting

What You Bring
  • Strong track record of ML research, ideally with publications in top-tier venues (e.g., NeurIPS, ICML, ICLR, ACL, EMNLP, AAAI, etc.)
  • Proven ability to distinguish high-quality vs low-quality research, especially in fast-moving areas like LLMs
  • Deep understanding of LLM failure modes, particularly hallucinations, and how to evaluate and mitigate them
  • Experience designing rigorous evaluation frameworks and building high-quality test datasets
  • Strong intuition for dataset quality, bias, and benchmark design (data-centric AI mindset)
  • Hands-on experience training large-scale deep learning models (multi-GPU / distributed systems)
  • Deep understanding of modern neural architectures (transformers, SSMs, encoder/decoder models, etc.)
  • Strong programming skills in Python and ML frameworks such as PyTorch or JAX
  • Experience deploying ML models into production systems and monitoring their performance
  • Clear and proactive communicator, able to explain complex ideas and critique work effectively

Nice To Haves
  • Experience with inference optimization techniques (e.g., vLLM, KV caching, speculative decoding)
  • Familiarity with MLSys concepts (parallelism strategies, distributed training infrastructure)
  • Experience working with clinical or healthcare data
  • Background in retrieval systems, graph-based learning, or multimodal modeling

Our Tech Stack
  • PyTorch, Hugging Face Transformers, Python
  • AWS (MWAA), Kubernetes, SLURM
  • DeepSpeed, TorchTune
  • Snowflake, Airflow, GitHub
Compensation
$220k-260k base salary
#LI-Remote
Benefits
  • Medical, Dental & Vision - Comprehensive plans with leading insurance providers, covering 75% of your premiums, depending on the plan.
  • Paid Parental Leave - Generous paid leave to support families through birth or adoption: Up to 12 weeks for parents.
  • Remote-First Team - Work from anywhere in the U.S.
  • Unlimited PTO & 10 Holidays - So you can relax and recharge.
  • 401(k) with Traditional & Roth Options - Tax-advantaged retirement savings through Fidelity with a 4% match.
  • Minimal Bureaucracy - A fast-moving, high-impact environment where you can focus on what matters.
  • Incredible Teammates! - Work alongside smart, supportive, and mission-driven colleagues.

Apply